UEFA Europa League League Stage - 2

Panathinaikos 1 - 2 FT GO Ahead Eagles

Olympic Stadium of Athens

Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching

Futmetrix Verdict
59
FT
Thu, Oct 2
Panathinaikos
1-2
GO Ahead Eagles
⚡ Intensity 55
⚖️ Balance 74
🏆 Stakes 0
🎲 Upset 0
Historic heist leaves Athens completely stunned

The Great Greek Robbery: Eagles Survive Siege

Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 59/100. A colossal goalkeeping masterclass allowed the Dutch side to weather a historic 33-shot storm and snatch a miraculous victory in Athens.

The Siege of Athens

The Spiros Louis Olympic Stadium witnessed a relentless green wave from the opening whistle. Panathinaikos took immediate control of the contest, completely dictating the tempo and suffocating their opponents. The sheer Intensity of the hosts' attacking play was frightening as they dominated possession with 64 percent of the ball. The creative strings were expertly pulled by Tetê, who carved open the Dutch defence time and time again, ultimately delivering seven crucial key passes. It was a true siege mentality, generating a staggering 33 shots throughout the evening. However, despite the constant pressure and an overwhelming territorial advantage, the Greek giants found themselves repeatedly frustrated during the early exchanges, unable to convert their massive statistical superiority into a concrete advantage on the scoreboard.

The Breakthrough and The Wall

The relentless pressure finally paid dividends in the 55th minute. Tetê found the perfect angle to assist K. Swiderski, who expertly finished to give the home side a thoroughly deserved lead. At this stage, the Balance of the match seemed entirely skewed in one direction. Yet, the true pivot of this encounter stood firmly between the posts for GO Ahead Eagles. Jari De Busser delivered an absolute masterclass in shot-stopping, single-handedly keeping his team in the fight. Racking up an astonishing eight saves against a barrage of strikes, the goalkeeper transformed into an impenetrable wall. His heroics ensured that despite facing an attacking avalanche, the visitors remained just one moment of magic away from stealing something against the run of play.

The Sucker Punch

Football can be a profoundly cruel game, and the final fifteen minutes provided the ultimate proof. Having absorbed unimaginable pressure, the visitors struck back with a ruthless sucker punch. The Upset Factor skyrocketed in the 75th minute when D. James set up M. Smit to completely silence the home crowd. Rather than settling for a stolen point, the Dutch outfit instantly struck again. Just seven minutes later, the exact same combination linked up, with Smit completing a sensational rapid-fire brace. The 2-1 heist leaves Panathinaikos languishing in 20th place despite their absolute dominance on the pitch. It was a classic smash-and-grab victory that perfectly illustrates how possession and shot volume mean nothing without a clinical edge in the crucial moments.

Key Questions

What made Jari De Busser the Man of the Match?

He produced an astounding eight saves to withstand a 33-shot barrage, keeping his team in the contest long enough to steal the win.

How did Panathinaikos complete the comeback from behind?

Panathinaikos actually took the initial lead through Swiderski, but it was GO Ahead Eagles who orchestrated the dramatic late comeback via a Milan Smit brace.

What is the Futmetrix Score?

The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.

Match Statistics

Possession
64%
36%
Panathinaikos 64%
GO Ahead Eagles 36%
Shots
33
7
Panathinaikos 33
GO Ahead Eagles 7
Shots on Target
9
4
Panathinaikos 9
GO Ahead Eagles 4
Expected Goals (xG)
2.23
1.02
Panathinaikos 2.23
GO Ahead Eagles 1.02
Passes
602
345
Panathinaikos 602
GO Ahead Eagles 345
Pass Accuracy
90%
81%
Panathinaikos 90%
GO Ahead Eagles 81%
Corners
14
3
Panathinaikos 14
GO Ahead Eagles 3
Fouls
8
12
Panathinaikos 8
GO Ahead Eagles 12
Yellow Cards
1
1
Panathinaikos 1
GO Ahead Eagles 1
Red Cards
0
0
Panathinaikos 0
GO Ahead Eagles 0

Match Events

HT
55' K. Swiderski (Tete)
67' 🔄 A. Bakasetas M. Siopis
67' 🔄 K. Swiderski F. Djuricic
M. Smit (D. James) 75'
77' 🟨 Manolis Siopis
79' 🔄 G. Kotsiras D. Calabria
79' 🔄 A. Gnezda Cerin V. Taborda
R. Margaret C. Twigt 🔄 79'
M. Smit (D. James) 82'
86' 🔄 G. Kyriakopoulos F. Mladenovic
Jari De Busser 🟨 87'
M. Suray A. Adelgaard 🔄 87'
M. Smit F. Stokkers 🔄 90'+2
FT

