MD15: Athens 2 -1 Lisboa

Written by: Wolfgang Fötze

Athens came in mixed form, securing two wins in their last five matches, while Lisboa entered the clash with momentum, stringing together two consecutive victories after a string of five losses in a row.

The game saw action quickly when Nikolas Alexopoulous of Athens struck a thunderous strike from outside the box in the 3rd minute, just missing the target. Despite the early scare, the first half remained cagey, with both sides struggling to create clear-cut chances.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 42nd minute when Lisboa took the lead. David Roy's run down the right wing resulted in a cross finding the head of Kenan Bosnic, who nodded the ball home, granting Lisboa the lead right before the halftime whistle.

Determined to get back into the match, Athens adopted a more aggressive and attacking approach in the second half. Their attacking paid off in the 68th minute, courtesy of a defensive mistake by Greg Gregg. Alexopoulous capitalized on the error, slotting home a well-taken chance to level the score for Athens.

Energized by their equalizer, Athens continued to press forward, with Alexopoulous missing a golden opportunity in a 1v1  situation just moments later.

The attacking intent paid dividends once more for Athens in the 83rd minute when they were awarded a free kick just outside the box. Emero Laden stepped up and delivered a sensational strike into the top corner, handing Athens a late lead and sealing a much needed win.

This win for Athens now takes them one point behind Lisboa and further away from the relegation spots.