Marseille capitalizes on PAOK error
French team wins in Thessaloniki as PAOK bows out of Europe
PAOK’s longest ever journey in a European competition came to an end on Thursday, as it went down 1-0 to Marseille in Thessaloniki to bow out of the Europa Conference League.
Marseille won the tie 3-1 on aggregate, after its 2-1 week in France a week earlier, but should consider itself lucky, at least for its win in Thessaloniki, that came from a rare lapse of concentration in the Greek defense.
It was on the 34th minute that an error by Juan Angel Crespo gave Marseille the chance to score – against the run of play – with Dimitry Payet from a Matteo Guendouzi pass.
The goal hardly silenced the capacity crowd at Toumba, but PAOK was simply unable to translate its supremacy into goals on the night and left the pitch without getting what it deserved.
Marseille is therefore advancing to the tournament’s semifinals, while PAOK is left with the satisfaction of its first ever European quarterfinal experience.
