The problems started early, as PAOK lined up without Ingi Ingason who did not manage to overcome a calf kissue and was ruled out. Razvan Lucescu gave a starting berth to Giannis Kargas, while Tomas Kedziora and Nelson Oliveira also started for the visitors.

In the first half, PAOK did not produce the desired performance that their coach wanted. Without composure or a clear head, with some bad decision making and moments of weakness, all meant that the opposotion were able to take advantage. And with their first goal attempt in the 11th minute, Aris made it 1-0 with Palma firing home a shot from outside the penalty area.

PAOK quickly responded and looked for the equalizer, producing some good moments, initially with Oliveira not finding the target in the 18th minute, Kargas also heading two effortd on goal in the 34th minute and the 35th minute. The first was sabed by Siabanis and the second went wide, while in the 44th minute Oliveira also misdirected a header off target.

In between, Aris hit the woodwork twice in the 38th and 39th minutes, first with Iturbe’s header and then amother header from Fabiano. 

At the start of the second half, Lucescu made three quick changes, bringing on Schwab, Taison and Sastre and his side took control from the first second of the restart.

Essentially, Aris did not manage an effort on goal in the entire second half. PAOK, for their part, tried to pin the hosts back in their own half and the solution finally came in the 64th minute.

After Sastre’s cross, Schwab nipped in to steal the ball and Fabiano brought him down, with referee Al-Hakim initially not awarding a foul until he checked the VAR footage, after which he pointed to the spot.

The Austrian midfielder kept his cool and made it 1-1 with a flawless finish from 12 yards. The goal lifte the confidence of the PAOK players and with the momentum in their favor they went about searching for a winner.

And that winner duly came in the 73rd minute after an excellent exchange of passes. Rafa Soares squared the ball across goal and Siabanis blocked, but the ball fell kindly to A. Živković who scored to make it 2-1.

PAOK then dropped back and conceded space to Aris, but even had further chances to increase their lead, albeit without finding the net. At the other end of the pitch the defensive play of Lucescu’s men was exemplary, Aris could not find a way to threaten and the Swedish referee’s final whistle was greeted with PAOK’s players celebrating an impressive comeback win away from home.

Team lineupscompositions:

Aris: Siabanis, Odubazzo, Fabiano, Brambec, Mazikou (85′ Piersman), Etembo (86′ Dabo), Darinda, Mateo Garcia (80′ Gray), Iturbe (80′ Camazzo), Palma (85′ Christodoulopoulos), Kamara.

PAOK: Kotarski, Kedziora (46′ Sastre), Koulierakis, Kargas, Rafa Soares, Dantas (46′ Schwab), Douglas, Konstantelias, Narey (46′ Taison), A.Zivkovic (88′ El Kaddouri), Oliveira (61′ Brandon).