Shock PAOK exit from cup action

Thessaloniki team ousted by second division’s lowly Thrasyvoulos Fyli with 4-2 defeat

GEORGE GEORGAKOPOULOS

PAOK emerged as the first major casualty from the fourth round of the Greek Cup after going down 4-2 to second-division side Thrasyvoulos Fyli yesterday. In another upset, Levadiakos also crashed out to the third-division’s Ethnikos Katerini, while Veria, Xanthi and Atromitos all advanced.

The small club from Fyli, a suburb northwest of Athens, outclassed PAOK in the first half for a 2-0 lead with goals from Stathis Rokas and Manolis Liapakis. The underdog added a third early in the second half with Giorgos Poulakos though the Thessaloniki giants managed to score their first goal with just over 20 minutes remaining with Lazaros Christodoulopoulos. A header from South African striker Glen Salmon in the 89th minute reduced PAOK’s deficit to 3-2 but Yiannis Katsikis completed the triumph for Thrasyvoulos in the last minute of injury time.

For Levadiakos the 1-0 loss to Ethnikos in Katerini came as a huge upset, given the good form of the Super League side from Livadia and Ethnikos’s debut game in the Greek Cup as a result of its promotion to the third division. Ethnikos downed their more prominent visitors with a single goal by Sakis Papavassiliou after 68 minutes for a spot in the fifth round and one of the brightest chapters in the club’s history.

In Preveza, Super League side Veria rebounded to beat PAS Preveza, a third-division club, 2-1. Preveza led after 14 minutes thanks to Thanassis Milionis but Veria went back on level after Maciej Bykowski’s goal. Julinho’s free kick 11 minutes from time gave Veria the win.

Xanthi enjoyed a comfortable 2-1 win at Aegaleo after Stavros Lambriakos put them ahead at the 25th minute and Giorgos Barkoglou made it 2-0 on 63 minutes. Greece Under-19 international Antonis Petropoulos pulled one back for Aegaleo a minute from the final whistle. 

Second-division ASK Olympiakos Volos forced Atromitos to penalties at Volos after a 1-1 score, both at the end of regular and extra time. Olympiakos Volos led at halftime thanks to a 12th minute goal from Yiannis Katsaros, but Atromitos equalized two minutes into the second half with Sirio Olivares. Atromitos won the shootout 6-5 with their keeper, Chrysostomos Michailidis, parrying the local team’s last penalty.

Today the second division’s Aghios Dimitrios play host to Aris, Messiniakos meet Asteras Tripolis, Agrotikos Asteras entertain Ergotelis and Ilioupolis clash with Larissa. The other six 4th round ties are scheduled for later dates.