AEK Athens starts preseason with a friendly victory

AEK Athens began their preseason campaign with a 2-1 victory over Dutch side De Graafschap, marking a positive start to their preparations for the new season. The friendly match provided an opportunity for coach Marko Nikolić to assess his squad, utilizing two distinct lineups in each half and testing various players and tactical approaches.

Despite facing several absences, including Zini who was a last-minute withdrawal during warm-ups, Nikolić observed promising aspects from his team. Forward Zubkov showed good form, not only scoring a goal but also demonstrating his ability to create opportunities from the right flank. Midfielder Kairinen, while not heavily involved in possession, displayed accuracy in his passing and a keen awareness on the field.

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The friendlies, especially games played so early in the main preparation phase, are for the players to loosen up and for the coach to have the opportunity to test players and situations.

The team also capitalized effectively on set pieces, a positive sign for the upcoming season. Two dangerous moments came from Mandalo's free-kick deliveries; one resulted in a missed chance by Georgiev, while the other was converted by Vargas for a goal. AEK's second goal, scored by the Ukrainian Zubkov in his unofficial debut, came from an exemplary counter-attack, showcasing seamless coordination between Gacinovic, Koita, and Zubkov himself.

In the second half, Nikolić made wholesale changes, bringing on a new set of players. While these players showed some eagerness, they were also noted for being somewhat hasty in their finishing, though they were also unlucky, hitting the post through Kaloskamis. AEK could have secured a more dominant victory, but the coach emphasized that the primary purpose of friendlies is to identify and rectify weaknesses. The goal conceded by AEK stemmed from a defensive lapse, with the entire backline losing track of the attacker, and young Balamioti making a poor clearance. These are seen as minor errors that can be addressed in training.

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The goal conceded by AEK was a mistake by the entire defensive line that lost the attacker, and also by the young Balamioti who made a bad clearance. Small harm...