An Early Own Goal, Then a Real Fight From the Hosts
Panathinaikos got the perfect start, and it came almost by accident. Kostis turned the ball into his own net in the 3rd minute, early cushion for the visitors. Should’ve been a comfortable afternoon from there. Levadiakos had other ideas, though. Pressed with real conviction for long stretches, made things genuinely difficult, and came agonizingly close to leveling in the 41st — Ozegovic completely unmarked at the edge of the six-yard box, rose for the header, and keeper Peña somehow got across to deny him. Brilliant save, kept the visitors ahead.
Panathinaikos had chances of their own too. Levai García rose highest at the back post in the 31st, header crashed back off the crossbar. Stayed 0-1 deep into the second half despite the visitors having plenty of the ball without ever really putting it to bed.
A Red Card Changes Everything, Then Desers Delivers
Turning point came in the 76th. VAR called referee Vergetis over for a dangerous challenge, Symelidis on Kangwa, and after the review — straight red. Levadiakos down to ten men for the rest of it. Panathinaikos barely wasted a minute. Vicente Taborda swings in a well-placed free-kick from the right, Cyril Desers rises above Panteas and heads it home. 0-2. Game basically over right there.
Desers nearly had more too — low shot from outside the box in the 73rd almost caught Anaker out before his goal even happened, then tested the keeper again in the 88th and 93rd, neither one going in. Levadiakos kept fighting even a man down, Kontouris and others still searching for a way back, but Panathinaikos saw it out comfortably.
What It Means Next
Perfect start to the campaign for Panathinaikos, just days removed from that big win over Hradec Králové that locked in European qualification. Taborda was the standout — involved in both goals, the free-kick behind the own goal and the one that set up Desers directly. For Levadiakos, real pride to take from a first-half showing that gave last season’s runners-up genuine problems, even if the scoreboard doesn’t show it.
Match Summary
Levadiakos 0-2 Panathinaikos Super League, Round 2 — Levadia Municipal Stadium, Levadia, Greece Monday, 31 August 2026 Referee: Vergetis
Goals: 3′ Kostis (Panathinaikos) 0-1 (own goal) 77′ Cyril Desers (Panathinaikos) 0-2 (assist: Vicente Taborda)
Red card: Symelidis (Levadiakos), 76′ — after VAR review
Result: Panathinaikos open their Super League campaign with a 2-0 win at Levadiakos, who finished the game with ten men.
For live Super League scores and match coverage, visit fawanews. Full results and standings at the official Super League Greece website.
