Panathinaikos began their campaign in the new championship with a setback. On their return to Leoforos, the Greens scored right from the kick-off, hit the post twice, created a flurry of chances, but failed to secure the win when they had the opportunity, paying for it in the end when Levadiakos found the equalizer (1-1).
The start of the game was more than ideal. Before the first minute was completed, Cerin took a corner from the left, Levadiakos’ defense cleared temporarily, and Calabria fired from outside the box. Djuricic with a brilliant backheel just touched the ball enough to send it into the net, scoring at just 42 seconds for 1-0!
The Greens kept pressing relentlessly. Their dominance translated into classic chances, but not into a second goal. In the 13th minute, Cerin hit the crossbar with a header after a superb effort by Calabria from the right, while in the 15th Bakasetas fired over the bar.
In the 21st minute, Djuricic found Bakasetas beautifully, who entered the box but couldn’t finish. Two minutes later, Panathinaikos came close again: from a cross by Cerin, Toumba’s header hit Lodigin’s left post.
Until the end of the half, Panathinaikos threatened again in the 30th minute with a shot by Djuricic blocked by defenders, and in the 36th with a long-range shot by Tete that went narrowly wide. The 1-0 remained until halftime, with Levadiakos creating just one chance through Ozbolt in the 19th.
The Greens failed to finish the match when they had the chances, something that cost them in the second half. The team seemed to lose energy as time passed, and with fatigue from Thursday’s game in Samsun, they couldn’t maintain the same tempo.
Rui Vitória tried to change the picture by bringing on Renato Sanches for his debut with Panathinaikos. Levadeiakos threatened in the 73rd with a diagonal shot by Goumas that went wide, but equalized in the 86th through Verbic. The Slovenian played a one-two, cut inside diagonally, and with a strong shot sent the ball off the crossbar and into the net (1-1).
Panathinaikos pushed for a reaction and nearly scored in the 89th through Mancini, but his effort went just wide, leaving them stuck with the disappointing draw.
Panathinaikos: Lafont, Calabria, Mladenovic, Palmer-Brown, Toumba, Chirivella, Cerin (76’ Bregou), Bakasetas (67’ Renato Sanches), Tete (87’ Mancini), Djuricic (76’ Zaroury), Swiderski.
Levadeiakos: Lodygin, Abu Hanna, Liagas, Tsapras, Vichos, Kosti (94’ Tsivelekidis), Tsokaj, Lamarana (46’ Goumas), Palacios (66’ Manthatis), Layous (66’ Verbic), Ozbolt (89’ Pedroso).
