Aris lost 2-1 in the friendly match against Alkmaar, however, the impressions they left are more than positive against a very strong, yet more prepared opponent.
Loss for Aris in the Netherlands with a score of 2-1 against Alkmaar, in a match where both teams played with vigor despite being a friendly, with the “yellows” not only responding to the demands of the game but also significantly exceeding expectations during large periods of the match.
Aris managed to handle the match very well and was able to hold its own against the more prepared Dutch team, however, a few mistakes in defensive play, combined with the opponent’s efficiency, were what decided the outcome of the match.
The match
In the first minutes of the match, Aris attempted to utilize their speed and the pressure they applied in the midfield to steal the ball and launch counterattacks in order to expose Alkmaar’s defense. This strategy yielded results early in the 5th minute during the phase of the awarded penalty, which however Saverio could not convert into a goal.
A few minutes later, Giannis Fetfatzidis found himself in a similar situation in a good position outside the area, with the shot he attempted going just a few meters wide. Nevertheless, Alkmaar opened the scoring, managing to score in their first dangerous phase created in the 21st minute after a cross in Aris’s small area.
Of course, Akis Mantzios’s team did not cease to play with the same philosophy leading to another steal in the midfield, which ultimately ended up in the small area of the Dutch, with Samora scoring from close range and bringing the match level at 29′.
After that, until the end of the first half, there were not many significant phases for either side, however, Aris’s team clearly demonstrated on the pitch that they could better manage the game by maintaining control against a high-level team. They were not significantly threatened, while at the same time, they showed they could threaten the Dutch.
At the start of the second half of the match, the picture was similar for the “yellows,” who essentially were not endangered, while conversely, Alkmaar’s defense seemed exposed every time the Thessaloniki side approached with direct football and few touches.
However, against the flow of the game, Alkmaar’s efficiency managed to grant them another goal, as Peneştra scored in the 68th minute unbothered from within the small area after a foul executed by Bazour, with Aris’s defenders being in the wrong positions causing confusion in their defense.
Until the end of the match, there were not many chances, with both coaches making substitutions and the tempo noticeably dropping. This way, the match concluded, which sent positive signals for Akis Mantzios’s team and his players, who appeared to be in very good condition.