PAOK - Anderlecht 0-1: Cold shower and defeat in the details

Anderlecht prevailed 1-0 in Toumba thanks to a goal from the first minute, leaving PAOK with the bitterness of many missed opportunities.

Cold shower from the start in Toumba

PAOK welcomed Anderlecht to the Toumba stadium for the third qualifying round of the Europa League, but the start of the match proved to be a nightmare for the Thessalonians. Before the first minute of the match was completed, Mihajlo Cvetkovic capitalized on Enrik Lansana's pass and sent the ball into the net, making it 0-1 for the Belgians.

Missed penalty and unexploited superiority

Subsequently, PAOK took the initiative, reaching a total ball possession of 61%. The biggest moment for an equalizer came in the 36th minute, when the Double-headed Eagle won a penalty. However, Giannis Michailidis could not score from the spot, and in the same phase, a goal by Anestis Mythos was disallowed, maintaining the visitors' lead.

Pressure without result until the end

In the second half, the hosts increased their pressure and finished the game with a total of 18 attempts. Despite the offensive boost from the substitutions of Abdul Rahman Baba, Greg Taylor, Alexander Jeremejeff, and Dimitris Pelkas, Anderlecht's defense held firm. The final 0-1 forces PAOK to seek a comeback in the return leg, leaving a bitter taste for their performance in the home match.