Panetolikos hosts OFI in Agrinio (6:00 p.m.) as part of Matchday 9 of the Stoiximan Super League, with both teams looking to put their recent losses behind them.
The home team is looking to bounce back after five straight losses, while the Cretans are coming off a significant league victory against PAOK, but also a Cup loss to AEL.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Yiannis Anastasiou’s team is going through a difficult stretch, having suffered a heavy 5-0 loss to AEK in Nea Filadelfia last matchday. Panetolikos found themselves on the back foot early on, conceding three goals in the first half (4′, 23′, 38′), while AEK extended its lead after the break with two more goals in the 56′ and 92′.The Agrinio side failed to pose any real threat in a match that marked their fifth consecutive game without a point. During that stretch, they faced Panathinaikos, PAOK, Olympiacos, and AEK, while also losing to Kifisia. As a result, they’ve lost ground in the standings, having scored just once in their last five matches.
In Agrinio, they’re looking to put an end to this losing streak, with Anastasiou having several additional options at his disposal. Starting goalkeeper Koutserenko is back, as are Thymianis, Mavrias, Granath, Smyrlis, and Galiatsos. On the other hand, the long-term injured Satsias remains sidelined.For its part, OFI is coming off a 1-0 loss to Larissa in the Cup, a result that cost them the chance to finish in the top four of the League Phase. Despite 24 shots on goal, 64% possession, and a shot off the crossbar, Christos Kontis’s team failed to score and conceded the only goal of the match in the 51st minute. The Cretan team’s coach had implemented extensive rotation, using only three or four starters in the opening lineup.
In the league, however, Heraklion had previously celebrated an important 2-1 victory over PAOK, putting an end to a four-game losing streak across all competitions. Fountas opened the scoring in the 38th minute, Androutsos doubled his team’s lead with a penalty kick in the 83rd minute, while PAOK pulled one back in the 89th minute.
The schedule remains demanding for OFI, as they’ll next face Hapoel Be’er Sheva in Bucharest for the Europa League (Nov. 5), before the match against Atromitos at Pankritio Stadium (Nov. 8). On the injury front, starting goalkeeper Christogeorgos and substitute forward Iséka remain sidelined.
Probable starting lineups:
Panetolikos (Yiannis Anastasiou): Kutserenko, Mavrias, Granath, Thymianis, Manrique, Erakovic, Esteban, Opoku, Basi, Genepo, Batzis.
OFI (Christos Kontis): Lilo, Kostoulas, Pougouras, Krizmanic, Dikman, Athanasiou, Androutsos, Bouhalakis, Fountas, Nous, Kontros.
Referee: Spyridon Zampalas
; Assistant Referees: Zoe Papadopoulou, Christos Mitrofanis
; Fourth Official: Eleftherios Katopis
; VAR: Meletios Gioumatzidis
; AVAR: Konstantinos Katikos
*photo source: KYPE
