Having played better than its opponent and by creating chances for an even wider score, Panathinaikos won 2-0 the team of PAOK, gaining an advantage to qualify for the final, in the first leg of the semi finals for the Greek Cup, realized at “Apostolos Nicolaidis” stadium.

From the very beginning of the duel the team of PAOK entered the match playing defensively, without letting any space to Panathinaikos, who had clear initiatives to move and create chances in the pitch. The guests didn’t allow any vertical game from the axis and tried to block any movement of the ball initiated by the players of the “Shamrock”. This idea was successful for 20 minutes approximately, as from then on the “Greens” were able to find ways to strike from the wings, mainly with Villafañes (right side) and Hult (left side). Having threatened the opponent’s goalposts twice, with Berg, the “Shamrock” opened the score in the 21st minute with a header by Moledo, after an assist of the Swede striker. Panathinaikos’ aggressiveness did not diminish and its superiority wasn’t affected after that goal, even though PAOK reacted and counterattacked for a short while, towards the end of the first half, creating a unique good chance in that duel (Enrique 37th minute).

The second period was an absolutely Panathinaikos’ issue! The “Shamrock” continued to attack, to press and to limit PAOK in its box. The guest team was just trying to find free corridors and created chances in the transition without success, though. Panathinaikos’ aggressiveness was expressed mainly by the initiatives of Marcus Berg, who couldn’t send the ball into the opponent’s goalposts, also due to the good performance of Glykos, PAOK’s goalie, who saved his team from a wider defeat. Finally, the Swede found a way to contribute by assisting his teammates, as he did also during the first half. Leto was the player who … took advantage, just 8 minutes after he had entered the pitch, substituting Klonaridis, and scored his team’s second goal. The final score 2-0 reflects in a true and correct way the image of the game, giving an important lead to the “Greens” towards the rematch, to be played in Thessaloniki on April 27.

Lineups:

Panathinaikos:Vlachodimos Οd., Coulibaly, Koutroumbis, Moledo, Hult, Kourbelis, Zeca, Villafañes (86′ Molins), Mpoku, Klonaridis (75′ Leto), Berg (90′ Reis)

PAOK:Glykos, Matos, Crespo, Malezas, Leovac, Cañias, Sachov (88′ Cimirot), Warda, Enrique (58′ Pelkas), Zalma Campos (73′ Kitsiou), Koulouris.