SL2 22/23: Egaleo 1-1 Athens Kallithea

Despite a thoroughly dominant performance on Sunday afternoon at Stavros Mavrothalassitis Stadium, AKFC could not convert on chance after chance to extend their 0-1 lead and they were made to pay for it, as hosts Egaleo struck a stunning equalizer in the 93rd minute on a desperate shot from distance that took a fortunate bounce, resulting in an agonizing 1-1 draw in Matchday 14 of the 2022/23 Super League 2 season.

After taking control of the ball early, AKFC would go in front in the 22nd minute, when Panagiotis Kynigopoulos attacked the area from the right wing and played it over to the opposite wing for Demethryus, who quickly cut inside and ripped a shot into the top corner at the far post.

In the 40th minute, speedy right-back Abdul Rahman Weiss burst through the heart of midfield and sent Nili through on a breakaway, but ‘keeper Dimitrios Skafidas came off his line to cut down the angle and got just enough of the shot to keep it from rolling over the line.

It would be more of the same through the second half, with Demethryus, Kynigopoulos, and Giannis Loukinas missing opportunities to add an insurance goal, as time ticked on to 90 minutes.

In stoppage time, AKFC would have a glorious chance to finally put the game away. As the hosts were overcommitted on their corner kick, substitutes Konstantinos Koltsidas and Adil Nabi broke away on a 2-v-1 from the midfield line all the way to goal, but when Koltsidas finally drew the defender and made the pass, Nabi took a beat too long to pull the trigger, and Skafidas incredibly made the stop.

Egaleo had not managed a clear-cut chance all afternoon, but moments later they would snatch their equalizer, as substitute Juan Mattea tried his luck on a shot from 30 meters that short-hopped ‘keeper Giorgos Strezos and bounced in.

It was as cruel of a result as one could imagine, but AKFC would be forced to settle for one point and look forward, as they return to action on Sunday 19 March against PAO Rouf at El Paso, which will mark the end of the first round of the league campaign.

Athens Kallithea (4-3-3): Strezos, Weiss, Kyrgias, Vlachos, Kainourgios, Matilla, Bouloulis, Nili (58’ Nabi), Kynigopoulos, Loukinas (83’ Tsintonis), Demethryus (90’ Koltsidas)