Spartak Myjava defeated PAOK 3-2 in the UEFA Women's Champions League 1st Qualifying Round Finals on 23 September 2026. The Slovak side took control early through Stela Semanova, who scored twice in the first half. PAOK fought back with two goals of their own but ultimately fell short.
And here's the thing about the opening exchanges — Spartak struck first at the 19-minute mark through Semanova, then doubled their lead five minutes before the interval. By then PAOK had already seen Eleftheria Drakogiannaki booked in the ninth minute. The visitors were clinical when it mattered most, and that early double set the tone for what followed.
PAOK refused to lie down after half-time. Maria Papaioannou Gkouni pulled one back at 52 minutes, and the home side pushed forward. But Spartak responded immediately, with Marta finding the net in the 57th minute. To be fair, the visitors had shown they could punish any lapse in concentration, and they did so again.
The match saw its share of tactical adjustments. Substitutions came thick and fast in the second half — Eirini Michail, Minela Gacanica and Panagiota Argyriou all featured for PAOK, while Spartak brought on Nina Matusicova and later replaced Marta. The game opened up further, and Eliska Dvorakova sealed the result with a late goal in stoppage time.
Statistically, the match tells an interesting story. PAOK enjoyed 51 per cent possession and hit the target six times, while Spartak managed 49 per cent and scored five times. The visitors took only one corner compared to PAOK's seven, yet their efficiency told a different tale entirely. Many shots with one goal means chances went begging — and here PAOK had their work cut out.
The result means Spartak Myjava advance from the qualifying round, while PAOK's European campaign comes to an end. The hosts will reflect on a match where three or four moments decided the outcome, and the rest was merely background noise. For Spartak, it extends a run of dominant performances that has seen them score heavily in recent outings.
