Reigning champions PAOK have one foot in the quarter-finals of the Greek Cup after an emphatic 3-0 win at OFI in the first leg.
Following their maiden Super League defeat in 52 games at the weekend, PAOK could have been forgiven for feeling sorry for themselves, but the Dikefalos tou Vorra produced a powerful display to thrash OFI 3-0 in Heraklion in the first leg of the Greek Cup quarter-finals. It will now take a miracle for OFI to somehow turn around the tie at the Toumba Stadium.
PAOK immediately put themselves in the box seat with two first-half goals from Dimitris Limnios and Diego Biseswar, before Chuba Akpom added a third in the 63rd minute. In-form midfielder Josip Misic dished out assists for all three goals.
OFI are now without a win in three successive games across all competitions.
PAOK, who have won the Greek Cup in the last three consecutive years, are in pole position to comfortably secure progress to the quarter-finals of the competition when the second leg takes place in Thessaloniki next week.
THE MATCH
PAOK opened the scoring in wonderful fashion.
Spotting the run of the onrushing Limnios, Misic found his teammate on the right flank with a superb pass, and the former subsequently turned the ball beyond the opposing goalkeeper with ease.
It soon became two in Heraklion.
Once again, Misic was at the heart of the action, as his low pass across the penalty box was superbly knocked home by Biseswar.
At the start of the second half, Biseswar thought he had grabbed his second of the day, but he was flagged for offside.
In complete control of proceedings, PAOK virtually ended the tie as a contest midway through the second frame, as Akpom lashed his attempt into the left corner after Misic picked him out with yet another impressive assist.
In stoppage time, OFI did have an ideal chance to get on the board, but a free-kick was expertly saved by Alexandros Paschalakis.
TEAMS
OFI: Whalley, Korovesis, Marinakis, Koutroubis, Braun, Staikos, Neira (Nikokyrakis 81’), Tsilianidis, Semedo, Vaz (Mellado 60’), Manos (Figueiredo 60’).
PAOK: Paschalakis, Giannoulis, Varela, Ingason (Mihaj 72’), Rodrigo, Biseswar, Esiti, Mauricio (Lamprou 67’), Misic, Limnios (Vieirinha 71’), Akpom.
credits: www.agonasport.com
Following their maiden Super League defeat in 52 games at the weekend, PAOK could have been forgiven for feeling sorry for themselves, but the Dikefalos tou Vorra produced a powerful display to thrash OFI 3-0 in Heraklion in the first leg of the Greek Cup quarter-finals. It will now take a miracle for OFI to somehow turn around the tie at the Toumba Stadium.
PAOK immediately put themselves in the box seat with two first-half goals from Dimitris Limnios and Diego Biseswar, before Chuba Akpom added a third in the 63rd minute. In-form midfielder Josip Misic dished out assists for all three goals.
OFI are now without a win in three successive games across all competitions.
PAOK, who have won the Greek Cup in the last three consecutive years, are in pole position to comfortably secure progress to the quarter-finals of the competition when the second leg takes place in Thessaloniki next week.
THE MATCH
PAOK opened the scoring in wonderful fashion.
Spotting the run of the onrushing Limnios, Misic found his teammate on the right flank with a superb pass, and the former subsequently turned the ball beyond the opposing goalkeeper with ease.
It soon became two in Heraklion.
Once again, Misic was at the heart of the action, as his low pass across the penalty box was superbly knocked home by Biseswar.
At the start of the second half, Biseswar thought he had grabbed his second of the day, but he was flagged for offside.
In complete control of proceedings, PAOK virtually ended the tie as a contest midway through the second frame, as Akpom lashed his attempt into the left corner after Misic picked him out with yet another impressive assist.
In stoppage time, OFI did have an ideal chance to get on the board, but a free-kick was expertly saved by Alexandros Paschalakis.
TEAMS
OFI: Whalley, Korovesis, Marinakis, Koutroubis, Braun, Staikos, Neira (Nikokyrakis 81’), Tsilianidis, Semedo, Vaz (Mellado 60’), Manos (Figueiredo 60’).
PAOK: Paschalakis, Giannoulis, Varela, Ingason (Mihaj 72’), Rodrigo, Biseswar, Esiti, Mauricio (Lamprou 67’), Misic, Limnios (Vieirinha 71’), Akpom.
credits: www.agonasport.com
