PAOK went through Helsinki with… subversive Despodov!

He was worried though PAOK beat Helsinki 3-2who prevailed by upsetting the Finnish team and made the right start in their group stage Conference League!

The Thessalonians found themselves losing in the first half but reacted in the second with a lead Despodov (one goal & one assist) and Koulierakis, Brandon finding the net as well, got the three points.

The “Two-Headed Man of the North” is now… dating her Eintracht Frankfurton October 5, in Toumba.

In the coach’s mind

With 3-4-3 walked o Tony Korkeakounas, with Maenpa under the posts and Toivio, De Grassa and Raitala in defence. Soiri, Kanellopoulos, Lingman and Hamalainen made up the four midfielders, with Hetemai, Radulovic and Bande up front.

On the other hand, Mr Razvan Lucescu chose 4-2-3-1, with Kotarski in goal and Kenziora, Ekong, Koulierakis and Baba in defense. Tsingaras-Schvab were on the axis, while A. Zivkovic, Murg and Despodov formed the trio behind Samata.

The match

The Thessalonians entered with a desire to press but were behind in the final pass. A nice effort by him Despodov from the left in the 19th minute resulted in Schwab’s shot being badly missed from outside the area, with the Finns responding two minutes later with Radulovic’s close-range effort going wide.

Another long shot from him Koulierakisin the 28th minute, was sent off, however in the 35th minute things took a turn for the worse for Lucescu’s team.

Why might Kotarski have cleared Radulovic’s shot for a corner, but then, after the execution, the Bande’s header ended up in the net for 1-0.

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The answer almost came five minutes later, when Mr Despodov shot wide from inside the area, with Schwab’s foul in the first minute of stoppage time countering but not surprising Est, who blocked.

The second half started at a frantic pace as the visitors equalized first with a shot from Despodov which was stopped by Est and then by Ekong’s header which resulted in the horizontal beam (47′)!

Two minutes later, it was his turn Swab to threaten, but the Finnish keeper made an impressive save with his header, with Helsinki replying with four of their own Radulovic in the 50′ which resulted in beam!

The same player forced the PAOK goalkeeper into a good intervention in the 52nd minute, before it was finally 1-1 for the “Two-Headed of the North”.

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It was in the 55th minute, when Koulierakis nailed the ball into Est’s net with a header after a foul by Despodov!

THE Swab he touched down four minutes later when he found space outside the area but saw his shot blocked by Est – with Bubba shooting wide just before.

Time passed with the guests increasing their pressure and in the 77th minute they saw his shot Despodov to pass high out, with the Bulgarian though to reach the goal four minutes later!

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So in the 81st minute, the newly acquired striker shot from inside the area, the ball hit the right post and then he got… a bad foul, to finally end up in the net.

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The hosts opened up in search of an equaliser, allowing space for Lucescu’s men, with Est stopping Vieirania on 90+3′ but unable to do anything a minute later when Tyson passed… take-it to Brandon and he made it 3-1!

It all seemed to end, however, Helsinki then won penalty kick for Ekong’s hand, given after use of VAR, with Radulovic to be successful but the time is over…

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The lineups of the two teams

Helsinki (T. Korkeakounas): Maenpa (13′ East), Toivio, De Grassa, Raitala, Soiri, Kanellopoulos (76′ Paananen), Lingman, Hamalainen (62′ Keskinen), Hetemai (61′ Tanaka), Radulovic, Bande (62′ Kuasivi-Benissan)

On the counter: Ramula, Olila, Hostica, Filip, Risky, Olusania, Peterson

PAOK (R. Lucescu): Kotarski, Kenziora, Ekong, Koulierakis, Baba, Tsingaras (67′ Ozdoev), Schwab, A. Zivkovic (67′ Tyson), Murg (75′ Constantelias), Despodov (85′ Vieirinia), Samata (75′ Brandon).

On the counter: Z. Zivkovits, Michaelidis, Meite, Lyratzis, Vrakas, R. Soares, Tzimas

MVP: THE Kirill Despodov he searched a lot for the goal, initially he had the assist in the 1-1 from Koulierakis and finally he got the breakthrough and the goal he wanted so much in… a strange way when the ball was on fire! All this in his first match as a starter and in a match that went wrong…

H… whistle: In a match with many phases, o Barbu worked with VAR to count Despontov’s goal correctly, while it took on field review to award the Finns a penalty in the end. No significant refereeing error was observed.

Referee: Barbu (Romania)

Assistants: Maritsa, Butci (Romania)

4th: Colcescu (Romania)

VAR: Popa, Cibulet (Romania)

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