PAOK came out of the tunnel and onto the pitch at the OPAP Arena just as they did in the game against Olympiacos at the Toumba Stadium – full of energy, determination, intensity and passion, along with a clear head and excellent decision-making.

Razvan Lucescu’s team limited AEK as an attacking threat and the visitors were only essentially threatened by set pieces, but Antonis Tsiftsis in the PAOK goal was there to block the home side when his team needed him.

PAOK threatened to open the scoring in the second minute with Andrija Zivkovic stealing possession high up the pitch and releasing Giakoumakis , but the Greek forward’s shot was blocked by Strakosha.

Shortly afterwards, Taison then had a good moment with a powerful shot that went just wide. AEK tried to threaten but Tsiftsis stopped Vida’s header in the 20th minute, Jovic’s placed effort in the 25th minute and Koita’s shot three minutes later, with the AEK player missing the rebound, while in the 36th minute Grujic headed the ball into the post. At the other end, PAOK had a good chance with Taison, after a throw-in, while earlier Giakoumakis ired in a shot from the edge of the penalty area without finding the net.

In the 45th minute, right before half-time, PAOK managed to find the breakthrough. Taison executed a free-kick which came back off the wall and landed back at the Brazilian’s feet. He passed it to A. Zivkovic who sent over a wonderful cross that an unmarked Baba headed home to make it 1-0.

The second half started like the first half ended, with a goal for PAOK. Zivkovic pressed Moukoudi, who lost the ball and Konstantelias pounced, skipping past the out-rushing Strakosha, who was sold a sublime dummy, before rolling the ball cooly into an empty net for 2-0 in the 48th minute.

Kostantelias almost made it 3-0 in the 53rd minute, but he failed to make a good contact with the ball. PAOK then managed the rest of the match perfectly, were not threatened at all, while in the 87th minute they also got a numerical advantage when Moukoudi brought down Despodov who was about to run clean through one-on-one with Strakosha. In fact, Pelkas executed the resulting free-kick excellently but the AEK goalkeeper managed to clear the ball.

The visitors held firm then to claim the three points, taking a well-deserved victory to move one point clear at the top of the standings, with everyone’s collective attention now turning to the upcoming European match with Lille in France.

Team lineups:

AEK: Strakosha, Rota, Vida, Moukoudi, Pelios, Marin (56′ Mantalos), Grujic (77′ Kaloskamis), Koita (56′ Piero), Kutesa (56′ Pineda), Joao Mario (56′ Eliasson), Jovic.

PAOK: Tsiftsis, Kenny, Kedziora, Lovren, Baba, Meite, Ozdoev (70′ Kamara), A. Zivkovic, Konstantelias (77′ Pelkas), Taison (70′ Despodov), Giakoumakis.