That can happen. PAOK never lost control of their encounter against Iraklis, didn’t allow their opponents to create dangerous situations in Robin Olsen’s box, did waste a penalty in the 90th minute and the opportunity to seal off the deal. However they… managed to concede three goals and get nothing more than the mere point of a 3-3 draw.

«I can’t believe how we didn’t win this game. We were awarded a penalty in the 90th minute that we failed to convert and then were equalized. I am upset», was Igor Tudor’s first reaction right after the final whistle.

The “Double-Headed Eagle” were left trailing twice. In the 14th minute, following a corner kick Bulut rose for the header in the near post and unmarked Makris netted the opener from close range.

Róbert Mak combined with Marin Leovac in the 35th minute and the latter sent a pinpoint cross towards the box, where Dimitris Pelkas was lurking. The diminutive playmaker equalized with a powerful header.

However an error by Erik Sabo, three minutes before the interval, gave Apostolos Vellios the opportunity to charge forward and put Iraklis once again in the lead.

PAOK remained in command in the second half, looking for space towards Iraklis’s box and constantly threatening Dušan Perniš’s goal. Three minutes after Stefanos Athanasiadis was introduced on the pitch, PAOK leveled the tie. In the 65th minute, Klaus unleashed a shot from inside the box, the ball got blocked and Dimitar Berbatov was close to send it to the back of the net with his usual predator style.

PAOK’s dominance (15 efforts on goal compared to Iraklis’ 6) paid off in the 77th minute, when Giorgos Tzavellas gave them the lead with a direct free-kick. Three minutes later, Garry Rodrigues wasted a golden opportunity to make it 4-2.
It seemed that the three-pointer was in the bag in the 90th minute, as PAOK were awarded a penalty after Ergys Kace was brought down by Bartolini. Dimitar Berbatov stepped up to take the spot kick.

But Perniš saved by plunging to his left and kept Iraklis alive in the encounter. As if that weren’t enough, the home side managed to equalize deep into stoppage time with a set piece. They took a free kick from the right, caused havoc in PAOK’s defence and Bartolini scored with a header, in a play that could have been disallowed as two Iraklis’ players were hindering Olsen’s moves by blocking him.

PAOK let the three-pointer escape them at Kaftanzoglio Stadium, but kept their undefeated run going against the “blue-whites”, who last celebrated a victory over the “Double-Headed Eagle” in January 2008.

PΑΟΚ: Olsen, Tzavellas, Costa (62’ Athanasiadis), Vítor, Leovac, Tziolis, Sabo, Rodrigues, Pelkas (72’ Kace), Mak (83’ Golasa), Berbatov.

Iraklis: Perniš, Saramantas (82’ Perrone), Bartolini, Stamou, Boukouvalas, Makris, Intzoglou (82’ Romano), Pasas, Bulut (62’ Portoulidis), Kyriakidis, Vellios.