Panathinaikos – CSKA Sofia 2-1: Three out of three and a leap towards the top eight

Panathinaikos overcame the obstacle of CSKA Sofia, winning 2-1 at OAKA and continuing with a perfect record in the Conference League Group Stage.

The "Greens" were superior for most of the match, created several chances, and deservedly reached victory thanks to goals from Davide Calabria and Vicente Taborda. With their third consecutive win, they reached nine points, taking a significant step towards the top eight and direct qualification to the round of 16.

Dominated but didn't "finish" early

CSKA Sofia threatened first, with Peña intervening in Yordanov's shot in the 7th minute. From that point on, however, Panathinaikos took control and began to create one chance after another.

Antino failed to score in the 12th minute, while Lapukhov subsequently stopped the attempts of Levi Garcia and Calabria. In the 37th minute, Taborda stole the ball and set up Rastoder against the opposing goalkeeper, but this chance also did not turn into a goal.

The pressure from the "Trifili" finally paid off in the 41st minute. Levi Garcia combined with Taborda, the Argentine laid off with a backheel to Calabria, and the Italian full-back finished the phase like a striker, making it 1-0.

The joy of the hosts, however, lasted only three minutes. After a corner kick, Dinis Almeida struck a shot on the move and equalized to 1-1, against the run of play in the first half.

Nystrup's changes provided the solution

Panathinaikos continued to press after the break, having two good chances with Rastoder and Kangua. Jacob Nystrup intervened in the game in the 64th minute, bringing on Tetteh and Etienne Camara for Rastoder and Luza.

The Danish coach's move paid off almost immediately. In the 68th minute, Tetteh entered the area and made a parallel cross, with Taborda in the right place to send the ball into the net for 2-1.

The "Greens" managed their lead correctly until the final whistle. They did not allow CSKA to create any significant chances and maintained control, completing the match with a total of 24 attempts on goal.

Perfect in Europe and with a new record

Panathinaikos now has three wins in as many matchdays in the Group Stage, after the 2-1 against Borac Banja Luka, the 5-1 away at Kairat Almaty, and the 2-1 against CSKA Sofia.

At the same time, Nystrup's team reached seven consecutive victories in all competitions. They also completed nine European games without defeat, recording the best relevant performance in the club's history.

With nine points and a positive goal difference, the "Trifili" has now created excellent conditions for its presence in the top eight.

Next up is the test with Iraklis

Panathinaikos temporarily puts Europe aside and turns its attention to the Stoiximan Super League. On Sunday (8/11, 17:30), they face Iraklis at Kaftanzoglio, for the 10th matchday of the championship.

The "Greens" are at the top of the standings and want to carry their winning momentum to Thessaloniki, closing the demanding schedule before the international break with another positive result.