Panathinaikos lost 1-0 to PAOK at Leoforos in the first leg of the Greek Cup semifinal and must complete a major comeback in the return match at Toumba next Wednesday (11/2) to secure a ticket to the final.
Rafa Benitez kept eight of the eleven players he had used in the starting lineup against Kifissia, while also giving starting roles to Bakasetas, Cerin, and Zaroury. PAOK threatened in the 10th minute through Taison, but Jedvaj, with a double clearance on the line, prevented the goal, while in the 26th minute Mythou missed in front of Lafont.
The Greens had their first big chance in the 30th minute, with Tetteh making a direct run and firing a powerful shot from the edge of the box. However, Tsiftsis made the save to keep it 0-0. The score remained unchanged until halftime thanks to Lafont, who in the 36th minute narrowly stopped Ozdoev when he was one-on-one, and in the 44th minute blocked Pelkas’ chip in another one-on-one situation.
The second half began with a change for Panathinaikos (Swiderski instead of Cerin) and a huge chance. In the 46th minute, after a long ball from Lafont, Tetteh brilliantly dribbled past Michailidis and then Kedziora, but his left-footed shot went just over the bar.
Against the run of play in the second half, PAOK won a penalty after Giakoumakis was challenged by Calabria, and in the 66th minute the visiting striker converted to make it 0-1. The Greens came close to equalizing in the 72nd minute with a header from Tetéi -after a cross from Andino- but Tsiftsis made a great save to deny the 1-1.
Despite their efforts until the final whistle, the Greens could not find a goal and will now head to Toumba aiming for a comeback.
Following an initiative by Panathinaikos FC, before kickoff the players of both teams and the referees wore shirts bearing the names of PAOK supporters who passed away so unjustly.
Panathinaikos: Lafont, Calabria, Kyriakopoulos, Ingason, Jedvaj, Kontouris (71’ Katris), Cerin (46’ Swiderski), Bakasetas, Zaroury (71’ Pantelidis), Andino (84’ Taborda), Tetteh.
PAOK: Tsiftsis, Kenny, Baba, Kedziora, Michailidis, Meite, Ozdoev, Pelkas (61’ Giakoumakis), Taison (79’ Kamara), Zivkovic, Mythou (61’ Chatsidis).
