Extending the row of bad streaks and negative results, Panathinaikos lost, once more, 2-1 in Heraklion, Crete, now playing against OFI, for the second match day of the Greek Cup. This score takes the team into a difficult situation regarding the continuity in this competition, as they don’t hold their future in their hands any more. The team is facing the probability of being disqualified, even if it wins the last game of this stage.

The match was characterized mainly by the torrential rains and the bad shape of the pitch, which by combination complicated the efforts of the players of both teams. Nevertheless and by contrast to what happened in many of the previous matches, Panathinaikos was quite aggressive, controlling the game and getting easily to the opponent’s box.

The main interpreter of this aggression was Marcus Berg, who after shooting a ball to the post and losing a confrontation, succeeded to open the score in the 31st minute by shooting from inside the box.

“Disappearance” and reversal

This image was totally reversed during the second period. Panathinaikos stopped threatening and the hosting team became the “leader” of the match, having the ball possession and although they were not creating any threatening chances they were getting easily around the “Green” box. In that “scene” a wrong return of the ball by Coulibaly led to a penalty in favor of OFI, transformed into a goal by Handi in the 70th minute. Just one minute later M’Poku realized a strong shoot, following a personal initiative, obliging OFI’s keeper in a difficult stop, though this effort was ineffective.

In the contrary, the Cretan team continued pressing and in the 79th minute achieved the total reversal, as Ogboe found himself left in the back of Panathinaikos’ defense. He was much quicker than Kotsolis, shot into the goalpost’s corner and scored the second goal. Till the end of the duel the “Greens” were not able to react and experienced a grievous loss.

The teams:

OFI: Davkos, Nastos, Milosavliev (86’ Kiassos), Ostojic, Vouho (91′ Rovithis), Handi, Mikic, Bourselis (65’ Ogboe), Komesidis, Antoukor, Vallianos.
Panathinnaikos: Kotsolis, Coulibaly, Koutroumbis, Ivanov, Wakaso (78’Villafañes), Reis (70’ Rinaldi), Zeca, M´Poku, Lod, Ibarbo (56’ Hult), Berg.