The home players started into the encounter with all systems go and managed to finish it off in the first seven minutes. They took the lead in the 5th minute, with a close-range shot by Chatzistravos on an assist by Balogiannis. Two minutes later, creator turned to scorer. Markovski teed up Balogiannis who made it 2-0 with an exquisite shot, all but sealing the fate of the match.

AEK Athens showed little sign of being able to get into the contest and the only question-mark regarded the extent of PAOK’s victory. Despite all the chances PAOK created though, the first half ended 2-0.

PAOK hit the ground running in the second half as well. Balogiannis netted his second of the day in the 48th minute with a fine shot from inside the box. Three minutes later, Michailidis towered over his opponents and connected Tsaousis’s free kick with a powerful header, to seal PAOK’s 4-0 victory. The hosts were presented with more opportunities to extent their win, but failed to convert them.

Pablo García also gave the nod for a half-hour cameo to Theodoros Pournaras, who belongs in the U17 side and was born in 2001.

PAOK U20: Siampanis, Lyratzis (56′ Papathanasiou), Τsaousis, Diamantis, Μichailidis, Balogiannis, Tsiggaras, Chatzistravos (64′ Pournaras), Gaitanidis, Tzovaras, Μarkovski.