Paok Thessaloniki have continued their impressive form in the Europa League by defeating English Premier League side Tottenham 1-2 in London.
Spurs found themselves down by two goals inside the opening 14 minutes.
Greek international Dimitrios Salpigidis got PAOK off to a dream start when he nodded his side in front in the sixth minute, and Stefanos Athanasiadis extended the lead eight minutes later when he slid in at the back post to stuff home a low cross inside the six-yard box.
Tottenham received a lifeline just before halftime when Kostas Stafylidis was sent off for handling the ball and denying a would-be goal.
Luka Modric stepped up and smashed home the ensuing penalty to cut the deficit in half.
Spurs were denied a goal in the second half after Jermain Defoe collided with a PAOK defender on the goal line. Play continued and Defoe eventually found the net, but the referee pulled play back after his assistants cited the English striker for an infraction.
With the unlikely win, PAOK moves to the top of Group A with just one match remaining, setting the pace with 11 points. Rubin Kazan dismantled Shamrock Rovers, 4-1, in Group A’s other Wednesday fixture to move into second place with ten points. Rubin will advance from the group with just a point from its final match at PAOK on December 15.
Tottenham sits third with seven points and must defeat Shamrock in order to advance, while hoping that PAOK will still show up to beat Rubin Kazan despite being assured qualification.
