AEK completes the double beating PAOK in the Cup final
AEK completed the domestic double on Wednesday as it added the Greek Cup to the Super League trophy. Despite playing for almost the entire final with 10 men it managed to beat PAOK 2-0 at Volos.
In a game that shamefully for Greek soccer took place behind closed doors at the Panthessaliko Stadium, AEK was far more efficient than its opponent and made the most of the fewer chances it got, compared to PAOK that had plenty of possession -having a man’s advantage too- but could not turn it into substance.
Lararos Rota left AEK with 10 players as early as the sixth minute for a clumsy challenge. This was the earliest red card ever shown in a Greek Cup final.
That did not seem to alter the game’s balance, though, with Cameroonian Harold Moukoudi opening the score for AEK on the 27th minute.
PAOK played catch-up ever since, producing only a handful of major chances, one of which saw the ball stop at the goal frame.
Yet it was AEK that scored again, at the start of the time added on, through a spectacular effort by Paolo Fernandes that was the final’s highlight.
The result also means that PAOK will have to play in next season’s Conference League qualifiers, as the ticket to the Europa League goes to Olympiakos.
