First Win For Bajevic's AEK

Dusan Bajevic (pictured) grabbed the first win of his third stint as AEK Athens manager at the OAKA Spiros Louis Stadium on Sunday evening, where his side won 1-0 against Panthrakikos.

It certainly wasn't an aesthetically pleasing performance, the match more a physical struggle than a technical duel, though the home side showed some encouraging signs of attacking improvement, as they ended Panthrakikos' impressive unbeaten run.

First Half

AEK made a typically sedate start to proceedings at the OAKA Spiros Louis, their lack of creativity again outlining the size of the task that faces new manager Dusan Bajevic.

A team devoid of any confidence or direction struggled to break down Panthrakikos, who looked comfortable early on despite their lack of attacking intent.

In fact, the Komotini-based side came closest to taking the lead on 22 minutes, albeit via the leg of an AEK player.

It was a moment that epitomized what has been a disjointed AEK season, as summer signing Juanfran almost put the ball into his own net.

The Spanish full-back failed to react quickly enough to an innocuous delivery into the penalty area, the ball hitting his foot and heading for the bottom right corner of the net, where Sebastian Saja tipped it onto the post.

Newly elected AEK president Giorgios Kintis was in the stands to witness the first goal scored under his reign, one resulting from a goalkeeping error rather than any attacking incision.

A seemingly harmless cross from Vasilis Pliatsikas on the right-flank was bizarrely chased after by Panthrakikos goalkeeper Spyros Vrontaras.

Virtually on the far side of the penalty box, he could only palm the ball into the path of the awaiting Nacho Scocco, who did well to send a low cross to the back-post where Ismael Blanco finished into an empty net.

The goal seemed to galvanize Dusan Bajevic’s side, who increased their industry despite a lack of invention and finished the half strongly.

Second Half

It took AEK 23 minutes to fashion their first clear chance of the second half, Raffik Djebbour heading a Juanfran cross into the path of Nacho Scocco, who raced onto the ball unmarked but half-volleyed wildly over from close range.

Ismael Blanco then wasted a wonderful chance to double his side’s lead in the 74th minute, volleying wide of a virtually empty net after Rafik Djebbour had been released down the left side of the penalty area by Pantelis Kafes before crossing low for the Argentine.

They were the main pieces of action of an otherwise scrappy second-half, Panerraikos’ first attempt of the match arriving in the second minute of injury time, when Abdul Diallo directed a firm header straight at Saja.

AEK held on however for Dusan Bajevic’s first victory since returning to the club.

AEK Athens 1 (22’ Blanco)
Panthrakikos 0

Line-ups:

AEK Athens: Saja, Pliatsikas, Juanfran, Majstorovic, Kyrgiakos, Nsawila, Scocco (78’ Edinho), Manduca (64’ Lagos), Djebbour (85’ Pelletieri), Blanco, Kafes

Panthrakikos: Vrontaras, Aggelopoulos, Robinho, Riera, Clement, Kanotidis, Henriquez (71’ Yilmaz), Velasco (50’ Argyriou), Konstantinidis, Lopes, Diallo

Chris Paraskevas, Goal.com