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It’s like watching the exact same, unfortunately unpleasant story, over and over again. PAOK paid for every mistake in yet another game, finding themselves two goals behind twice in the game. They fought back, but failed to get anything from the derby against Olympiacos at the Toumba, as they lost 3-2 on Matchday 11 of the 2024-25 Stoiximan Super League.
Razvan Lucescu rang several changes for his starting lineup, with Kotarski in goal, Otto and Baba in the full-back roles, and Colley and Lovren in the center of defense. Bakayoko and Ozdoev started in central midfield with Taison just in front of them, while Brandon lead the attack, flanked by Despodov and A.Zivkovic .
The Double-headed Eagle started strongly and began to dominate. Despodov missed a great chance after just six minutes when the ball was laid off to him after a clumsy clearance by Pirola, but the Bulgarian winger missed the target. Two minutes later, Brandon went on the counter-attack and was through on goal against Tzolakis, but he failed to convert the chance.
From the 15th minute onwards, Olympiacos balanced out the game and in the 16th minute Kotarski was called upon to make an excellent save from Kostoulas’ header. Kostoulas threatened again in the 24th minute, but he couldn’t find the target, while in the 27th minute, Kotarski also saved well from a El Kaabi effort.
In the 32nd minute, Kostoulas managed to find the net with a header after a cross from Chiquinio. PAOK tried to respond before the end of the first half, and the hosts had two good moments via A.Zivkovic and Despodov , but neither man could score an equalizer.
Lucescu made three changes at the start of the second half, bringing on Kamara, Konstantelias and Tissoudali in place of Bakayoko, Despodov and Brandon, and PAOK looked to get back into the game, with Taison seeing a shot in the 47th minute saved well by Tzolakis.
Olympiacos looked for counter-attacks at the other end and from their first chance in the 50th minute, they took a two-goal lead, with El Kaabi beating Kotarski after Martins’ cross.
PAOK continued to press and looked for a goal that will put them back in the match. In the 54th minute Tissoudali sent over a cross, the ball ricocheted and flashed narrowly past Tzolakis’ post. A minute later Taison headed just off target, but in the 59th minute the home side finally found a way to score.
Konstantelias produced an excellent piece of individual play to work himself space and get into the penalty area, and the ball was then offloaded to Baba and he made it 2-1 with a slick, placed effort. PAOK then had the momentum of the match, penned Olympiacos back in their own half, and had a good chance to make it 2-2 with Kamara’s header, but he could not find the net. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, out of nowhere Olympiacos took a two-goal lead again.
It came in the 68th minute, when A. Živković tried to pass the ball to Kotarski , but the ball bounced off Otto and ended up at the feet on Gelson Martins who went one-on-one with Kotarski and beat him to make it 3-1.
Olympiacos then had the momentum in their favor had some further good moments, but the PAOK players snuffed out the danger and gradually found a way to react and get back into the game again.
In the 82nd minute Zivkovic sent over a cross, and the ball was directed accidentally past his own ‘keeper by visiting defender Carmo for 3-2. PAOK battled tried until the last minute to find an equaliser, but they could not managed to level the match up and left their home ground empty handed.
The international break gives the team some time to work in order to come back strong at the restart, and start getting the results that they badly want once more.
Team lineups:
PAOK: Kotarski, Baba, Colley, Lovren, Otto, Ozdoev (Schwab 74′), Bakayoko (Kamara 46′), A.Zivkovic, Taison (Chalov 78′), Despodov (Konstantelias 46′), Brandon (Tissoudali 46′).
Olympiakos: Tzolakis, Costinha, Retsos, Carmo, Pirola (Apostolopoulos 84′), Dani Garcia (Stamenic 75′, Mouzakitis (Ese 65′), Chiquinho, Gelson Martins, Kostoulas (Massouras 65′), El Kaabi.
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