De Graafschap vs AEK Athens FC — Match Details | Betmana

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AEK Athens FC

AEK Athens beat De Graafschap 2-1 in a pre-season friendly with goals from Varga and Mantalos before Mambo's late consolation.

Match Videos

De Graafschap vs AEK Athens 1-2| Highlights, 12/7/2026 Friendly Match

De Graafschap - AEK 1-2 | Friendly Game Highlights (12/7/2026)

Match Analysis

AI Summary

How it unfolded

AEK dominated the opening period from the outset. The match's first yellow card arrived inside 16 minutes for both sides in a scrappy start, but the Greek side quickly imposed their quality.

Barnabás Varga broke the deadlock in the 38th minute, finishing a well-worked move to put AEK ahead. Just before the interval, captain Petros Mantalos doubled the lead in the 45th minute — his strike sending AEK into the break with a commanding 2-0 advantage.

De Graafschap struggled to create clear chances in the first half against a disciplined AEK defence. The hosts showed more purpose after the restart, and Benjamin Mambo pulled one back in the 80th minute to give the scoreline a more respectable look. But AEK held firm through the final stages to secure the win.

The turning point

Mantalos's goal just before half-time was decisive. De Graafschap had weathered the early AEK pressure after Varga's opener, but conceding a second right on the stroke of the interval — after a flurry of AEK yellow cards in stoppage time — left the Dutch side with a mountain to climb. The early second-half shape adjustment from De Graafschap brought them back into the game, but the two-goal gap proved too wide.

Key performers

Barnabás Varga (AEK Athens) — Opened the scoring with a composed finish in the 38th minute, giving AEK a platform to control the first half. The Hungarian striker's movement caused problems throughout.

Petros Mantalos (AEK Athens) — The captain doubled the lead just before half-time with a well-taken goal, effectively sealing the result. His leadership in midfield kept AEK organised, particularly during De Graafschap's second-half push.

Benjamin Mambo (De Graafschap) — The Superiore Division goalkeeper turned goalscorer pulled one back in the 80th minute, but it was too little, too late for the hosts.

Player of the match: Petros Mantalos

By the numbers — interpreted

AEK's 2-0 half-time lead reflected their superiority in the opening 45 minutes, with Varga and Mantalos converting chances created through patient build-up. The nine yellow cards (five for AEK, four for De Graafschap) suggest a combative friendly — not uncommon for early pre-season fixtures where rhythm is still being built. De Graafschap's second-half improvement, capped by Mambo's 80th-minute goal, showed they grew into the game as AEK's intensity dropped, but the visitors never looked like surrendering their lead.

What it means

For AEK Athens, this is a solid start to their pre-season schedule ahead of the 2026-27 Super League Greece campaign. After finishing the 2025-26 season with a 1-1 draw against Olympiacos in the Championship Group on 17 May, the friendly offers new manager Matías Almeyda a chance to integrate players and build fitness.

De Graafschap continue their pre-season preparations after a 7-2 friendly defeat to Heerenveen on 3 July. The Eerste Divisie side will look to build on their improved second-half display as they gear up for the new season, which begins away at Helmond Sport on 9 August 2026.

Verdict

AEK's quality told in the first half, and they never really had to move through the gears. De Graafschap's late rally was encouraging but the gap in class between a Greek Super League contender and a Dutch second-tier side was evident. A useful workout for both sides with different objectives this season.