Player Cards

Our take on every player in this match

Panathinaikos

Goalkeepers
A. Lafont
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
G. Kotsiras
STORMTROOPER
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
E. Palmer-Brown
WALL
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
83%
Duel Win %
A. Touba
MAGNET
MAGNET
83
Activity
83
Activity
74
Passes
9
Duels
G. Kyriakopoulos
ARCHITECT
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
51%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
A. Bakasetas
ARCHITECT
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
43%
Pass Acc
P. Chirivella
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Gnezda Cerin
ARCHITECT
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
43%
Pass Acc
Forwards
Tete
ARCHITECT
ARCHITECT
7
Key Passes
7
Key Passes
1
Assists
48%
Pass Acc
K. Swiderski
FINISHER
FINISHER
1
Goals
1
Goals
3
Shots
7
Rating
A. Zaroury
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
BENCH
B. Dragowski
SPECTATOR
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
D. Calabria
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
11
Total Mins
Started
Entry
S. I. Ingason
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
F. Mladenovic
ARCHITECT
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
2%
Pass Acc
E. Fikaj
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
V. Lavdas
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Siopis
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
23
Total Mins
Started
Entry
R. Sanches
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
V. Taborda
STORMTROOPER
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
A. Bregou
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
F. Djuricic
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
23
Total Mins
Started
Entry
K. Kotsaris
👻 Invisible Nothing to note

GO Ahead Eagles

Goalkeepers
J. De Busser
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
M. Deijl
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
G. Nauber
SHIELD
SHIELD
3
Blocks
3
Blocks
0
Interceptions
1
Tackles
J. Kramer
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
D. James
ARCHITECT
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
2
Assists
19%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
M. Meulensteen
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
E. Linthorst
MAGNET
MAGNET
67
Activity
67
Activity
59
Passes
8
Duels
M. Suray
NPC
NPC
88
Minutes
88
Minutes
18%
Pass Acc
6.9
Rating
J. Breum
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
R. Margaret
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
11
Late Mins
11
Late Mins
79
Total Mins
79
Entry
Forwards
M. Smit
CLOSER
CLOSER
2
Late Goals
2
Late Goals
0
Late Assists
75
Minute
BENCH
L. Plogmann
SPECTATOR
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
S. Jansen
SPECTATOR
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
N. Verdoni
SPECTATOR
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
G. van Zwam
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Dirksen
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Adelgaard
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
9
Total Mins
Started
Entry
C. Twigt
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
11
Total Mins
Started
Entry
R. Weijenberg
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
K. Goudmijn
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Y. Salah Rahmouni
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
O. Sivertsen
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
F. Stokkers
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry

