Greece’s big four teams are all in good shape of advancing in UEFA’s club competitions, with Olympiacos now the third team to book their ticket to the group stages after defeating KRC Genk.
The Piraeus Giants grabbed a late goal to draw 1-1 away against the Belgian side in the Europa third qualifying round on Friday morning (AEST), winning the tie 2-1 on aggregate and consequently guaranteeing themselves of making the group stage of the Europa Conference League (ECL).
Genk struck first in the 30th minute, thanks to a penalty into the top right from striker Joseph Paintsil, though the hosts soon found themselves at a disadvantage when the same player was sent off with a straight red (65′).
Olympiacos pounced on this very late on as midfielder Sotiris Alexandropoulos released a bullet strike from just outside the box into the bottom left corner in what proved the winning goal of the tie (90+6′), hanging on despite a late send-off to right back Rodinei (90+10′).
The “red-whites” now have an appointment with FK Čukarički in the play-offs, the final team they must pass to qualify for the Europa League group stage.
PAOK soundly beat Hajduk Split 3-0 at “Toumba” Stadium on Thursday morning to make the ECL play-offs.
The Thessaloniki outfit went ahead early after captain Stefan Schwab slotted his penalty into the bottom left (12′).
They then put the result beyond doubt with a brace from winger Andrjia Zivkovic, first through a close range finish (79′) and then with a free kick that took a deflection on its way into the net (85′).
The victory sends PAOK into the next round where they will meet Heart of Midlothian.
Aris crashed out on penalties against Dynamo Kyiv to become the first Greek team not to make the group stages of a UEFA club competition this season.
The match finished 2-1 (2-2 on aggregate), with the Ukrainian side coming from behind after Aris scored first in the 38th minute through midfielder Neven Đurasek.
Kyiv drew level in the tie with two goals from winger Nazar Voloshyn (45′) and substitute Oleksander Karavayev (85′), with the match going into extra time and then eventually to a penalty shoot-out.
The hosts managed to win 6-5 on penalties, with the key moment being Aris defender Moses Odubajo’s missed penalty.
Earlier in the week, Panathinaikos withstood the pressure of the penalty shootout to get past Olympique Marseille on Wednesday morning and book their ticket for the Champions League play-offs.
The “Trifylli” won the tie 5-3 on penalties, with the match finishing 2-1 after extra time (2-2 on aggregate), keeping their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League group stage well and truly alive.
Marseille dominated the majority of the match and managed to score twice in the opening period through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The striker’s first came in the second minute after taking the ball around goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli and tapping the ball into an empty net before scoring again with a tidy finish from close range into the bottom right (45+1′).
The tie looked destined to finish in the French giants’ favour when the Greens were awarded a penalty by VAR late into regular time after it was found midfielder Matteo Guendouzi handled the ball, with forward Fotis Ioannidis burying the spot-kick into the top right to draw level on aggregate (90+9′).
The match went into extra time and Marseille thought they found their winner in the 112th minute through substitute Vitinho but VAR intervened again and found there was an offside player involved in the play.
The game went to penalties and Brignoli stepped up with a crucial save of the French side’s first spot-kick, diving to his right to keep out Guendouzi’s effort.
Panathinaikos successfully converted all five of their penalties, the final one coming from substitute Filip Mladenovic to send the Greens through to the next stage.
The “Trifylli” will now face SC Braga in the final qualifying round before the group stages.
The good results continued with AEK, who struck late to win their away match with Dinamo Zagreb 1-2, setting themselves up perfectly to advance into the play-offs themselves.
The Croatian side went in front via a fantastic free kick from midfielder Marko Bulat (39′), taking the advantage heading into the break.
Enosi found an equaliser through forward Steven Zuber after he guided the ball into the bottom right corner.
AEK took the lead in the 90th minute following a corner set-piece wherein Rodolfo Pizarro found Kostas Galanopoulos in the box, with the midfielder subsequently hitting the ball into the back of the net.
The two will meet on Sunday in the second match of the tie at “Agia Sophia” Stadium to decide who moves on to play FC Antwerp.
Cyprus’ clubs did not fare as well in Europe with only two sides remaining following the third qualifying round.
APOEL beat FC Dila Gori 1-0 at home on Friday morning (3-0 on aggregate) to qualify for the ECL play-offs, with midfielder Diermerci Ndongala heading home a cross to seal the win and tie (48′).
They will now challenge KAA Gent in a must-win tie if they wish to have European football this campaign.
AEK Larnaca unfortunately lost 0-1 away to Maccabi Tel Aviv (2-1 on aggregate) due to a late penalty from striker Eran Zahavi (86′), sending them crashing out of the Conference league and thus out of Europe for this season.
Omonia are also knocked out of Europe after being dismantled by FC Midtjylland in a 1-5 away drubbing, a disappointing outcome given they won the first leg 1-0.
The Cypriot club fell behind early after midfielder Ioannis Kousoulos was sent off (24′) and the Danish team found their first three minutes later through a successful penalty from striker Gue-sung Cho, though the visitors did draw level soon after via forward Andronikos Kakoullis (31′).
It was one-way traffic from then on, however, as Cho’s partner up front Franculino bagged a hat-trick (43′, 45+3′, 64′) before midfielder Armin Gigovic finished it off with one final goal (80′).
Aris Limassol lost 0-1 at home to Rakow Czestochowa (1-3 overall on aggregate) to drop down to the Europa League play-offs.
The Polish side found the match’s lone goal in the 49th minute, thanks to a free kick from midfielder Fran Tudor into the top right.
The Cypriot Champions will now battle Slovan Bratislava in the Europa League play-offs, with the victor advancing to the Europa League group stage and the loser dropping down to the Europa Conference League group stage.
