De Graafschap 1:2 AEK Athens — Match Report

Gary RedknappFootball AnalystMATCH REPORT

Petros Mantalos scored once as AEK Athens beat De Graafschap 2-1 in a club friendly, setting up a meeting with Vitesse on 15 July. The Greek side took control early but found themselves in a scrappy contest against the Dutch hosts, with both teams picking up multiple yellow cards in a fractured first half.

AEK Athens broke the deadlock in the 38th minute when Barnabás Varga found the net, and Mantalos doubled the lead just before half-time in the 45th minute. De Graafschap pulled one back in the 80th minute, but could not find an equaliser as the game became increasingly niggly, with nine yellow cards shown in total across the two sides.

Neither side held a meaningful possession advantage, and corners were level at five apiece, suggesting a balanced contest decided by AEK's sharper finishing in the first half. Petros Mantalos was the standout player, earning a 9.23 rating for his goal and influence from midfield. AEK Athens now face Vitesse in their next friendly fixture.

Questions & Answers

What was the final score of De Graafschap vs AEK Athens?

De Graafschap 1-2 AEK Athens (Club Friendly Games).

Who scored?

Barnabás Varga (38') for AEK Athens; Petros Mantalos (45') for AEK Athens.

Were there any cards in De Graafschap vs AEK Athens?

Yellow cards: null (AEK Athens); null (De Graafschap); null (AEK Athens); null (De Graafschap); null (AEK Athens); null (AEK Athens); null (De Graafschap); null (De Graafschap); null (AEK Athens).

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