OFI holds Asteras Tripolis to 2-2 draw with 95th-minute Athanasiou equalizer

First-half exchange in Heraklion

The Super League matchday five fixture at Pankritio Stadium opened with OFI controlling possession across the first 15 minutes, while Asteras Tripolis maintained a compact defensive shape. OFI adjusted their starting eleven following fatigue from a midweek European fixture against German club Hoffenheim. The hosts took the lead in the 18th minute when Giannis Apostolakis struck a powerful shot from distance after receiving a pass from Andreas Bouchalakis. Asteras goalkeeper Nikos Papadopoulos misjudged the trajectory as the ball slipped through his hands and crossed the line. Asteras responded in the 24th minute when Julian Mendes delivered a pass to Federico Macheda, who got ahead of central defender Achilleas Poungouras and finished past Nikos Christogeorgos. Asteras appealed for a penalty in the 42nd minute after a shot from Macheda struck Konstantinos Kostoulas, but the referee rejected the claim and kept the match level at 1-1 entering half-time.

Second-half comeback and VAR reversal

Asteras seized momentum immediately after the restart, creating offensive chances and capitalizing in the 50th minute. Julian Bartolo executed a solo dribble past OFI defenders into the penalty area, where a goal-line intervention by Kostoulas deflected off goalkeeper Christogeorgos into the path of Kalvin Ketu, who tapped the ball into an empty net. OFI manager Christos Kontis made a triple substitution in the 58th minute, introducing Nikos Athanasiou, Taxiarchis Fountas, and Kenan Kodro in place of Apostolakis, Anastasios Chatzigiovanis, and Aaron Leya Iseka. Asteras thought they had extended their lead to 1-3 in the 75th minute when Bartolo slotted the ball into the net. However, match officials conducted an on-field video assistant referee review and disallowed the goal due to a handball committed by Ketu in the buildup phase.

Stoppage-time equalizer by Athanasiou

OFI increased their attacking tempo in the closing 15 minutes, adding Aitor Cantalapiedra in the 66th minute and Dickman in the 81st minute. Papadopoulos denied OFI an equalizer in the 86th minute by making a reflex save on an effort by Aitor from the penalty spot. Asteras attempted to protect their 1-2 lead through late substitutions, bringing on Ricardinho for Macheda, Julian Perez for Bartolo, and Oluwatobiloba Tereziou for Ketu. In the 95th minute, substitute defender Athanasiou received the ball on the left wing, cut inside across the pitch, and sent a right-footed shot into the top corner beyond the reach of Papadopoulos. The stoppage-time strike sealed the 2-2 draw with the final kick of the match.

Standings impact for both clubs

The 2-2 draw preserved OFI's unbeaten home record at Pankritio Stadium and lifted the Cretan club to 10 points after five league rounds. Asteras Tripolis missed out on what would have been their first win of the season, leaving Heraklion with one point to take their season total to two points. The match concluded a demanding week for OFI, who managed to salvage a point despite squad rotation following European competition. Asteras, managed by Giorgos Antonopoulos, remain winless in the Greek Super League after five matches.