SL2 23/24: Tilykratis 0-3 Athens Kallithea

AKFC kept their momentum rolling on Sunday afternoon, defeating Tilykratis Lefkadas by 3-0 and expanding their lead at the top of the league to eight points.

Despite Tilykratis’ position at the bottom of the table, AKFC were smart enough not to take a desperate, relegation-threatened side lightly, leaving nothing to chance and attacking straight away with intent.

After a spell of intense pressure, AKFC opened the scoring in the 26th minute, when Thierry Moutinho picked out Panagiotis Kynigopoulos in the box, and Kynigopoulos took a touch to set himself before driving a low shot past the ‘keeper.

AKFC would strike again just before half time, and it came from a sweeping team move from defense to attack. In the 45th minute, center-backs Nico Marotta and Giannis Tsivelekidis drew in the press, which created space in between the lines for ‘keeper Konstantinos Kotsaris to loft the ball over to Moutinho, who turned and led the team forward. Demethryus would play first-time for the overlapping left-back Nikos Kainourgios, and Kainourgios would play first-time into the feet of Giannis Loukinas, who laid the ball off for Moutinho to follow the play and calmly finish with the side foot.

Moutinho was making his first start and fourth overall appearance since returning from a four-month injury layoff, with the 33-year-old already notching two goals and one assist in that time.

AKFC remained in control through the second half, and Giannis Loukinas would tack on a third goal in the 72nd minute, putting away a rebound after the ‘keeper parried a dangerous shot from substitute Lucas Necul and effectively ending the match.

Athens Kallithea (4-2-3-1): Kotsaris, Bouloulis, Marotta, Tsivelekidis, Kainourgios (76’ Jevremović), Romao (65’ Moustakopoulos), Silva (56’ Tsintonis), Kynigopoulos, Moutinho (65’ Necul), Demethryus (62’ Torres), Loukinas