AEK Athens fell 2-1 to Turkish side Samsunspor in a behind-closed-doors preseason friendly at the club's training base in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, suffering their first defeat of the summer preparation.
AEK produced their strongest first-half display of the preseason, opening the scoring in the 14th minute through Eliasson after a combination involving Gatzinovic and Zini. The three players stood out as the Greeks pressed high and created more urgency than in previous matches.
Samsunspor had threatened first through Mouadilamantzi, whose fierce shot struck the outside of the net in the third minute, and forced another scare in the 33rd when Georgiev made a last-ditch tackle to cut out an attacking chance. Georgiev then lost his marker Elagis just before half-time, and the Samsunspor forward lifted the ball over goalkeeper Strakosa to head home an equalizer in the 44th minute. AEK came close to restoring their lead in first-half stoppage time when Gatzinovic's shot cannoned off the woodwork.
Second-half fade
AEK head coach Marco Nikolic had rotated his entire starting eleven from the previous friendly against Zwolle. Strakosa, returning from an injury, made his first appearance of the summer, lining up behind a back four of Penrais, Georgiev, Vida, and Christakopoulos, with Sahabo and Mandalos in central midfield.
At the start of the second half, Nikolic withdrew Zini, who had felt tightness, and replaced him with Koita. The Angolan forward tested the Samsunspor goalkeeper within minutes of his introduction. AEK's intensity dropped sharply after the break, however, and Samsunspor began to dominate territory in the home side's half.
Nikolic brought on Mayer for Eliasson, Kairinen for Koutesa, and Brinoli for Strakosa in the 64th minute. Mayer, who had arrived in the Netherlands only hours earlier, slotted in on the right flank for his unofficial debut. Brinoli kept the score level in the 69th minute with a strong save from a Mustafa effort.
AEK reorganized in the final quarter and looked more controlled with the ball, but a lapse by Penrais in the 80th minute allowed Samsunspor to complete the turnaround. Zarzo capitalised on the error to chip Brinoli and make it 2-1. Penrais then went off injured in the 85th minute and was replaced by Tsigaramanidis. Brinoli denied Samsunspor a third goal with a fine stop in the 90th minute.
What's next
AEK's next preseason fixture is against Sint-Truiden on Sunday August 2, which will conclude their training camp in the Netherlands.
