Panathinaikos beats Panetolikos 3-0 to secure sole lead in Super League
Goals from Vicente Taborda, Azzedine Ounahi, and Davide Calabria earned Panathinaikos a 3-0 win over Panetolikos at OAKA, extending their winning streak to four matches.
Dominant start and Taborda header
Panathinaikos hosted Panetolikos at the Olympic Stadium of Athens (OAKA) aiming to continue a perfect start to the Super League season. Manager Nistrup set up his team to control possession from kickoff, using attacking width on both flanks to break down the defensive block deployed by the Agrinio club. Threatening deliveries came from Davide Calabria on the right flank as well as Santino Andino and Giorgos Kyriakopoulos on the left. The breakthrough arrived in the 14th minute when Andino found space on the left wing and sent a precise cross toward the penalty spot. Vicente Taborda rose to meet the delivery, beating Panetolikos goalkeeper Anton Koutserenko with a close-range header to make it 1-0. The goal marked the fourth consecutive fixture in which the Argentine forward has scored for Panathinaikos.
Tactical adjustment and Ounahi strike
Taborda was unable to complete the first half, feeling discomfort in his adductor and leaving the pitch in the 20th minute. Levi Garcia came on as an injury replacement, causing a temporary dip in the home side's attacking fluidity while Panetolikos gained territory. Despite the disruption, the visitors were unable to establish sustained attacking pressure under manager Giannis Anastasiou. Panathinaikos regained momentum in the 32nd minute when Azzedine Ounahi delivered a cross that Koutserenko pushed away poorly, though Levi Garcia sent his rebound off target from inside the penalty area. Cyriel Dessers came close four minutes later in the 36th minute, heading a cross from Kyriakopoulos narrowly wide of the target. High pressing from Panathinaikos produced a second goal in the 39th minute when Calabria played a vertical pass to Ounahi, who scored from the edge of the box with a placed finish.
- Vicente Taborda opens the scoring with a header from Santino Andino's cross
- Vicente Taborda leaves the pitch with an adductor injury, replaced by Levi Garcia
- Azzedine Ounahi doubles the lead with a strike from Davide Calabria's pass
- Panetolikos defender Granath clears Cyriel Dessers' shot off the goal line
- Davide Calabria converts a stoppage-time penalty to seal the 3-0 victory
First-half chances and defensive clearance
The final minutes of the opening period brought further scoring opportunities for the hosts before the halftime interval. In the 43rd minute, Imran Louza attempted a long-range shot from outside the penalty area that struck the exterior netting and support framing. The deflection sparked brief celebration in the stands before spectators realized the ball had deflected out for a corner kick. Panathinaikos threatened again on the stroke of halftime when Andino played another through ball to release Dessers behind the opposing defense. The Nigerian striker rounded Koutserenko and took aim at an open net, but Panetolikos defender Granath retreated quickly to clear the ball off the goal line and keep the deficit at two goals.
Stoppage-time penalty and league leadership
Panathinaikos maintained territorial dominance throughout the second half, restricting Panetolikos to just two clear chances over the course of the match. Goalkeeper Koutserenko made multiple saves to limit the deficit as Panathinaikos recorded more than 20 total attempts on goal. The hosts finalized the victory in the second minute of second-half stoppage time after earning a penalty kick. Calabria stepped up in the 92nd minute and converted from the penalty spot to seal a 3-0 victory. The result marks four wins from four matches for Nistrup's side, keeping Panathinaikos alone at the top of the Super League table with 12 points.
