Panserraikos scored the upset of the season in the Greek Cup eliminating powerhouse Panathinaikos on Wednesday to reach the semifinal. After a goalless draw in the first leg in February, Panserraikos produced an impressive performance at the Olympic Stadium to win 3-2 and qualify at the expense of the team that bid for a spot in he Champions League quarterfinals.
Deniz Baykara scored the first goal for Panserraikos at the 24th minute, giving the visitors an unlikely lead with a marvelous personal effort inside the box.
Lazaros Christodoulopoulos hit the left post of the Panserraikos goal at the 37th minute. Gabriel managed to send the ball to the same post three minutes later.
Nastja Ceh then converted a 56th minute penalty to make it 2-0 after Loukas Vintra had upended Christos Pipinis.
In a counter-attack at the 71st minute Sotiris Constantinidis offered a sitter to Ceh who made it 3-0 for Panserraikos.
Christodoulopoulos pulled one back at the 75th minute with a direct free-kick and added his second goal at the second minute of injury time.
The 5,000 or so Panathinaikos fans gave a warm round of applause to the Serres side.
Panserraikos will face AEK in the home-and-away semifinals.
Asteras are through
Asteras Tripolis also reached the Greek Cup semifinals, beating Panionios 1-0 for the second time on Wednesday.
The Peloponnesian side reached the last four of the competition for the first time in their history, with a 2-0 aggregate score.
Adrian Bastia was on target for Asteras at the 35th minute following a through ball by fellow Argentine Lucio Filomeno.
Vangelis Kaounos missed a glorious chance to make it 2-0 at the 68th minute after an Asteras counter attack as Yiannis Kontoes saved Panionios right on the line.
Panionios missed a couple of decent chances in the second half through Luis Carlos Lourenco and Michael Delura but the Nea Smyrni club never got to break the locals' defence.
In the semifinals Asteras Tripolis will face the winner of the Olympiakos vs PAOK tie, that will be decided later on Wednesday at the Karaiskakis ground.
04.03.2009
