SL2 22/23: Athens Kallithea 3-0 Apollon Smyrnis

Turning up the pressure in the promotion race, AKFC produced an emphatic 3-0 victory over local rivals Apollon Smyrnis at Grigoris Lamprakis Stadium on Saturday afternoon in Matchday 27 of the 2022/23 Super League 2 season.

The result temporarily brings AKFC to within two points of first place following Kifisia's loss to Chania.

AKFC opened the scoring with a breathtaking move in the 17th minute. After taking a defense-splitting pass from Demethryus, Panagiotis Kynigopoulos raced down the right wing and whipped a cross into the box, with Giannis Loukinas making the run and applying a clinical headed finish past the ‘keeper.

Staying on the front foot, AKFC would double the lead just seven minutes later. In a dizzying passing sequence, the midfield trio of Adil Nabi, Javier Matilla, and Omar Santana combined to unlock the defense through the middle and played out wide for Kynigopoulos, who sent a low first-time cross back across goal and Santana arrived to meet it with a sliding close-range finish.

AKFC would remain poised and in control of the match thereafter, and Matilla would lock up the three points with a third goal from one of his trademark free-kicks in the 65th minute.

With three rounds remaining, AKFC will next play away to Ilioupoli on Sunday 4 June in Matchday 28 of the 2022/23 Super League 2 season.

Athens Kallithea (4-2-3-1): Vosniadis, Vasiloudis, Vlachos, Evangelou, Kainourgios, Matilla, Santana (79’ Babis), Kynigopoulos, Nabi (79’ Tsintonis), Demethryus (56’ Ioannidis), Loukinas (89’ Bouloulis)