Platanias wasted a huge opportunity for an early lead in the first minute of the encounter, Siampanis preventing a one-on-one after a defensive blunder of PAOK. It was the only chance the home side got in the first half, during which the “Double-Headed Eagle” dominated proceedings completely despite high winds against them.

PAOK took the lead with the first chance they got, in the 10th minute. Balogiannis put a clever through-ball to the path of Gaitanidis who scored with a volleyed shot. After taking the lead, Pablo García’s players remained in possession, but could only carve out two more chances to extend their lead with Gaitanidis and Kozak.

After the interval, the pace dropped until the 78th minute. At that point, Chatzistravos earned a penalty, but Platanias’s goalkeeper made a fine save denying Lyratzis’s spot kick. In the play right afterwards, Gaitanidis completed his brace with a neat finish teed up by Chatzistravos.

While everything suggested that match was over, Platanias reduced distances in the 82nd minute, but could not find an equalizer until the final whistle.

PAOK U20: Siampanis, Diamantis, Michailidis, Lyratzis, Maniotis, Tsaousis, Kozak (63′ Doumtsis), Balogiannis (78′ Mišković), Stathopoulos (82′ Papadopoulos), Chatzistravos, Gaitanidis