Five past Kairat in Almaty
Kairat Almaty 1–5 Panathinaikos. That is the headline from Thursday, and your team did it away from home in the Conference League league phase (10) (1). Six points from two European matches, and ten goals in the last two games in all competitions (3).
Kings Kangwa and Elmin Rastoder came off the bench and scored (2). Erik Palmer-Brown put in a strong showing at the back (5).
Dionysis Desyllas called it from Almaty: "Κυριαρχικός Παναθηναϊκός", a dominant Panathinaikos, and said the five goals could matter in the standings (12). He is right. Goal difference counts in this format, and you just banked four.
Get the next Panathinaikos brief by email
This article went out to subscribers as a brief. Get the next one straight to your inbox, free.
Free · No spam · Unsubscribe anytime
The top eight is now a real target
Two wins from two and a 47.9 percent chance of going straight into the last 16 (1). That is the number the models give you now. The Conference League top eight skips the play-off round entirely.
You are top of the Super League too, 18 points from seven games, with a +13 goal difference. Sunday's trip to Volos is next, and the AEK game at home follows on November 1 (7).
Tetteh and Desers work together
Teteye and Cyril Desers started alongside each other against Kairat and linked up well (4). Desers finished his chances, and that has been noticed by more than one observer (8) (14).
Nistrup has a reason to keep the pair together from here (4).
Gkourmas backs Katris
Yiannis Gkourmas went public for Katris after his mistake against Kairat. "Ο Κάτρης θα γίνει ο ηγέτης της άμυνας του Παναθηναϊκού" (7). Translation: Katris will become the leader of this defence.
Gkourmas also said the Volos game has the feel of a final for you.
Nikopolidis: watch the gaps
Antonis Nikopolidis praised Desers' efficiency but flagged the defensive holes against Kairat (8). Your team scored five and still gave up chances at the other end.
Giorgos Tzavellas went further on the praise and picked out Imran Louza as the barometer for Panathinaikos in the games to come (14).
