A ten-man Panathinaikos beat the odds to defeat Club Brugge 2-1 at home in the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round on Tuesday.
Playing in oppressive temperatures of 31 degrees in the capital, Panathinaikos overcame a shaky start, a missed penalty and the disadvantage of playing with 10 men in the second half.
The Belgians got off to an ideal start, with a 10th minute goal to Bolingoli Mhombo. The home team responded well through their Swedish import, striker Marcus Berg, who equalised in the 37th minute from close range from a Sotiris Ninis cross.
His goal made up for his miss from the penalty spot minutes earlier when his penalty was saved by Brugge keeper Sebastian Bruzzese. Just before the break, the balance swung in the visitors’ favour with the sending off of PAO central defender Sergio Sanchez for shirt pulling.
Predicatably, the visitors dominated the second half, forcing the 10-man Greens onto the back foot. However, a rare Panathinaikos counterattack in the 65th minute resulted in a handball in the area. Nikos Karelis converted the resultant penalty to put the home team ahead.
As the match progressed, players wilted under the intense heat and Panathinaikos was able to hold on to a slender but valuable first leg advantage which it takes to Belgium for the second leg on 4 August.
In other Champions League Rd 3 qualifying action, Cypriot club Apoel Nicosia came away with a 2-1win away from Danish club FC Midylland. Apoel went two goals up just after the half hour through an own goal by K. Hansen followed by a fine individual goal by Tomas De Vincenti. The Danes pulled one back just before full time through Jakob Poulsen.
Source: Kathimerini
