Adelaide United centre-back Panagiotis Kikianis has recalled making history last month at the Under-20 Asian Cup and how one night in 2016 inspired his dream to play for his boyhood club.
Prior to taking his shot at this year’s Under-20 Asian Cup Final for the Young Socceroos, Kikianis had never taken a penalty in a competitive match.
After 120 minutes, Australia was tied 1-1 with Saudi Arabia and it was time for a penalty shootout.
Both teams scored their first four shots and then it was Kikianis’s turn.
“We’d practised penalties the whole time we were away, but I wasn’t sure if I’d take one or not. I’d never taken a penalty before that,” Kikianis said in a recent interview with aleagues.com.au.
“But once the full-time whistle went, Liam Reddy, the goalkeeping coach, came up to me and asked if I was alright to take a penalty – and I was always going to say yes.
“It’s a nerve-wracking moment but you just have to trust yourself and pick a spot. For me, once I walked up to the ball, I felt fine, to be honest.
“All of the nerves were on the halfway line. But once I saw the ball go into the back of the net, it was a massive relief.”
He put Australia up 5-4 and the rest was history as the Aussie’s saved the next shot.
The Young Socceroos went unbeaten in the tournament and won the nation’s first-ever Under-20 Asian Cup title.
It was pure emotion in the changerooms.
“I saw tears in people’s eyes I never thought I’d see,” Kikianis said. “And it wasn’t just the players; everyone played a massive role in it.
“Just thinking about it now, it’s crazy what we did. It was so good because the group of boys we had there were so hard-working and humble. We got along really well, and the coaching staff were amazing, from the team manager to the physios and strength and conditioning were some of the best people I’ve ever met in football.
“The way we did it, we didn’t lose a game, we performed really well and I never thought I’d be in such a situation. It was a dream come true.”
Last year the talented centre-back then signed a five-year-deal with Adelaide United, the longest contract in A-League history.
Securing his spot at the club has been a dream of his since he was 11, sitting in the stands at Adelaide Oval to witness the Reds become A-League Champions for the very first time.
“It’s a massive honour,” he said. “It’s something you dream of as a kid going to Hindmarsh (Coopers Stadium) and watching Adelaide United play in the A-League.
“Once I started playing school soccer, probably in year two or year three, that’s when I started going to games. I remember finishing school on a Friday afternoon and asking my dad straight away whether he’d got tickets for the game on the weekend or not. I was hoping for a good response and if not, I would definitely come down in tears.
“When they won the Grand Final at Adelaide Oval against Western Sydney, it was a massive turning point for me, where I realised I wanted to be a footballer from that moment onwards.
“But now, to be able to play on the pitch in front of thousands of loyal fans nearly every week, it’s a crazy feeling.”
Prior to signing his record-breaking contract, Kikianis played just five games for Adelaide, this season he has started in each of his 17 appearances and more than tripled his minutes since breaking in.
“I definitely wasn’t expecting the contract,” he said.
“It came from nowhere, but once my family and I saw the contract, there was only one answer: it was always going to be me signing it.
“At the time, I wasn’t aware it was the longest in history – but it’s a blessing. I could have never dreamt of it, and now that it’s happened, I just want to repay all the people who put their trust in me and hopefully win something this year.
“It is very rare, but in Adelaide, it isn’t only me they’ve put their trust in. They’re trusting all of the youth products and the way they treat us is amazing. They really do look after us, but they are also hard on us during training, wanting us to push the standards.
“Yes, I may have signed a big contract but now that means nothing. I’ve forgotten about it, I just want to continue working hard because at the end of the day, it’s not where you want to finish your football career, you want to go to the highest level.
“It’s just the beginning, and hopefully, all the hard work will pay off one day.”
