Kyrgiakos Marks Debut With Victory

Only a small crowd was present at the OAKA on Thursday evening, where Kyrgiakos made his belated debut having just played 45 minutes of Greece’s 2-0 win over Slovakia in Bratislava. There was to be no such playing introduction for international team-mate and fellow summer signing Angelos Basinas, who contrastingly played a full match for Rehhagel’s side. 

The victory and perhaps more importantly, the gradual return to match fitness of Kyrgiakos and Basinas, will come as a boost to 38-year-old manager Donis, who has experienced a difficult pre-season at his new club. AEK have hardly impressed with their results and performances, coupled with slow movement in the transfer market and impending press conference to be held today by president Themistoklis Nikolaidis, which could potentially be used to announce his resignation from his role at the club. 

Aside from suggested uncertainty from an administrative perspective, FC Groningen appeared to be set to perpetuate AEK’s woes on the pitch, as Dutchman Berry Powel opened the scoring for his side after 41 minutes. 

A long ball launched up-field by goalkeeper Luciano was headed clear by Giorgos Alexopoulos – who has impressed during pre-season for the Dikefalos Aetos – but youngster Panagiotis Tachtsidis proceeded to lose the ball to Gonzalo Garcia outside the penalty area. The Spaniard then fooled the entire AEK back-line, lifting the ball high over the advancing defenders for Powell, who beat the off-side trap before taking the ball around Saja and finishing high into the net. 

Brazilian full-back Edson Ramos Silva was at the heart of AEK’s equalizer, intercepting the ball in the Groningen half before racing positively toward the penalty box. Though the attempted passing move broke down on the edge of the box, new signing Nacho Scocco saw his initial first-time attempt blocked but as the ball rolled back to him again, side-footed a firm effort toward goal which beat Luciano at his near-post on 71 minutes. 

The winning goal arrived on 88 minutes, with Ramos doing well to make space for himself on the right-hand flank before crossing the ball for Kone, who managed to beat Luciano with a looping header into the far corner of the net to secure a morale boosting victory for the Athenian giants. 

Line-ups: 

AEK Athens: Macho (Saja 45’), Koutroumanos (Georgeas 46’), Gentzoglou (Kone 82’), Alexopoulos (Kyrgiakos 46’), Juanfran (Edson Ramos Silva 46’), Kafes (Burns 82’), Rivaldo (Nsawila 62’), Tachtsidis (Pliatsikas 46’), Scocco (Zorbas 72’), Edinho (Pavlis 72’), Blanco (Lagos 62’) 

FC Groningen: Luciano, Hiariej (Cahais 74’), Sankoh, Svejdik, Stenman, Holla (Dijkstra 90’), Metaj, Van de Laak (Pellegriti 87’), Lovre, Garcia (Ramic 83’), Powel (Nijland 72’) 
 

Chris Paraskevas