Razvan Marin’s 21st-minute free-kick secured a vital 1-0 victory for AEK Athens over LASK at Allwyn Arena, ending a club-record run of six consecutive UEFA Champions League main draw defeats as the Greek side made a triumphant return to the competition.
AEK Athens Ends UCL Losing Streak With Historic Win
AEK Athens celebrated their return to the UEFA Champions League in style, overcoming LASK 1-0 at Allwyn Arena to erase a club-record run of six consecutive defeats in the tournament’s main draw. Appearing in this stage of the competition for the first time since the 2018-19 season, the hosts wasted no time establishing their intent.
With just three minutes on the clock, a sharp through ball found Luka Jovic inside the area. The striker fired a snapshot that LASK goalkeeper Lukas Jungwirth managed to block with his head. LASK preferred to absorb pressure and strike on the counter, registering their first real opening when Melayro Bogarde unleashed a 25-yard drive toward the right corner that Alberto Brignolo saved.
Marin’s Decisive Free-Kick and First-Half Momentum
The breakthrough arrived in the 21st minute when Razvan Marin stepped up for a free-kick on the left side of the area. His curling strike sailed cleanly over the defensive wall and into the top right corner, giving the hosts the lead.
AEK dominated the remainder of the half and nearly doubled their advantage with the final act before the interval. Marin found himself completely unmarked from another set-piece, but his close-range header bounced into the turf and looped over the crossbar.
VAR Intervention and a Nervy Second Half
LASK needed a response after the restart and nearly found an equalizer less than four minutes into the second half. Sascha Horvath drove into the penalty area, but Brignolo dropped low to smother his low shot.
The visitors thought they had survived when Jovic nodded in a header just past the hour mark, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR check. That reprieve left LASK chasing the game as the match descended into a tense finish for the home supporters.
European History and LASK’s Ongoing Away Struggles
AEK managed the closing stages effectively to secure all three points on their return to the European stage. For LASK, the defeat extends a painful continental trend, marking their ninth consecutive away defeat in European competition.
The fixture also carried broader historical significance. The result marked the first time a Greek club has ever triumphed over Austrian opposition in the European Cup or UEFA Champions League, turning LASK’s first top-flight European appearance in more than 60 years into a frustrating outing.
