SL2 22/23: Irodotos 1-2 Athens Kallithea

After conceding a surprise goal against the run of play just before half-time, AKFC staged a second-half comeback to defeat Cretan hosts Irodotos by the score of 1-2 at Nea Alikarnassos Stadium in Matchday 6 of the 2022/23 Super League 2 season, with veteran striker Giannis Loukinas registering his third match-winner of the campaign.

AKFC dominated the play from the start, but Loukinas and Panagiotis Kynigopoulos could not manage to convert on the team’s best chances, and the sucker punch would come in the 45th minute just before the half-time whistle. On the counterattack, Orestis Grigoropoulos sent a looping cross into the box from the right wing that found Hélio Júnior unmarked to head past ‘keeper Georgios Strezos, and Irodotos had a 1-0 lead.

After the break, AKFC would waste little time getting back into the match. In the 51st minute, left-back Stathis Vasiloudis played a neat ball into midfield maestro Omar Santana, who turned to face goal from the left wing and fired a shot from the edge of the area that took a slight deflection off Irodotos defender Georgios Sarris and hit the back of the net, with the goal ultimately being credited as an own goal.

AKFC would pull in front just nine minutes later. In the 60th minute, Demethryus swung a corner kick into the box, and Loukinas arrived at the near post to flick a header over the line.

From there, AKFC would remain in control. Kynigopoulos and Mounier went close to scoring a third goal, while Nili was brought down in the box with appeals for a penalty dismissed by the referee, but the result was not in doubt, as AKFC confidently played out a 1-2 victory in Nea Alikarnassos.

Athens Kallithea (4-2-3-1): Strezos, Rentzas, Chatzidimpas, Evaggelou, Vasiloudis, Bouloulis, Santana (81’ Tsidonis), Demethryus (65’ Mounier), Nili (90’ Koltsidas), Kynigopoulos, Loukinas