Aris beats Kalamata 3-2 in Super League opener after stoppage-time brace by Fabiano

Early chances and first-half penalties

The Greek Super League opening round match took place at the Theodoros Kolokotronis Stadium in Tripoli, where Kalamata hosted Aris. Aris created the first chance in the second minute when Mir shot from the left side of the penalty area, forcing Kalamata goalkeeper Gelios into a two-stage save. Kalamata responded in the eighth minute through an effort from Moreira outside the box that sailed just over the crossbar. In the 13th minute, the referee initially awarded a penalty to Aris after Kaloutsikidis and Vargas handled the ball, but a VAR review overturned the decision due to an earlier foul by Fadiga. Aris struck the woodwork in the 17th minute when Garré cut in from the right wing and saw his deflected left-footed shot hit the post. Fadiga missed another opportunity for Aris in the 35th minute after Palacios found him at the far post with a cross.

Opening goals before the interval

Kalamata intensified their attack late in the first half and generated a clear opening in the 40th minute when Cataldi struck a low drive from distance that bounced right in front of goalkeeper Velios, who pushed the ball away for a corner. From the resulting corner on the right side in the 41st minute, Moreira delivered a cross to the centre of the penalty area, where Bolívar scored with a header to give Kalamata a 1-0 lead. Aris responded before half-time when Kaloutsikidis held Gianniotas inside the penalty area in the 45th minute. The referee awarded a penalty kick, which midfielder Račić converted into the net to level the score at 1-1. Aris pushed for a second goal before the interval, including a free-kick attempt from Mir, but the teams entered the break level.

Second-half strike and late turnaround

Kalamata restored their lead in the 60th minute through a sequence of passes across the midfield. Cataldi directed a cross across the penalty box to find Vargas at the far post, who placed his shot past Velios to make the score 2-1 for the home side. Aris manager Michalis Grigoriou introduced offensive substitutions to chase the deficit, and Fabiano threatened the Kalamata goal in the 75th minute. The direction of the match shifted in the 86th minute when Kalamata goalscorer Bolívar received a red card for an off-the-ball strike. Playing with a one-man advantage, Aris equalised in the 89th minute when Brazilian central defender Fabiano scored from close range. In the 93rd minute (90+3'), Boussaid floated a delivery behind Kalamata defender Ignjatović, allowing Fabiano to run through and score the winning goal for a 3-2 victory.

Team setups and upcoming schedule

Kalamata head coach Panagiotis Christofileas organised his team in a 4-3-3 formation with Gelios in goal behind defenders Kaloutsikidis, Stroungis, Rodrigues, and Alonso. Diarra played as the holding midfielder alongside Cataldi and Hamza in the central trio, while Vargas and Moreira occupied the wings behind central forward Bolívar. Aris deployed a 4-2-3-1 setup under Michalis Grigoriou, starting Velios in goal behind defenders Petris, Fabiano, Jensen, and Fadiga. Bachirou partnered Račić in central midfield, while Palacios, Gianniotas, and Garré supported Mir in attack. Following the opening fixture, Aris will host OFI at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium on 30 August at 19:30, while Kalamata will play an away match against Panetolikos on 29 August at 21:30.