AEK Athens falls 2-1 to Samsunspor in fifth pre-season friendly, Lovro Majer makes unofficial debut
AEK Athens fell to a 2-1 defeat against Turkish side Samsunspor in the fifth match of their pre-season tour in the Netherlands on Wednesday. The match marked the unofficial debut of new signing Lovro Majer, who entered the fray just hours after his transfer was finalized.
AEK endured their first defeat of the summer preparation period, losing 2-1 to Turkish Süper Lig side Samsunspor on Wednesday. The match, held in the Netherlands, was the Greek champions' fifth friendly of their pre-season tour.
Match Overview
Coach Marco Nikolic took the opportunity to test his squad depth, making extensive rotations and giving precious minutes to several fringe players as well as young talents Argyriou and Tsaramanidis. AEK started brightly and dictated the tempo for large parts of the first half, but a visible drop in physical condition saw them struggle in the second period. The defense failed to track runners on the breaks, allowing the Turkish side to overturn the result and hand AEK their first loss of the tour.
- Eliasson scores (1-0)
- Elagis equalizes (1-1)
- Lovro Majer makes unofficial AEK debut
- Zarzou scores winner (1-2)
How the goals were scored
Niclas Eliasson opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a fluid counter-attacking move. Gacinovic beat his marker in the middle of the park and threaded a pass to Zini, who cut through the defense. Zini showed composure to square the ball to the unmarked Eliasson, who had an easy tap-in. Samsunspor found an equalizer just before the halftime whistle in the 44th minute. Elagis exploited space behind the AEK backline, chasing down a long ball and beating the onrushing Strakosha to make it 1-1. The Turkish side completed the comeback in the 80th minute. After Brignioli had made a stunning stop to deny Zarzou earlier, the forward eventually got his goal, finishing off a textbook team move to seal a 2-1 victory.
Majer's debut
The standout moment for AEK supporters was the long-awaited first appearance of Lovro Majer. The Croatian midfielder, whose transfer was finalized just hours before kick-off, entered the fray in the 65th minute. While his introduction served largely as a preliminary integration exercise, it marked his first steps in an AEK shirt. His arrival is considered a pivotal reinforcement as the club prepares for the demanding Champions League playoffs and the upcoming Superbet Super Cup.
Injuries and defensive concerns
Thomas Strakosha returned between the posts for AEK, having recovered from a shoulder problem that sidelined him for previous matches. However, he appeared cautious in the sequence leading to the equalizer. Injuries compounded the defeat, with both Zini and Penreis forced off the pitch. Penreis's departure is a particular worry for Nikolic, with the medical team assessing the extent of the issue. Defensively, AEK looked vulnerable, particularly in the second half when fatigue set in. The Turkish side exposed gaps on the flanks repeatedly, and the Greek team's high line was breached multiple times.
Final preparations
AEK will wrap up their Dutch training camp with a sixth and final friendly against Belgian side St. Truiden on Saturday, August 1. Following that match, the squad will return to Athens to begin the final phase of their preparation for the domestic Super Cup and the critical Champions League playoff ties. The technical staff will hope the knocks suffered by Zini and Penreis are minor, as Nikolic looks to solidify his starting eleven for the competitive season.
