PAOK overcome deficit to beat Spartak Moscow at Champions League

Thessaloniki: PAOK conceded two goals in the first leg of their Champions League third-round qualifier against Spartak Moscow here before bouncing back to win 3-2.

The visitors led 2-0 less than 20 minutes into the contest on Wednesday, getting goals from Ivelin Popov and Dutch winger Quincy Promes, reports Efe.

PAOK’s comeback began just before the half-hour mark, when Aleksander Prijovic converted from the spot after the referee awarded a penalty.

The next 15 minutes saw the hosts equalize and then pull ahead on goals by Dimitris Limnios and Dimitris Pelkas, respectively.

The lead came under threat in the 71st minute as Spartak won a penalty, but PAOK goalkeeper Alexandros Paschalakis stopped Promes from the spot and the Greek side will take a 3-2 advantage into next week’s second leg in Moscow.

The other Greek club in action on Wednesday, AEK, managed to hold Celtic 1-1 in Glasgow despite playing the final third of the match with only 10 men.

Celtic took a 1-0 in the 17th minute on a strike by Callum McGregor, but Viktor Klonaridis brought the visitors level with a minute left in the first half.

AEK were reduced to 10 men in the 57th minute with the ejection of Konstantinis Galanopoulos, who picked up two yellow cards in the space of seven minutes. IANS