After his team’s first defeat of the season at Wolfsburg last Saturday, head coach Dino Toppmöller made three alterations to his starting line-up for the second UEFA Europa Conference League group match. Ansgar Knauff and Niels Nkounkou replaced Aurelio Buta and Junior Dina Ebimbe in the wide positions, while Jens Petter Hauge made his second start of the season in place of Mario Götze, who did not travel to Greece due to the imminent birth of his child.
Eintracht punished
There was a noisy atmosphere at the Toumba Stadium but the action on the pitch was fairly quiet to begin with. Eintracht fashioned the first opportunity on seven minutes when Fares Chaibi dinked a cross to the far post for Nkounkou, who volleyed into the ground and against the post. Nine minutes later, PAOK thought they’d taken the lead when Mbwana Samatta slotted the ball past Kevin Trapp, but the video assistant determined that he was a fraction offside when the pass was made.
However, there was nothing questionable about the goal that did make it 1-0 to the hosts – except perhaps the defending – as Andrija Zivkovic’s free-kick from out wide sailed past everyone in the penalty area and past Trapp at his far post. The Eagles had more of the play after that and had a number of attempts from distance, with Ellyes Skhiri, Hugo Larsson and Omar Marmoush all having efforts blocked or saved, but the Greek side defended their box well and hung onto their lead until half-time.
Last-minute sucker punch
Toppmöller brought on Buta for Nkounkou for the second half and the Portuguese’s cross brought about the first opening of the second half. Dominik Kotarski could only punch the ball up in the air and then had to scramble back to push Knauff’s looping header over the bar. The lively Marmoush then latched onto a long ball over the top but his low shot was tipped behind by the Croatian for a corner, from which the ball caught Tuta by surprise and he was unable to guide it in.
The Eagles continued to dominate and eventually got the equaliser they deserved in the 68th minute. Marmoush pounced on a loose touch by defender Konstantinos Koulierakis before sprinting through and firing into the roof of the net for his second goal in the competition. The goal quietened the home crowd and the visitors looked to use the momentum. The closest they came was Chaibi’s brilliant free-kick which hit the bar, with Pacho heading over from the subsequent corner. A 1-1 draw looked to be on the cards until PAOK, with their first attempt in the second half, snatched a winner in the second minute of added time, Koulierakis atoning for his earlier error by bundling the ball in.
SGE line-up
Trapp – Tuta, Koch, Pacho – Knauff, Larsson (Hasebe 90’), Skhiri, Nkounkou (Buta 46’) – Hauge (Dina Ebimbe 61’), Chaibi (Ferri 90’) – Marmoush (Ngankam 75’)
Goals
1-0 Zivkovic (28’)
1-1 Marmoush (68’)
2-1 Koulierakis (90’+2)
