On this day: Comeback and qualification against Doxa Drama
On March 11 1992 PAOK made the mistake of underestimating Doxa Drama in the first leg of their Greek Cup quarter-final tie, losing 2-0 (12′ Iordanidis, 52′ Mouratidis). That made things difficult for PAOK, who needed to overturn the deficit in the return leg at the Toumba on April 1 1992.
Following the defeat to Drama and then a draw in the league against OFI, PAOK parted company with coach Miroslav Blazevic. That left Giannis Gounaris in charge as interim boss, and he made his debut in the dugout with a 1-0 (7′ Tolba) win over Panionios, ahead of the second leg of the cup tie with Doxa in which Magdy Tolba was a central figure.
The Egyptian put PAOK 2-0 up within half and hour to level the tie (16′, 27′). Further goals from Skardatos (59′) and Borbokis (75′) rounded off a brilliant comeback win with the match ending 4-0 in PAOK’s favor.
In the semi-finals PAOK faced AEK and once again slipped to a 2-0 defeat in the first leg. But again, PAOK turned the tie on its head in the second leg with Alexis Alexiou’s extra-time goal taking the Dikefalos tou Vorra through. After that came the one and only two-legged Greek Cup final in the history of the competition. Olympiacos were the opposition, and after a 1-1 draw at the Toumba in the first leg, PAOK slipped to a 2-0 defeat at the Georgios Karaiskakis which handed the trophy to the Piraeus club.
PAOK’s starting lineup for the match against Doxa Drama:
Gabric, Alexiou, Malioufas (75′ Djurdjevic), Mitsibonas, Plitsis, Lagonidis, Skardatos, Borbokis (43′ Oikonomidis), Toursounidis, Leontiadis, Tolba
