Despite playing with an extra player for more than 70 minutes, AEK failed to break down the resistance of the combative Panathinaikos on the Avenue. The “Greens”, with Lafon as the main protagonist, withstood the intense pressure and even came close to stealing the victory in the final.
The first half was full of tension, with strong duels, four yellow cards and a decisive sending off. In the 17th minute, Hernandez was shown a straight red card, leaving Panathinaikos with ten players early on.
The play started with an AEK’s steal and a quick counterattack, with a vertical pass to Zini, who was tipped over by the Spanish defender. That was Hernandez’s second sending off in a Green shirt.
AEK took control and touched down shortly afterwards when Koita’s shot, from a corner, was stopped at the base of the post. Panathinaikos were forced to retreat, looking for chances on the counter. On 30′, Lafon made an impressive save on Mukudi’s header, while on 39′, Kyriakopoulos threatened with a shot, but Strakosa reacted well. Thus, the first half ended without a goal.
In the second half, despite the numerical disadvantage, Panathinaikos came out strong and gave AEK a hard time. Tettey threatened with a shot on 53 minutes, while two minutes later Varga missed a great chance in a one-on-one, with Lafon coming out on top.
AEK continued to press, with Joao Mario trying a shot, but Lafon was again impressive. On the other hand, Panathinaikos had their moments, with Calabria failing to find the target from close range and Bakasseta failing to beat Strakosa from a tight angle.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Panathinaikos showed character in the second half and even came close to a hopeless three-pointer.
