Panathinaikos – PAOK 2-3: Double with a surprise and Dikephalos a win away from the final

We saw a great game in Maroussi where PAOK beat Panathinaikos 3-2 in sets and are now just one win away from qualifying for the Men’s Volleyball League Finals.

PAOK won the first set easily, Panathinaikos managed the first turnaround to take a 2-1 lead, but the one who smiled at the end was Dikefalos, who made it 2-0 in the semi-final series.

The match: PAOK entered the match at acquired speed. Milenkoski’s players pressed serve from the start and managed to build a lead of up to ten points (5-15).

Panathinaikos responded, narrowing the difference, but PAOK again managed to react quickly to finish the first set 25-12.

The second set had a similar image but with the opposite effect. Panathinaikos was the one who managed to escape from the beginning of the set and PAOK was the one who pursued. Ultimately, the Greens managed to equalize and the easy 1:1 in sets with 25:16.

In the third set we finally had a battle between the two teams, going point by point to 13-13. At that point, Panathinaikos went for a 20-16 lead with a 7-3 run.

PAOK didn’t give up and even reduced the lead to 24:23, but Hernandez finished the set with an attack to 25:23 and at the same time gave Panathinaikos a 2:1 set.

We had a derby in the fourth set as well, with PAOK getting ahead early by four points (6-10), but the Greens immediately cut back to one point (10-11).

Panathinaikos continued to press and overtook the result with an ace from base to lead 20-19. There, however, PAOK went on a 6-1 run to finish the fourth set 25-21 and send the match into a tiebreak.

In the tie-break we had a lot of changes in scoring, with both teams getting a lot of small individual results. In the end, however, PAOK was smiling, finishing the set and the match 15-13.

Panathinaikos – PAOK 2-3

The sentences: 12-25, 25-16, 25-23, 21-25, 13-15

The schedule of the semifinals

Game 1 – Wednesday 22 March 2023

• PAOK – Panathinaikos AO 3-0

Game 2 – Saturday 25 March 2023

• Panathinaikos – PAOK 2-3

Game 3 – Wednesday 5 April 2023

• PAOK Sports Arena Gym 19:45 (ERT-3): PAOK – Panathinaikos AO

Game 4 – Saturday 8 April 2023 (if required)

• Saint Thomas High School, Marousi, 21:00, (PAO TV): Panathinaikos – PAOK

Game 5 – Wednesday 12 April 2023 (if required)

• PAOK Sports Arena Gym 19:45 (ERT-3): PAOK – Panathinaikos AO

*Qualification for the final will be decided based on 3 wins.