Chuba Akpom scored twice and Lazaros Lamprou and Douglas were also on target as PAOK cruised to a 4-0 home win over OFI at the Toumba to remain within two points of Super League leaders Olympiacos.

English forward Akpom rammed home the rebound from Diego Biseswar’s missed penalty to break the deadlock five minutes into the second half, and he made it 2-0 from the penalty spot on the hour mark. Lamprou headed home a third before substitute Douglas completed the scoring with a brilliant curling effort with seven minutes left.

In an anaemic first-half which was low on quality, Abel Ferreira’s team seemed to lack the energy and intensity of their mid-week Greek Cup win over Panathinaikos, and they struggled to create scoring chances.

OFI had clearly set up their strategy to defend in numbers and try to hit PAOK on the break, and it almost worked for the Cretan club, who should have opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark.

But PAOK regrouped at the half-time interval and moved through the gears in the second 45 minutes in impressive fashion, ultimately claiming all three points very comfortably to move on to 55 points - two behind Olympiacos, who have 57.

THE MATCH

After a disappointing second league defeat of the season against Panathinaikos last Sunday, PAOK looked in better shape during midweek action as they defeated the Greens in the Greek Cup quarter-finals 2-0.

The reigning champions came into this one looking for nothing less than three points, but they were tasked to do it without Dimitris Pelkas, who injured himself in training and was not selected in the 19-man squad as a precaution.

OFI arrived in Thessaloniki needing to restore some confidence in what has been a tough period for the Cretan club since the back end of 2019. Before that, the Heraklion side were flying high up until Christmas. But since then ahead of this match they had won just once in eight league matches and were just about clinging on to sixth place.

If OFI have one thing going for them, however, it is organisation and they set their stall out at the Toumba in impressive fashion, trying to contain the hosts and limit their scoring chances - something which they achieved to great effect in the opening 45 minutes.

While dominating possession for long periods of the first half, PAOK struggled to get in behind the visitors well-marshalled defence and were reduced to pot shots from distance. The energy and passion from mid-week were also conspicuous by its absence among the home players.

And surprisingly, it was OFi who fashioned the best chance of the first half on 39 minutes when Lisandro Semedo broke clear on a counter attack, only to side-foot his shot over the crossbar with only Zivko Zivkovic to beat.

PAOK needed to regroup in the second half and the home side did just that, showing much more urgency and energy than they did in the first half.

It wasn’t long before a breakthrough finally came in the 50th minute, and it came via what has become a very familiar route of late, Dimitris Limnios winning a penalty. The tricky Greek international winger jinked his way into the box before being fouled by Christofer Braun.

With both Andre Vieirinha and Dimitris Pelkas not on the pitch, Diego Biseswar took responsibility for the penalty kick, but the Dutchman’s effort was saved by Sotiriou. Lucky for him, and for PAOK, Akpom was following up and the Englishman smashed the ball in off the crossbar to make it 1-0.

Just three minutes later, Akpom was denied a second goal when Sotiriou produced a superb save to deny the former Arsenal striker, clattering into the post afterwards for his troubles.

The home side were clearly right in the middle of a purple patch and on 57 minutes Leo Matos should have made it 2-0 with a header from a corner, but the Brazilian somehow managed to head the ball straight at Dimitris Sotiriou when unmarked from just six yards out.

Scenting blood in their nostrils, PAOK continued to pile the pressure on OFI with wave after wave of attack, and OFI defender Kostas Giannoulis fouled Lazaros Lamprou in the penalty area

Akpom took the spot-kick and he confidently drilled it past Sotiriou on 60 minutes to all but end the game as a contest.

PAOK were not finished there, however. Josip Misic produced a now trademark assist, this time the Croatian sending over an inch-perfect cross for Lamrpou to score with a diving header past Sotiriou’s despairing dive.

The popular Misic left the field to a standing ovation on 74 minutes as he was replaced by Douglas, and the Brazilian made an almost instant impact, finding the back of the net on 83 minutes when he cut in from the right and curled an angled left-footed shot beyond the reach of Sotiriou.

STARTING LINEUPS

Paok: 88 Zivkovic (Gk), 3 Matos, 4 Ingason, 5 Varela, 23 Giannoulis, 22 Lambrou, 24 Esiti, 27 Misic, 7 El Kaddouri, 21 Biseswar, 47 Akpom

Ofi: 32 Sotiriou (Gk), 18 Giannoulis, 13 Vafeas, 12 Zoao, 47 Braun, 6 Nastos, 26 Staikos, 11 Semedo, 21 Vaz, 8 Neira, 9 Manos

credits: www.agonasport.com