League Standings

Pos Team P Pts GF GA GD Form
1 Dinamo Zagreb 2 6 6 2 +4 WMaccabi Tel Aviv 1 - 3 Dinamo Zagreb (02-10-2025)WDinamo Zagreb 3 - 1 Fenerbahçe (24-09-2025)
2 FC Midtjylland 2 6 5 2 +3 WNottingham Forest 2 - 3 FC Midtjylland (02-10-2025)WFC Midtjylland 2 - 0 Sturm Graz (24-09-2025)
3 Aston Villa 2 6 3 0 +3 WFeyenoord 0 - 2 Aston Villa (02-10-2025)WAston Villa 1 - 0 Bologna (25-09-2025)
4 Lyon 2 6 3 0 +3 WLyon 2 - 0 Red Bull Salzburg (02-10-2025)WUtrecht 0 - 1 Lyon (25-09-2025)
5 SC Braga 2 6 3 0 +3 WCeltic 0 - 2 SC Braga (02-10-2025)WSC Braga 1 - 0 Feyenoord (24-09-2025)
6 Lille 2 6 3 1 +2 WAS Roma 0 - 1 Lille (02-10-2025)WLille 2 - 1 Brann (25-09-2025)
7 FC Porto 2 6 3 1 +2 WFC Porto 2 - 1 FK Crvena Zvezda (02-10-2025)WRed Bull Salzburg 0 - 1 FC Porto (25-09-2025)
8 Plzen 2 4 4 1 +3 WPlzen 3 - 0 Malmo FF (02-10-2025)DFerencvarosi TC 1 - 1 Plzen (25-09-2025)
9 Real Betis 2 4 4 2 +2 WLudogorets 0 - 2 Real Betis (02-10-2025)DReal Betis 2 - 2 Nottingham Forest (24-09-2025)
10 SC Freiburg 2 4 3 2 +1 DBologna 1 - 1 SC Freiburg (02-10-2025)WSC Freiburg 2 - 1 FC Basel 1893 (24-09-2025)
11 Ferencvarosi TC 2 4 2 1 +1 WGenk 0 - 1 Ferencvarosi TC (02-10-2025)DFerencvarosi TC 1 - 1 Plzen (25-09-2025)
12 Panathinaikos 2 3 5 3 +2 LPanathinaikos 1 - 2 GO Ahead Eagles (02-10-2025)WBSC Young Boys 1 - 4 Panathinaikos (25-09-2025)
13 Celta Vigo 2 3 4 3 +1 WCelta Vigo 3 - 1 PAOK (02-10-2025)LVfB Stuttgart 2 - 1 Celta Vigo (25-09-2025)
14 FC Basel 1893 2 3 3 2 +1 WFC Basel 1893 2 - 0 VfB Stuttgart (02-10-2025)LSC Freiburg 2 - 1 FC Basel 1893 (24-09-2025)
15 Brann 2 3 2 2 0 WBrann 1 - 0 Utrecht (02-10-2025)LLille 2 - 1 Brann (25-09-2025)
16 GO Ahead Eagles 2 3 2 2 0 WPanathinaikos 1 - 2 GO Ahead Eagles (02-10-2025)LGO Ahead Eagles 0 - 1 FCSB (25-09-2025)
17 AS Roma 2 3 2 2 0 LAS Roma 0 - 1 Lille (02-10-2025)WNice 1 - 2 AS Roma (24-09-2025)
18 Genk 2 3 1 1 0 LGenk 0 - 1 Ferencvarosi TC (02-10-2025)WRangers 0 - 1 Genk (25-09-2025)
19 BSC Young Boys 2 3 3 4 -1 WFCSB 0 - 2 BSC Young Boys (02-10-2025)LBSC Young Boys 1 - 4 Panathinaikos (25-09-2025)
20 Fenerbahçe 2 3 3 4 -1 WFenerbahçe 2 - 1 Nice (02-10-2025)LDinamo Zagreb 3 - 1 Fenerbahçe (24-09-2025)
21 VfB Stuttgart 2 3 2 3 -1 LFC Basel 1893 2 - 0 VfB Stuttgart (02-10-2025)WVfB Stuttgart 2 - 1 Celta Vigo (25-09-2025)
22 Ludogorets 2 3 2 3 -1 LLudogorets 0 - 2 Real Betis (02-10-2025)WMalmo FF 1 - 2 Ludogorets (24-09-2025)
23 Sturm Graz 2 3 2 3 -1 WSturm Graz 2 - 1 Rangers (02-10-2025)LFC Midtjylland 2 - 0 Sturm Graz (24-09-2025)
24 FCSB 2 3 1 2 -1 LFCSB 0 - 2 BSC Young Boys (02-10-2025)WGO Ahead Eagles 0 - 1 FCSB (25-09-2025)
25 Nottingham Forest 2 1 4 5 -1 LNottingham Forest 2 - 3 FC Midtjylland (02-10-2025)DReal Betis 2 - 2 Nottingham Forest (24-09-2025)
26 FK Crvena Zvezda 2 1 2 3 -1 LFC Porto 2 - 1 FK Crvena Zvezda (02-10-2025)DFK Crvena Zvezda 1 - 1 Celtic (24-09-2025)
27 Bologna 2 1 1 2 -1 DBologna 1 - 1 SC Freiburg (02-10-2025)LAston Villa 1 - 0 Bologna (25-09-2025)
28 Celtic 2 1 1 3 -2 LCeltic 0 - 2 SC Braga (02-10-2025)DFK Crvena Zvezda 1 - 1 Celtic (24-09-2025)
29 Maccabi Tel Aviv 2 1 1 3 -2 LMaccabi Tel Aviv 1 - 3 Dinamo Zagreb (02-10-2025)DPAOK 0 - 0 Maccabi Tel Aviv (24-09-2025)
30 PAOK 2 1 1 3 -2 LCelta Vigo 3 - 1 PAOK (02-10-2025)DPAOK 0 - 0 Maccabi Tel Aviv (24-09-2025)
31 Nice 2 0 2 4 -2 LFenerbahçe 2 - 1 Nice (02-10-2025)LNice 1 - 2 AS Roma (24-09-2025)
32 Rangers 2 0 1 3 -2 LSturm Graz 2 - 1 Rangers (02-10-2025)LRangers 0 - 1 Genk (25-09-2025)
33 Utrecht 2 0 0 2 -2 LBrann 1 - 0 Utrecht (02-10-2025)LUtrecht 0 - 1 Lyon (25-09-2025)
34 Feyenoord 2 0 0 3 -3 LFeyenoord 0 - 2 Aston Villa (02-10-2025)LSC Braga 1 - 0 Feyenoord (24-09-2025)
35 Red Bull Salzburg 2 0 0 3 -3 LLyon 2 - 0 Red Bull Salzburg (02-10-2025)LRed Bull Salzburg 0 - 1 FC Porto (25-09-2025)
36 Malmo FF 2 0 1 5 -4 LPlzen 3 - 0 Malmo FF (02-10-2025)LMalmo FF 1 - 2 Ludogorets (24-09-2025)