PAOK suffered a 3-1 defeat against Galatasaray in Turkey for the opening match of the League Phase of the Europa League.
After a barren first half, misfortune struck for Abdul Rahman Baba (48′ own goal), followed by goals from Yunus Akgün (75′) and Mauro Icardi (90’+5′) for the hosts.
In between, Giannis Konstantelias (67′) temporarily equalized for Razvan Lucescu’s team.
The “Cim Bom” started the match with great intensity as expected, but the “black and whites” were also particularly threatening on the counterattacks. In fact, on three occasions, Konstantelias (7′), Andrija Zivkovic (9′), and Fedor Chalov (13′) were just a click away from turning their chances into goals in the first quarter.
During this period, the hosts countered with the class of Victor Osimhen, who missed a header in the first seconds and was denied by Omar Colley at the last moment on the 16th.
This was followed by an attacking crescendo from “Galata”. Initially, Dominik Kotarski saved Osimhen’s diagonal shot (25′) following a mistake by Joni Otto, and in the continuation of the phase, the Croatian goalkeeper also had an answer to Gabriel Sara’s left volley. The latter attempted to score on two more occasions (27′, 33′) but was unsuccessful.
The first half concluded with an “explosive” three minutes. In the 43rd minute, Akgün scored from close range but hit the outside of the net.
In the next minute, after a cross from center-back Abdulkerim Bardakcı, Osimhen jumped high and headed the ball just beside the left “window” of Kotarski’s goal, and in the first minute of stoppage time, Günay Güvenç made the save of the match in a one-on-one against Konstantelias, who got behind the defense but failed to score.
What did not happen in the first half happened in the second. In the 47th minute, Baris Yilmaz got behind the defense after another long ball from Bardakcı, but under pressure, he couldn’t beat Kotarski.
From the corner that followed by Dries Mertens, however, Osimhen took the header, and in Baba’s attempt to clear, he got confused and sent the ball into his own net, making it 1-0.
The game picked up a frantic pace, with chances succeeding one another. Kotarski managed to rectify Otto’s mistake in front of Osimhen (59′), while four minutes later, the Croatian goalkeeper made an incredible save against a close-range shot from the former Napoli star, keeping it 1-0.
In between, Konstantelias, on the counterattack, failed to pass the ball to Bardakcı, Zivkovic, or Chalov, who were waiting in front of Güvenç. However, the international Greek attacking midfielder redeemed himself in the 67th minute, bringing the match back to level terms. Zivkovic saw Otto’s run, the Spaniard made the cross, Güvenç cleared the ball, but Konstantelias shot with precision into the opposite corner for 1-1.
However, the joy of PAOK fans did not last long, as in the 75th minute, it became 2-1. From a cross from the right, the players of “Galata” played volleyball within Kotarski’s area: Mertens took the first header, Osimhen the second, and the unmarked Akgün with a left volley beat PAOK’s goalkeeper, giving Okan Buruk’s team the lead again.
Icardi, upon entering the field, missed a flicked header, while in stoppage time, Güvenç saved Otto’s powerful shot. In the last play of the match, Icardi, with an amazing volley in motion after Kerem Demirbay’s assist, set the final score at 3-1.
The “Cim Bom” in the 2nd matchday of the League Phase (on October 3) will host Riga in Latvia, while PAOK will welcome Steaua Bucharest at Toumba.
GALATASARAY (Okan Buruk): Güvenç, Ayhan (84′ Yeler), Sanchez, Bardakcı, Jacobs, Sara, Torreira, Yilmaz (88′ Batshuayi), Mertens (78′ Demirbay), Akgün (88′ Kutlu), Osimhen (78′ Icardi).
PAOK (Razvan Lucescu): Kotarski, Otto, Keziora, Colley, Baba, ozdoev (77′ Schwab), Kamara (81′ Bakayoko), Zivkovic, Konstantelias (77′ Despodov), Tyson, Chalov (71′ Tsiondali).
Andreas Chaniás