The first half will be soon forgotten by those who watched it. The visitors closed downed spaces, blocked the game of PAOK’s midfield and attack and also managed to take the lead just before the interval. Following a free-kick, Dimitriou beat his own goalkeeper with a header.

Pablo García introduced Gaitanidis into the match at the start of the second half, while Panionios were reduced to 10 in the 50th minute. Shortly afterwards, they wasted a huge opportunity to race to a 0-2 lead. That proved however the wake-up call for PAOK, who found their footing and cool head and staged a siege in the box of the “blue-and-reds”. They managed to equalize at the stroke of the hour. Tsaousis produced the cross and Michailidis put the ball in the path of incoming Gaitanidis who made it 1-1 with a tap in.

PAOK advanced their lines, applied pressure, but chances were scarce, with Chatzistravos wasting a huge one following an individual move. The “Double-Headed Eagle” did get their winner though in the 82nd minute, once again courtesy of super-sub Gaitanidis. He collected the assist from Panidis and coolly dispatched the ball home.

He then turned to provider, setting up PAOK’s third goal for Chatzistravos in the dying minutes of the encounter.

PAOK U19: Papadopoulos, Τsaousis, Τachatos, Μichailidis, Diamantis, Τsiggaras, Salamouras (46’ Gaitanidis), Chatzistravos, Pournaras (64’ Panidis), Doumtsis, Gargalatzidis (79’ Theodoridis)