Super League leaders PAOK were far too strong for OFI at the Toumba Stadium, beating their Cretan opponents 4:0 to keep themselves well ahead of Olympiacos in first place.
Eight points clear of second placed Olympiacos before a ball was kicked, PAOK took a firm grip of the game in the first half, with Leo Matos and Chuba Akpom scoring for a 2:0 lead. In complete control of proceedings, the Thessaloniki outfit netted two more in the second half with Leo Jaba and Akpom tearing apart the shaky OFI defence, sealing a comfortable 4:0 victory at a packed Toumba Stadium.
THE MATCH
PAOK initially had to be patient, but after Chuba Akpom had seen his close range effort saved by the opposing goalkeeper, the hosts eventually broke the deadlock on 24 minutes. Escaping the attentions of his marker, Leo Matos connected with a pinpoint corner, sending a strong header into the right corner. Not long later, Omar El Kaddouri was denied by a smart save from Giorgos Strezos, and Mauricio fired off target from a promising position.
The hosts did double their advantage with the half entering its closing stages. Inside the box, Chuba Akpom stretched out a leg to make contact with Leo Jaba’s clever ball, prodding it past the beaten Strezos.
PAOK refused to take their foot off the gas in the second half. Chances continued to appear on a regular basis for the Dikefalos tou Vorra, and with 65 minutes on the clock, they registered their third of the day.
This time, Akpom and Jaba swapped roles, with the latter receiving a superb pass and curling the ball in with aplomb.
The pair weren’t finished there either. With 10 minutes remaining, Jaba picked out Akpom on the edge of the area, and the 23-year-old English forward unleashed an unstoppable shot which got the beating of the stranded Strezos.
PAOK boast an 11-point lead in first place, but if Olympiacos beat Asteras Tripolis this evening, that advantage will be reduced to eight points. OFI remain in 14th.
TEAMS
PAOK: Paschalakis, Matos, Varela, Crespo, Vieirinha, Shakhov, Mauricio (Canas 73’), Biseswar (Pelkas 67’,) El Kaddouri (Swiderski 81’), Jaba, Akpom.
OFI: Strezos, Braun, Potouridis, Papazoglou, Giannoulis, Nastos (Oikonomou 81’), Mellado, Neira, Korovesis, Sassi (Dinas 62’), Vouho (Giakoumakis 68’).
Credits: agonasport.com
OFI legends Jaime Vera (as the manager) and Alejandro Hisis (as his assistant) will be the new coaching duo, after Nikos Papadopoulos departure.
The two Chileans will arrive this week and will get to carry the heavy duty to lead OFI Crete to safety.
