Volos saw off Iraklis 1908 3-1 in the qualifying round of the cup on Sunday evening. The Greek visitors took control early and never looked back, moving comfortably through a match where Iraklis had more of the ball but very little to show for it.
G. Kargas opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, catching the home side before they could settle. Iraklis pushed for an equaliser but Volos struck twice before the break, K. Kushta and H. Essaouabi adding goals in the 45+1 and 45+4 minutes. By then the tie was already leaning heavily one way.
And here's the thing — Iraklis had 86 attacks to Volos's 68 and held 63 per cent possession, yet the visitors outscored them three times. Joca made it 1-3 in the 60th minute, a moment that sealed the result and left Iraklis chasing shadows for the remainder.
The statistics tell a familiar story. Volos registered nine shots on target from ten off target, while Iraklis managed six on target from six off. Three corners each side, two yellow cards for the hosts against four for the visitors. The numbers suggest Iraklis created more attempts but Volos were sharper when it mattered.
Volos arrive here having won two of their last five, including a 2-1 over Cambuur and a 2-3 defeat to Heerenveen. Iraklis have drawn three of their last five, most recently a 1-1 with Parma. Neither side has anything to prove on paper, but the cup demands something different.
To be fair, Iraklis will have to find answers quickly. They dominated territory but surrendered three goals, and this result means they must now regroup before whatever comes next in the competition.