AEK Athens dominate Levski Sofia in Champions League play-off
AEK Athens saw off Levski Sofia 4-0 at OPAP Arena in the UEFA Champions League play-offs on Tuesday evening, a result that sends the Greek side through on aggregate after their goalless draw in Sofia earlier this month. The hosts controlled the tempo from the start and never looked back, with Luka Jovic opening the scoring after just seven minutes. By then it was clear this wouldn't be a contest, though the Bulgarian visitors kept trying to stay in it.
Barnabás Varga doubled the lead twelve minutes in before adding his second just before the half-hour mark, putting the tie beyond doubt. Răzvan Marin converted a penalty in the fifty-first minute to make it four, and the match was effectively over. AEK made ten substitutions across the second half, bringing on Everton Bala, Reinaldo and Maicon together at the hour mark, while Levski's only change came when Armstrong Oko-Flex replaced an unnamed player — though the events list doesn't specify who he replaced.
The statistics tell the story of a one-sided afternoon. AEK registered 101 attacks compared to Levski's 84, but more tellingly created five big chances while the visitors managed none. The expected goals figures were 3.05 to 0.45, and AEK's seven shots on target against three for Levski showed who was doing the damaging. Levski had slightly more possession at 52 per cent, but that meant little when they couldn't turn it into anything meaningful.
Răzvan Marin picked up a yellow card in the fifty-first minute, the same period he scored his penalty, and there were bookings for AEK's Stavros Pilios and Levski's Zini later on. The match ended with AEK having won 19 aerial duels to Levski's 19 — level there, at least — and completing 385 successful passes from 437 attempts. Levski managed 429 successful passes from 482, but their success in the final third was minimal.
This victory means AEK have one foot in the group stage, and they'll carry that momentum into whatever comes next. Levski's recent form — including that 6-0 win over Spartak Varna — looked impressive on paper, but against a side of this quality it wasn't enough. The result settles the tie and leaves AEK to look forward to the next round.
