SL2 23/24: Athens Kallithea 1-1 Ionikos

After going down a goal from a penalty, AKFC fought back and took a valuable point in the promotion race on Sunday afternoon, drawing 1-1 with Ionikos at Grigoris Lamprakis Stadium.

AKFC nearly took the lead in the 15th minute when Demethryus played Giannis Loukinas in behind the defense, but Ionikos ‘keeper Ioannis Gelios did well to charge off his line and break up the play just as Loukinas was getting set to shoot.

But the setback came in the 30th minute, when defender Nico Marotta inadvertently made contact with the ball with his hand inside the box, and Petros Giakoumakis would convert from the spot to give the visitors the lead.

AKFC immediately pushed into a higher gear, and a deserved equalizer would come just on the other side of half-time. In the 47th minute, Loukinas flicked Konstantinos Kotsaris’ goal kick into space for Thierry Moutinho, who broke free into the box and fed Demethryus in front of goal. After skillfully evading a sliding defender, Demethryus pulled the trigger on a low shot, but it was in the path of Loukinas, who controlled, set himself, and finished from close range.

AKFC were now fully in command of the match, and it felt like a winner would inevitably come. But some key chances were not taken, as Andreas Vasilogiannis missed with an angled shot in the 60th minute, and Demethryus shot over the bar from almost the same spot in the 63rd minute.

As time ticked on, AKFC would risk less and took a more prudent approach to secure a point. Demethryus had one last chance in the 90th minute, cutting in from left wing but shooting right at the ‘keeper, and the match would end at 1-1.

The result leaves AKFC at the top of the playoff standings with a three-point lead on second-place Chania, with the two sides set to meet in Chania on Thursday afternoon in the third round of the promotion playoffs.

Athens Kallithea (4-2-3-1): Kotsaris, Manthatis (46’ Kynigopoulos), Marotta (46’ Romao), Tsivelekidis, Kainourgios, Matilla, Silva (85’ Tsintonis), Vasilogiannis (70’ Moustakopoulos), Moutinho (80’ Pereira), Demethryus, Loukinas