Groningen vs AEK Athens FC

The first half was a tight, scrappy affair. AEK looked the more threatening early on — Albanian midfielder Enis Koja struck the crossbar inside two minutes, and Barnabás Varga had a shot saved by Groningen goalkeeper Marco van der Vlag after a rapid counter-attack. Groningen grew into the game and came closest before the break when a loose AEK pass in their own half gifted them a chance that came back off the post.

Groningen broke the deadlock in the 65th minute. Polish striker Oskar Zawada collected the ball in the box, created space with a clever turn, and fired past AEK goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli to make it 1-0.

AEK — reduced to ten men since the 55th minute after Filipe Relvas received a straight red card for a reckless tackle — refused to fold. In the 77th minute, Angolan forward Salvador Zini (Ambrosini António Cabaça Salvador) equalised, finishing smartly from close range.

Just five minutes later, in the 82nd minute, AEK completed the turnaround. Dimitris Kaloskimas latched onto a ball in the danger area and slotted home to make it 2-1, capping a remarkable fightback from Matías Almeyda's side.

Relvas's red card in the 55th minute should have been a fatal blow for AEK. The Portuguese midfielder went in heavily on a Groningen player and was shown a straight red — a decision that left his teammates visibly frustrated. Yet instead of retreating into a defensive shell, AEK raised their intensity. The sending-off galvanised them, and they scored twice in the final 25 minutes while a man short.

Salvador Zini (AEK Athens) — The Angolan international was a constant threat and scored the crucial equaliser. His movement off the ball caused problems for the Groningen defence throughout the second half.

Dimitris Kaloskimas (AEK Athens) — The Greek midfielder's winner was a cool finish under pressure. He showed composure to slot home and seal the comeback.

Oskar Zawada (Groningen) — The Polish striker took his goal well and was Groningen's brightest attacking outlet, holding the ball up effectively and linking play.

Enis Koja (AEK Athens) — Hit the crossbar inside two minutes and was a lively presence on the right flank, consistently creating danger.

The scoreline — 1-2 — flatters Groningen's first-half performance but tells the truth about their second-half collapse. Groningen had a strong spell around the hour mark that produced Zawada's goal, but once AEK equalised, the momentum shifted entirely. The key stat was AEK's two goals in a 25-minute spell while down to ten men — a conversion rate that speaks to clinical finishing rather than sustained pressure. Possession data was not officially recorded for this friendly, but AEK dominated the ball in the first half before Groningen edged it after the red card, only for AEK to strike decisively on the counter.

This was a pre-season friendly with no competitive implications, but the result continues a positive build-up for AEK Athens under Matías Almeyda as they prepare for the 2026-27 Greek Super League season. The resilience shown — coming back from a goal down while a man short — will please the coaching staff. For Groningen, the defeat is a reminder of defensive fragility that can undo good attacking work. Their pre-season continues with further friendlies ahead of the Eredivisie campaign.

A pre-season friendly rarely produces a story as compelling as this. AEK Athens showed character, organisation and clinical finishing to win a game they had no right to win after going down to ten men. Groningen will rue the missed opportunity to kill the game off, but on this evidence, AEK look ready for the new season.