SL2 23/24: Athens Kallithea 0-1 Chania

Athens Kallithea suffered their first loss of the season on Monday afternoon, as they conceded a surprise early goal to visitors Chania and could not manage a response. The result ends a 24-match home unbeaten streak that stretched back to March 2022.

Chania went ahead in the 7th minute. On a throw-in to the byline, Georgios Manalis attempted a shot-cross from a tight angle, and when ‘keeper Konstantinos Kostaris dove and pushed it away, Christos Eleftheriadis was there to head in from close range. It wasn’t much of a chance, but Chania were opportunistic.

From there, AKFC controlled the tempo, and they would go increasingly close to scoring as the half wore on. Giannis Loukinas and Panagiotis Kynigopoulos could not turn headers on goal in the 37th minute and 39th minute, respectively. In the 43rd minute, Nico Marotta had a close-range header saved by the ‘keeper. On the ensuing corner, Marotta had a glorious opportunity to equalize but headed over the bar, and the first half would soon end.

Coming out for the second half, AKFC would continue pressing for an equalizer, while remaining careful of Chania’s threat on the counterattack. In the 56th minute, Michaël Pereira headed a cross to the back post for an unmarked Loukinas, but the ball was just barely out of Loukinas’ reach. AKFC’s best chance came in the 67th minute on a loose ball in the box, but substitute Damián Silva volleyed over the ball from point-blank range.

AKFC would finish the match with three forwards, bringing on big bodies in Nikos Ioannidis and Eetu Vertainen and pumping the ball into the box, but Chania defended with numbers and weathered the storm, escaping El Paso with a 0-1 win.

Athens Kallithea (4-2-3-1): Kotsaris, Kynigopoulos (57’ Ioannidis), Marotta, Mejías (46’ Moustakopoulos), Weiss (82’ Vertainen), Matilla, Romao, Pereira (64’ Silva), Demethryus, Vasilogiannis (46’ Manthatis), Loukinas