Fountas Pounces on Tsiftsis Error as OFI Beat PAOK 2-1 in Heraklion

By Taki Panos

Some goals you work for, and some goals get handed to you. Taxiarchis Fountas will happily take this one either way. His 38th-minute finish into an empty net, after a costly misjudgment by PAOK goalkeeper Antonis Tsiftsis, set OFI on their way to a 2-1 win over PAOK at the Pancretan Stadium in Heraklion on Sunday night, as both in.gr and Novasports reported. Androutsos added a penalty in the 84th minute and Simon Banza pulled one back in the 89th, in round 8 of the Super League.

For anyone new to this matchup, it already has some recent history. OFI are the reigning Greek Cup holders, and they lifted that trophy by beating PAOK in the final last April, a night coach Christos Kontis summed up by saying "we are worthy cup winners," per Novasports and Alpha News (translated from Greek). The Cretans came into Sunday on a two-game losing run, after a wild 4-3 defeat to Kalamata and then a 2-0 loss to Leverkusen in the Europa League on Thursday.

PAOK, coached by Alessio Lisci, arrived on the back of a late 2-1 win over Iraklis, and they started the brighter side. OFI goalkeeper Lilo had to save from PAOK winger Zivkovic in the opening minute, both Novasports and in.gr noted, and he was busy again in the first quarter of an hour. There was an early warning sign at the other end too. In the third minute Tsiftsis was slow to clear, Nous closed him down, and the ball looped off him and just over the bar, according to both outlets.

The goal came out of nothing. Aitor hit a long ball over the top, Fountas made his run in behind the PAOK defense, and Tsiftsis came off his line late and misjudged it completely. The ball rolled under him and Fountas, the Greek international, walked it into the empty net for 1-0, as Gazzetta, Novasports and Ta Nea all described. For a goalkeeper, it is the kind of moment you replay all week. For the home crowd, it was pure joy.

PAOK did react straight away. A minute after the goal, a ball in behind left a PAOK attacker with a clear look, but his shot slid just wide of the far post, per Novasports and in.gr. Lilo then came to the rescue with his feet in the 43rd minute to keep the lead intact, and OFI went into the break 1-0 up. It was a half in which PAOK had more of the ball and more early pressure, while OFI defended compactly and looked dangerous every time they went forward quickly.

The second half brought a blow for PAOK. Center back Michailidis, the matchwinner against Iraklis a week earlier, went down early in the half and had to come off, replaced by Chatzidiakos, both in.gr and Novasports reported. Chatzidiakos later went close himself with a header that flew just wide, the clearest chance of a PAOK side that kept pushing without really cutting OFI open. Around the 68th minute Lisci made a triple change, bringing on Banza among others, as he chased an equalizer.

There was a big talking point just after the hour. In the 62nd minute Fountas went down in the box after contact with Chatzidiakos, and referee Christos Vergetis waved play on, according to both outlets. Opinions split on that one. In.gr wrote that OFI should have had a penalty there, while Novasports said the VAR check backed the referee's call. Either way, the home side kept their shape and kept the 1-0 lead, which says a lot about how calm they stayed.

The closing stages were lively at both ends. Tsiftsis, to his credit, made two good saves around the 80th minute, first from a strong Athanasiou shot and then from a Kodro header, as Novasports and in.gr both noted. Then the decisive moment arrived. Baba was penalized for handball inside the area, Vergetis pointed to the spot, and Androutsos stepped up and scored for 2-0 in the 84th minute, per in.gr, Novasports and CNN Greece. That looked like the end of the story.

Not quite. PAOK pulled one back in the 89th minute through Banza, both in.gr and CNN Greece reported, with in.gr noting he finished from close range, and that set up a nervous finish in Heraklion. OFI held on, though, and the final whistle confirmed a deserved win. In.gr described the result as fair and singled out Fountas as a constant problem for the PAOK defense. Ta Nea, for its part, said the Cretans earned an important three points in an intense game.

The table tells the story of a costly night for PAOK. They stay on 15 points and drop to fifth, after Aris beat Atromitos 3-1 earlier in the evening to move up to fourth with 16, according to iefimerida and CNN Greece. OFI climb to sixth with 13 points, their fourth league win in eight games, CNN Greece noted. At the top, Panathinaikos lead with 21 points, Olympiacos have 19 and AEK 17, per iefimerida.

For PAOK, this was the third league defeat of the season, CNN Greece pointed out, and it follows a 3-1 home loss to Kalamata earlier in the autumn that hurt badly. In.gr did not hold back, writing that things are going from bad to worse for the team from Thessaloniki (translated from Greek). For OFI, it is a timely boost after a heavy schedule. They are juggling Europe and the league, and they still looked the fresher side on Sunday.

My take: PAOK will point to the goalkeeping error, and fair enough, it changed the game. But one mistake does not explain a whole night. OFI were sharper on the break, Lilo was excellent, and Kontis's team played like a side that knows how to beat this opponent. Fifth place in late October is not a crisis yet for PAOK. It is, though, a clear sign that the margin for error near the top is already very thin.

Next up, PAOK host Asteras AKTOR at Toumba in round 9 next weekend, while OFI travel to Panaitolikos, per the Super League schedule published by iefimerida. For more on Greek clubs and athletes around the world, keep an eye on our Greek Sports section. Heraklion danced on Sunday night. Thessaloniki has some thinking to do.

Sources: in.gr, Novasports, Gazzetta, Ta Nea, CNN Greece, iefimerida, Alpha News.

Image: OFI Crete F.C. crest, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain).