The hosts entered the match more dynamically in the opening stages, and threatened ​​Bourganis’ penalty area on numerous occasions, however PAOK quickly balanced things out and in fact in the seventh minute they came close to opening the scoring. However, Tsopouroglou’s shot cannoned off the crossbar. Two more opportunities then followed for the Double-headed Eagle, but Xanthi were the team to find a breakthrough in the 15th minute with Ali Baba, while he also came close to a second goal in the 17th minute.

PAOK found their feet again despite going behind, and enjoyed some good periods of possession, threatening to score on several occasions. Panidis in the 26th minjte and Tzimas in both the 44th and 45th minutes were guilty of missing good opportunities. Before that, Bourganis had also made two good saves to deny the hosts.

In the second half, the visitors did not produce the same mobility. With the exception of a shot by Koutsias in the 58th minute, PAOK did not particularly threaten the opposition goal. Xanthi were also not as energetic as they were in the opening period, with the exception of 72nd minute, when they won penalty which was successfully converted by Gomez.

PAOK had no choice but to commit more players forward and look to get back into the game, but that left gaps at the back which the home side exploited in the 87th minute with Ali Baba scoring his second of the game to make it 3-0.

PAOK B’s next match is against Pierikos in a rearranged match next Thursday at the Makedonikos Stadium.

Team lineups:

Xanthi: Itso (46′ Giakoumis), Michail, Papazoglou, Tsiligiris, Thymianis, Deligiannidis (84′ Tzanakakis), Diamantopoulos (64′ Doris), Ungialidis, Tselios (90′ Tselebakis), Ali Baba (90′ Dimitriadis), Gomez

PAOK: Bourganis, Apostolopoulos, Manolioudis (46′ Tsaousis), Panagiotou, Tachatos, Salamouras, Meletidis (46′ Ouendraogo), Tsopouroglou (60′ Kaloutsikidis), Chatzistravos, Tzimas (73′ Spyridis), Panidis (46′ Koutsias).