The leader returned, AEK reacted

Return to victories with the … signature of the leader for AEK! The “Union” prevailed 2-0 welcoming him PAS Giannina for the 24th game of Super League 1, reacting after the defeat by Olympiakos and its exclusion in the Cup by PAOK.

Absolute MVP for the “yellow-blacks” o Petros Mantaloswho, returning to action, opened the scoring at 69 ‘ -two minutes after he entered the field-, while from his own corner kick in 88 ‘ the ball reached Ansarifardwith the Iranian for shaping the final score.

AEK did not catch high standards of performance, however it reached an absolutely necessary victory, while at the same time it took little risk (especially in the first minutes). It was not given clear penalty to the hosts at 42 ‘.

The “biceps” rose to 42 points, which reduced to -6 from the 2nd PAOK (after the 0-0 in the derby with Aris), increasing to six points its difference from the 4th Panathinaikos (more matches). PAS remained 5th (36b.) And in +4 from the 7th Star (two matches less).

In the… minds of coaches:

THE Argyris Giannikis continued with 4-2-3-1 for AEK and Tsintotas at home. Rota and Hadjisafi are stable at both ends of the defense, with Vranies framing Tzavellas in the stoppers. Sakhof was placed next to Simansky in the midfield, replacing the punished Simoes, with Amrabad continuing in a free role behind Ansarifad. Garcia was chosen for the right of the midfield and Chuber for the left.

Note that the Franson made his first participation in the mission and the 20th of the “Union”.

On the other hand, o Iraklis Metaxas presented the PAS with a system 4-4-2 and Lodingin under the beams. The defense consisted, from right to left, of Saliakas, Eramouspe, Pantelakis and Poznanski. Karachalios and Stanko started as central midfielders, with Economopoulos and Liasos being at both ends of the midfield. Dominguez was placed next to the promoted Perea.

The absences are important for both teams. For AEK, in addition to the punished Simoesthe injured were also missing Stankovic, Galanopoulos but also the Araujo that is not 100% ready. Without the punished Karga and the injured Grandowski, Pearsman and Snyder the Gianniotes.

The match:

The pace is very good at the beginning of the match, with both teams having from a good moment until 3 ‘ (2 ‘Ansarifard heads – 3’ Liasou shoots inside the area). Of course, the biggest opportunity – generally in the first half – was for the guests and in fact double. In the 5 ‘ PAS after pressing, recovered the ball and quickly went on the counterattack, with Tsintota to “stop” so much in the four-on-four with him Pereaas well as in the shot of the -forgotten- Economopoulos who got the “rebound”. The Colombian striker with his speed created in two cases a problem in the defense of the hosts and specifically in Vranies.

AEK then took the initiative of the moves (at 64% in favor of the percentage of possession of the ball at the end of the half). However, he had a problem with double defense belt of PAS, with Amrabat active, but to be forced to move sometimes to the left (basically), sometimes to the right to find places and participate in his team’s game.

In the 17 ‘ The Chuber threatened with a long shot blocked by Lodigin. Then followed two phases, where the hosts shouted for penalty kick. In the 23 ‘ in his tackle Poznansky before him Garcia and to 28 ‘ with the ball countering in his stuck hand Pantelakiafter his shot Chuber. In the 32 ‘ the latter laid beautifully with his chest towards him Ansarifard, the one-piece shot from the height of the large area went out. As happened in 37 ‘ with Garcia’s head, after his nice cross Rota.

To get to 42 ‘When the Καραχάλιος overthrew him Ansarifard within the PAS area, with Mr. Papadopoulos not to blame the violation and with the VAR to agree with its decision. Last phase in the first part and this for AEK, with Simansky to catch a dangerous long shot at 45 ‘with the ball leaving just above the horizontal bar.

No changes the two teams at the beginning of the second part. AEK scored in 48 ‘ with his place Chuberhowever the goal was correctly canceled as offsideas the Iranian was exposed during the beautiful passage of Ansarifard.

The face that the “biceps” showed continued to be bad -perhaps worse- in the second half, with the crowd that was in OAKA to deplores (as he did earlier for the match referee). All this until 67 ‘When the Μάνταλος went on the field instead of Chuber. Just two minutes laterthe active Rota found with a great cross the leader of the “Union”, who with a nailed head from the height of the penalty sent the ball into the net, rescuing his team and then kissing the mark on his shirt. The phase was also examined by the VAR, with the goal counting normally.

AEK continued to control the pace, with PAS not being threatening at all, being without a final in the second half. And while the image of the match showed for a … off 1-0, Ansarifard came to 88 ‘ to clear the game for “Union”. THE Μάνταλος took the corner Lolis paved the way for the Iranian forward, who formed the final 2-0 with close place.

MVP: By definition, discrimination goes right to Latch. The leader of the “Union” entered the 67 ‘scored in 69‘, while he also participated in the phase of the second goal. However, the top for the hosts was Rota, who played his best game with the yellow and black jersey. Overall, very active, with nice fillings, while the 1-0 came from his own cross.

The whistle: AEK players asked for three penalties in the first half. In the first two there does not seem to be anything. The third (42 ‘) is the definition of infringement! “Foul” so much by him Ioannis Papadopoulosas well as by him Clay Ruperti in the VAR. Chuber’s goal for offside in the 48th minute was rightly canceled, while at the end of Mandalo the phase was controlled for a possible hand of Abrabat, but without anything.

The compositions of the two groups:



AEK (Argyris Giannikis): Tsintotas – Rota (90 ‘Michelin), Vranjes, Tzavellas, Hadjisafi – Simanski, Sakhof – Garcia (90’ + 2 ‘Tankovic), Abrabat, Chuber (67’ Mandalos) – Ansarifard.

On the bench for the hosts were left: Hadjiemmanuel, Mohammadi, Svarnas, Mitoglou, Franson, Gevtic.

PAS Giannina (Iraklis Metaxas): Lodigin – Saliakas, Eramuspe, Pantelakis, Poznanski (66 ‘Rizos) – Economopoulos (81’ Brenner), Stanko, Karachalios (81 ‘Lolis), Liasos (81’ Moreira) – Dominguez (89 ‘Mina), Perea.

On the bench for the guests were left: Soulis, Siontis, Karagiannis, Triadis.

Referee: Ioannis Papadopoulos

Assistants: Koula Hassan, Antonios Siniorakis

4th Referee: Angelos Angelakis

VAR: Clay Ruperti

Watch the live of the match.