After a thrilling final that was decided in extra time, OFI beat PAOK 3-2 to win the second Greek Cup in their history. The final, which took place at the Panthessaliko Stadium in Volos, was decided by Aaron Leja Iseka’s well-taken penalty in the late stages of the first half of extra time.

In normal time, PAOK came out stronger and took the lead through Giannis Michailidis (15′), but the Cretans responded. After equalizing through Taxiarchis Founta (28′), they scored the equalizer through Tiago Nus (51′). Alexander Yeremeyev sent the pair into extra time (90’+7′), where Isekka “spoke” there, sending the Cretans and the “black and white” to another lost final, on the 100th anniversary of their foundation.

In just the 4th minute the Thessaloniki side missed the first chance. From a foul by Andrija Zivkovic, Thomas Kedziora headed the ball just wide of the left post of Nikos Christogeorgos’ goal. Three minutes later, after a miscommunication in OFI’s defence, Yiannis Konstantelias shot high, with the (typically) visitors struggling to keep possession of the ball.

Even better, for PAOK, was the play on 10 minutes when, after a midfield steal, Tyson teamed up with Konstantelia, with Zivkovic shooting over the crossbar from the wide area’s half-circle. The black and white’s pressure came to fruition on 15 minutes. From a corner kick by Zivkovic, Kenziora headed in the first post, with Michaelides having an easy task at the back for the 1-0 lead.

Christos Kontis’ players stepped up their game. On 18′, Fountas found himself with the ball outside the area, but his attempted left-footed shot had no power to threaten Antonis Tsiftsis. He did, however, ten minutes later in a much more effective manner. The Cretans combined down the right, with Levan Sengelia making the turn, Founta’s first shot was stopped by Kedziora, but on the restart the former AEK Athens ace equalised to make it 1-1.

It was PAOK’s turn to go ahead again. Zivkovic’s flicked shot lacked power but went past the right post of Christogeorgos’ goal on 33 minutes. Fountas hit it, the crossbar, seven minutes later, again after Sengelia’s effort, in a play reminiscent of the one that tied the game. Tsiftsis had luck and the right post on his side this time. The half ended with missed shots by Konstantelia (45′) and Tyson (45’+3′) in a full first 45 minutes.

The second period started in a similar fashion. Constantelia’s solo effort resulted in his own right cross but it went past Christogeorgos’ right post. Seconds later, from a run and turn by Thanasis Androutsos, the ball reached Nuss, but the Argentine’s cross was weak. However, the same did not happen two minutes later.

OFI’s players came out victorious in the midfield battles, Sengelia lobbed Eddie Salcido, he headed it back to Nus who, ahead of Kenziora, crossed for Tsifcis to make it 1-2 on 51 minutes. A complete turnaround from the Kontis team. As it went without saying, PAOK looked for an immediate response. Anestis Mythou, after a bounce, misfired on 55′ and on the hour mark, Konstantelias made a terrible slalom and passed to Zivkovic who, however, shot into the bodies.

Razvan Louchescu made a triple substitution, changing faces rather than shape, only to be followed by the injury to 1st assistant Andreas Fotopoulos, with the game stopped for about five minutes and then Christogeorgos for another three, with the rhythm lost. On 75 minutes PAOK players called for a penalty for a handball on a Nus projection, but Angelos Evangellou and VAR (Anastasios Papapetrou, Vassilis Fotias) had a different opinion.

Contis made a double substitution, Louchescu completed his own and OFI started defending in their own third, nibbling away at time. On 87′ the Thessaloniki side came close to an equaliser. From a foul by Dimitris Pelka, Kenziora headed the ball, the ball went parallel to the goal, with Konstantinos Kostoulas clearing it before it crossed the entire line, despite the loud protests of PAOK’s men. Significantly, the 4th referee, Christos Vergeti, showed 15 minutes of stoppage time. And in the seventh of those, the equaliser came for Lucescu’s team.

Madi Kamara took the ball beautifully inside the area, made the parallel turn, with Yeremeyev pushing the ball into the net from close range for Clintman Lillo, who had taken over for Christogeorgos moments earlier, to make it 2-2, amidst wild celebrations. A goal that brought tension between the two benches, but it was enough to send the two teams into overtime.

Loutsescu lost Kamara, who was substituted on the substitution, with the first half of extra time ending in a penalty shootout for OFI. The infringement was called after an on-field review by Angelos Evangelos, for a hand by Dimitris Hatsidis on a Sengelia effort. Isheka scored from the whitewash to make it 2-3 in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Yeremeyev had a good chance to equalize – again – at the start of the second half of extra time but his header from the penalty spot was off target.

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The (typically) home side pressed as hard as they could, with several static plays but no good finishes from Pelka, and the scoreline remained unchanged. OFI celebrated their second Greek Cup in their history after the 1987 one, secured a ticket to the UEFA Europa League Play Offs, made the Play Off 5-8 play-offs irrelevant and forced PAOK into their third consecutive losing final in the competition.

Referee: Angelos Evangelos (Athens)

Yellow: Konstantelias, Hatsidis, Michailidis, Bianco – Nus, Salcido, Kostoulas, Kanellopoulos, Iseka, Lilo.

The compositions of the two teams:

ΠΑOK (Razvan Lucescu): Tsiftsis, Kenny, Kenyi, Kenziora, Michaelides, Baba, Ozdoev (78′ Kamara/98′ Bianco), Maite (61′ Zafiris), Zivkovic (78′ Pelkas), Tyson (61′ Geremegev), Konstantinos, Mithou (61′ Hatsidis).

OFI (Christos Kontis): Christogeorgos (89′ Lilo), Kostoulas (89′ Kanellopoulos), Puggouras, Krizmanic, Fountas (78′ Theodosoulakis), Athanasiou, Androutsos, Karachalios, Sengelia (106′ Lampropoulos), Nous (78′ Apostolakis), Salcido (91′ Iseka).

*After a request from PAOK FC, which was accepted by the EPO, the Thessaloniki side played with black armbands as a minimum tribute to the club’s friends who died in the accident in Romania, Cleomenes, Mircea Louchescu and Pavlos Savvidis.

*About an hour before the start of the match, OFI fans laid wreaths to honour the memory of the seven PAOK fans who died in Romania while travelling to watch their beloved team’s game against Lyon.

*Alexandros Tziolis was sent off on the OFI bench after PAOK equalised in stoppage time.