The teams of AEK and Dundee United proved to be equal in the match of the Europa League play-offs. The match the teams played on Karaiskaki stadium in Athens ended 1:1. With this result AEK succeeded to achieve its goal and qualified for the league rounds.
The match began with a very dynamic game of the yellow-blacks. They showed still in the first minutes they were determined to qualify for the Europa League. The team immediately proceeded to attack and chances to score rained in buckets. There were very good attempts to score in the 4th, 6th and 7th minute. The goalkeeper Pernis, however, kept his ground. Scocco tried to score for the guests in the 10th minute but his attack failed. The second attempt the player made from a penalty kick in the 15th minute was unsuccessful again.
The efforts of the hosts succeeded in the 23rd minute thanks to Papa Buba Diop. After the corner of Leonardo, Jahić took the ball with his head and directed it toward the mesh of Pernis. Diop, who was near, took advantage of the chance and scored a lightning goal to Scotland. Thus, the new player of AEK scored his first goal in the team colours. After the goal of Diop Dundee woke up. Buaben attacked the Saja’s mesh in the 29th minute but the ball came out. Scotland made another attempt to score in the 43rd minute when Conway threatened the door of the Argentine, but it was out of luck again. Kafes and Diop made subsequent attempts to score in the 42nd and 44th minute. The first half ended 1:0.
The second half brought changes to the field. The guests entered the game highly motivated to catch the result. Apparently they intended to pursue this goal aggressively and the second 45 minutes would be difficult. Their great support was the group of about 200 fans who chanted until the last minute of the match. Something that AEK could not boast. Due to fears of possible excesses by the club it was decided the match to be played without audience presence. So, only the shouts of the Scots and the guidance of the two coaches could be heard on Karaiskaki...
AEK was at ease in the second half and allowed the guests to play the ball more freely. The defence made a mistake…it totally forgot about the attack. It was like a tailwind for Dundee and its players did not stop to pursue chances to score for a minute. The guests increasingly found themselves close to the Greek mesh and the score was hanging in the air. It was already a fact in the 79th minute. It was scored by Daly whose shot even Jahić could not stop despite his burst in the mesh of Saja in the last minute.
The guests attacked continuously and finally the match turned into a real thriller. 8 minutes before the end Swanson was on the brink of a second goal for Scotland.
AEK Athens (Dusan Bayevich): Saja, Georgeas (46' Gentsoglou), Jahić, Manolas, Lagos, Makos, Diop, Kafes, Leonardo (89' Karabelas), Scocco, Djebbour (58' Blanco)
Dundee United (Peter Houston): Pernis, Dillon, Dixon, Conway, Robertson, Scott, Cadamarteri (49' Goodwillie), Robertson, David (60' Swanson), Buaben, Gomis (63' Daly), Kenneth, Watson
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