[InTime Sports]
AEK lost 3-0 at Rayo Vallecano on Thursday for the quarterfinals of the Conference League and has a mountain to climb in the second leg, to take place in Athens in seven days’ time.
The result does not really do justice to the game, as AEK was not as bad as the score suggests, but the Madrid team was definitely on top for most of the game and made the most of the majority of chances it was given.
Rayo opened the score with barely two minutes on the clock thanks to Ilias Akhomach. AEK tried to balance the game and was considerably improved in the latter half of the first 45 minutes, being denied by the woodwork at the half-hour point.
Nevertheless, the Vallecas club grabbed a second goal in the time added-on, courtesy of Unai Lopez, against the run of play.
AEK came out in combative fashion for the second half and missed more chances to get that elusive goal which would give it some hope for the return game, but a harsh penalty decision for a handball in the area offered Isi Palazon the opportunity to score from the spot, and he did on the 74th.
AEK cannot be as unlucky in a week’s time as it was on Thursday in Spain, but the margin of loss is such that the Greeks may well turn their attention to the league instead from now on.