Lamela’s goal and the 1-0 win over PAOK gives AEK a lead in qualifying for the semi-finals of the Cup ahead of the rematch in Toumba. Union were better and missed classic chances for a safety score, most importantly Martial’s missed penalty which was saved by Kotarski. Correctly through VAR, the goals of Hadjisafi and Samata were cancelled. Lovren is red.
Yellow and black advance to the semi-finals of the Cup, with AEK beating PAOK 1-0 at OPAP Arena with Lamela’s goal in the 53′ and missing several opportunities for more goals. Union had a great performance in the first half, where they could have found at least two goals (Kotarski saved Lamela’s penalty), against PAOK who could not react. In the second, after Union’s lead, the black and whites tried to threaten, but AEK took the victory and go to the Toumba rematch with the upper hand. Lovren was sent off in stoppage time, Zuber was deified before the game, who was honored for his contribution to the yellow and black. Levia was injured and forced to change.
AEK – PAOK: This is how they started
Matias Almeida ended up in a mixed rotation, finally changing six faces in the AEK lineup compared to the last game against Lamia. Brignoli was in goal, Hadjisafi, Mukudi, Mitoglou and Rota four in defense and Jonsson and Pereira in the center of the midfield. In front of them is Pineda, at both ends Martial and Lamela and at the top is Levi Garcia. For PAOK, Razvan Lucescu started with Kotarski in goal and Sastre, Kenziora, Lovren, Baba in front of him, from right to left. Ozdoev and Kamara were the midfield duo, Zivkovic and Tyson the wings and Constantelias behind the promoted Brandon.
Great ball from AEK with incredible missed opportunities and Kotarski’s save on Martial’s penalty
The end of the first half in New Philadelphia found AEK in disbelief at their many missed chances, with PAOK unable to get out of their own half and saved by Union players failing and Kotarski holding on he kept his goal intact in Martial’s penalty kick. The black and yellow had the absolute superiority, they constantly pressured their opponent, putting him in his area with a terrible and awesome passing game, but in the final attempt they were unable to send the ball into the net.
The beginning of AEK’s missed opportunities came in the 17th minute with Martial crossing and Lamela not finding the target with a header from a good position. Five minutes later Lamela took advantage of a misunderstanding between Bamba and Kotarski, slotted in, the Croatian goalkeeper brought him down, but Martial who took the penalty was beaten by Kotarski. In the development of the phase, Hadjisafi who took the rebound scored, but Socha canceled the goal for a quick entry into the area.
AEK had by far their best half since the start of the season, continuing to… pound PAOK. In the 27th minute, Rota crossed, but Pineda, undisturbed in the area, headed the ball high out. Three minutes later Pereira, Lamela and Pineda hid the ball, Pineda turned inside the area and Lamela from close range with a projection he couldn’t score either with his effort going just over the bar!
The first part in New Philadelphia ended with another unlikely missed opportunity by AEK. Just after 45 minutes, Lamela’s direct free-kick found the wall, from the opposition the ball reached the small area, but Mukudi’s contact could not find the net, sending the ball over the bar!
Martial the assist, Lamela the goal and qualification lead for AEK
The first moment that PAOK declared their presence in the match was in the 49th minute when he ran dangerously on the counter-attack, Kamara fed Brandon, but Brignoli with his fingertips saved the latter’s shot from a lateral position in the area. AEK, for its part, could not leave another great opportunity unexploited and took the lead in the 53rd minute. After regaining possession from the left, Martial stepped forward, turned the ball brilliantly to lay it to an unmarked Lamela in the area and he this time made no mistake, slotting home with his left foot for 1-0.
Lucescu made his first changes with Samata and Schwab replacing Brandon and Kamara, with Almeida coming on as a forced substitute shortly after the hour mark as Levia suffered a knee injury in a duel with Ozdoev unable to continue with Piero to pass in his place. PAOK’s second threat came in the 66th minute when Constantelias fed Baba inside the area but his shot went over the crossbar, while five minutes later Samata found the net, but at the beginning of the phase he was exposed and rightly so. goal did not count as offside.
Almeida brought on Simanski instead of Lamela, making his center more aggressive, with Lucescu responding with Despodov instead of Živkovic. PAOK had taken measures on the field, with Almeida making two more moves from the bench with Mandalo and Fernandes instead of Pineda and Pereira. The visitors tried to take advantage of the fact that AEK had come back, but in the 92nd minute they were a man down as Lovren was red-carded after a VAR review for going with the plugs on the calf of Mandalus. 1-0 remained until the final whistle with AEK taking the qualification lead.
MVP: Lamela. He was in the phases from the first half, took the penalty, had a lot of energy and scored the winning goal in the second half.
At their height: Another essential match from Martial on the left wing with an assist, good play from both Pineda and Jonson in midfield.
Weak link: The axis of PAOK with Ozdoev, Kamara and Constantelia was defeated by the corresponding yellow and black team. Especially in the first part the black and whites suffered in the nerve center area.
The blunder: It was done by Bamba and Kotarski in the phase of Lamela’s reversal.
The straggler: Socha correctly awarded the penalty when Lamela was brought down by Kotarski, with the Union players clamoring for a red card instead of a yellow card. The Italian referee correctly disallowed Hadjisafi’s goal for entering the area quickly during the execution. Lovren was also correctly sent off via VAR for the dangerous marking with the plugs on Mandalo.
The Gazzetta Fund: Amazing ball from AEK in the first half, with Union defeating PAOK, but unable to find the way to the net. Finally shortly after the start of the second half Martial and Lamela combined for the winning goal for the Union that gives them the upper hand ahead of the Toumba rematch. The dominance of AEK, who could have found more goals, is fair. PAOK was very bad in the first half, they tried to react after Union’s goal, but they didn’t succeed.
AEK (Matias Almeida): Brignoli, Hadjisafi, Mukudi, Mitoglou, Rota, Jonson, Pereira (80′ Fernandes), Martial, Lamela (73′ Simanski), Pineda (80′ Mandalos), Levia (64′ Piero)
PAOK (Razvan Lucescu): Kotarski, Sastre, Kenziora, Lovren, Baba, Ozdoev, Kamara (56′ Schwab), Zivkovic (74′ Despodov), Tyson (88′ Tisundali), Constantelias, Brandon (56′ Samata)
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