In what was by definition a difficult game against a team that has quality players and is under pressure, PAOK showed they accustomed to rising to such challenges.

In the first half, Razvan Lucescu’s team were superior in all areas, dominating the pitch and creating important opportunities to take the lead. In the 10th minute, A. Zivkovic found Taison inside the penalty area, the Brazilian tried to score but a Panthinaikos defender cleared the ball off the line.

Then, in the 16th minute, home defender Jedvaj made an error which A. Zivkovic capitalised on to release Taison one-on-one with the goalkeeper but Ingason managed to make a last-ditch block. Mythou then missed the target with a shot from inside the area in the 25th minute, while five minutes later at the other end, Tsiftsis saved a shot by Tetteh.

PAOK continued to create chances, with home ‘keeper Lafonte stopping Ozdoev in the 37th minute, while in the 44th minute, the Panathinaikos goalkeeper saved his team when he pushed away a Pelkas lob from a one-on-one position.

In the second half, the game was dominated by tough tackles and quick transitions, with fewer goalscroing chances. PAOK won a penalty in the 66th minute, when Calabria tripped Giakoumakis, with the Double-headed Esgle forward duting himself down to slot hom the spot-kick and make it 1-0 to thte visitors.

And that was how it fnished, with Tsiftsis in the PAOK goal making an excellent save to deny a Tetteh header in the 72nd minute.

Team lineups: Panathinaikos: Lafonte, Calabria, Jedvai, Ingason, Kyriakopoulos, Kontouris (71’ Katris), Cerin (46’ Swiderski), Zarouri (71’ Pantelidis), Bakasetas, Andino (84’ Tamborda), Tetteh.

PAOK: Tsiftsis, Kenny, Kedziora, Michailides, Baba, Ozdoev, Meite, A. Zivkovic, Pelkas (61’ Giakoumakis), Taison (78’ Kamara), Mythou (61’ Hatsidis).