Aleksandar Stanojević returned to his favourite 4-4-2 formation fielding players who featured for a while or not at all against KAA Gent. Performance-wise the team didn’t rise to the occasion, as players were hindered by fatigue from recent intensive training.

PAOK did start strongly though and were denied by woodwork after just 7 minutes with a side shot by Pedro Henrique. VVV-Venlo became increasingly threatening especially with counters, but to no avail, as PAOK’s defenders managed to remedy some errors and clear danger. Efthymis Koulouris wasted a good opportunity following an effort by Diego Biseswar. Just before half-time, Marios Siampanis’s fine intervention prevented the Dutch from breaking the deadlock.

After the interval, Stanojević opted for fresh legs, by substituting out his four attacking players and Marin Leovac and fielding Róbert Mak and Aleksandar Prijović together for the first time. VVV-Venlo were more lively, but couldn’t find the opener. PAOK however managed just that in the 70th minute. Achilleas Pouggouras initiated play from his defence, Mak fed Djalma Campos with a vertical pass and the latter fired on goal. The rival goalkeeper made an impressive save, but Prijović was lurking for the rebound shot that gave the lead to the “Double-Headed Eagle”.

After their goal, PAOK dominated proceedings and made an effort for a second. Their attacking game improved, but opportunities were scarce. Dimitris Pelkas squandered the best one at stoppage time, VVV-Venlo’s keeper clearing danger.

PAOK line-up:

Siampanis (61′ Μelissas), Leovac (46′ Lévêque), Deligiannidis (61′ Μatos), Varela (61′ Pouggouras), Malezas (61′ Crespo), Kaçe, Shakhov (61′ Cañas), Biseswar (46′ Campos), Henrique (46′ Pelkas ), Athanasiadis (46′ Prijović), Koulouris (46′ Mak).