The training match of Saturday proved an intensely contested, evenly balanced game with thrilling finale. PAOK senior players plus seven footballers of the U20 side were split into two teams of 11, the Blacks and the Reds, and their 70-minute encounter ended in 2-2.

Blacks: Itandje, Tzavellas, Pouggouras, Spyropoulos, Konstantinidis, Patralis, Dimitriadis, Tzandaris, Pozoglou, Martens, Facundo.
Reds: Giakoumis, Pozatzidis, Katsikas, Skondras, Kitsiou, Tziampazis, Ktistopoulos, Savvidis, Kakko, Kusta, Papadopoulos.

The Reds hit the ground running and came close to the opener twice, but both Kakko and Kusta failed to find a way past Itandje. The Blacks replied with a header by Spyropoulos that went narrowly wide. Just before the interval, Pozoglou beat Giakoumis, but the goal was disallowed for a previous foul of the striker on Pozatzidis.

In the second half, Kusta and Kakko combined beautifully but the latter misplaced his strike. That was not the case with Tzandaris however who managed to beat Giakoumis with a double effort and give Blacks the lead.

The Reds didn’t take long in equalizing. Pozatzidis burst from the left and his cross was met by Kusta who volleyed it in leaving Itandje with no chance. One minute before the end, Pozoglou gave the Blacks the lead once again, but they failed to hold on to it. Papadopoulos netted his spot kick deep into stoppage time to make it 2-2.

Ergys Kace and Dimitris Salpingidis continue their recovery program and didn’t participate in the training match, as well as Miguel Vítor and Hedwiges Maduro who were spared due to accumulated fatigue.