AEK didn’t get the desired result in Beauzouil as they were defeated 1-0 and will look forward to surprise New Philadelphia – qualifying for the Champions League groups.

Antwerp took the lead in the 16th minute, which they held until the final. The Belgians changed the ball well and Fermiren found Jansen in the penalty area with a nice cross, who sent the ball into the net with a nice space.

Union was better, having the initiative and chances for most of the game, but the Belgians defended superbly and Butez intervened when needed and kept a clean sheet.

The hosts ended the game with ten men as Bataille was sent off in the 50th minute for a hard tackle on Gacinovic’s ankle.

Antwerp’s numerical deficit prompted Van Bommel to put a third stopper on the pitch. Antwerp waited in their own third until the final and largely blocked Union.

The second leg will take place next Wednesday, August 30th at 10:00 p.m. in the OPAP Arena.

Almeida brought AEK into the lineup with three changes

Matias Almeida set up AEK in Bossuil with changes. Sidibe returned to the right end of defense in place of Rota, while Gacinovic also started as a starter on the attacking left. Pineda got on the axis, Jonson stayed on the bench.

Giorgos Athanasiadis also started in the starting XI as Stankovic left the match against Dinamo Zagreb uneasy and struggled until the last moment.

Antwerp found the goal, AEK the chances in the first half

As the home team, Antwerp went into the game stronger and struggled to take control of the game, with AEK quickly equalizing. However, Antwerp scored in their first clean sheet when Jansen scored a good finish from the penalty area in the 16th minute.

Union threatened a Levi Garcia header after Amrabad’s sweet cross in the 11th minute, which Butez saved. The same players threatened in the 24th minute, but the Trinidad and Tobago striker’s header went wide.

Levi also threatened with nice energy in the 29th minute. After Szymanski’s deep ball/clearance, the 25-year-old rolled his body nicely and got into the box, but Alderweireld saved him to stop him and allow for a corner kick.

AEK made a forced substitution in the 36th minute. Levi Garcia injured his thigh after a lateral try in the penalty area and was replaced by Ponce, who made his debut in his second spell with the Yellow-Blacks.

The last good moment for AEK in the first half was in the 45th minute. Zuber entered the penalty area from the right and turned for the penalty spot. Gacinovic put a nice feint on Pineda, who executed the shot, but Fermiren missed and missed a corner kick.

The Belgians managed with ten players

AEK was the first to threaten in the 48th minute. Pineda laid on Hadjisafi in the corner of the box and Hadjisafi fired the shot from the corner of the box, with Butez clearing for a corner.

The game changed in the 50th minute when Bataille was sent off. Van Bommel went past a third stopper and Antwerp waited in their own half to maintain their lead on the scoreboard. AEK struggled to break through Antwerp’s complex defense and struggled to create dangerous situations.

The Belgians succeeded to an extent, as many of AEK’s efforts failed in the bodies of the Antwerp defenders. In the 78th minute, Mandalos fired with great energy from just outside the box, forcing Butez to concede a corner kick.

In the 84th minute, Antwerp threatened Koulibaly, who caught AEK’s defense napping. Athanasiadis didn’t get out in time, Koulibaly caught him but his shot went wide. The last two phases of Union happened in 88′ and 90+5′. First Ponce headed the ball towards goal, but Butez cleared for a corner while Mukudi failed to score from close range with an advantage in the 95th minute.

Union fought until the final and pressed Butez’s frames, but the Belgians withstood the pressure and kept the 1-0 lead until the final.

The identity of the race

Antwerp 1-0 AEK

Field: Bushville

Scorer: Jansen 16′

Yellow: 67′ De Lat, 90+2′ Butez – 25′ Szymanski, 53′ Pineda

Red: 50′ battle

Antwerp: Butez, De Lat, Alderweireld, Koulibaly, Bataille, Baliquisa, Eckelenkamp (56′ Van den Bos), Keita, Fermiren, Ondreika (56′ Vines), Janssen (70′ Mocha).

AEK: Athanasiadis, Sidibe (67′ Araujo), Vida, Mukudi, Hadjisafi, Simanski (46′ Jonsson), Pineda, Gatsinovic (67′ Eliasson), Amrabad, Zuber (67′ Mandalos), Garcia (36′ L. Ponce).