Răzvan Marin’s goal earns AEK Athens FC a 1-0 win over Lask Linz

AEK Athens FC defeated Lask Linz 1-0 at Allwyn Arena in Athens on Tuesday, September 8, earning victory in the opening round of the UEFA Champions League League Stage. Răzvan Marin scored the only goal in the 21st minute, and AEK preserved their advantage through the second half.

Marin gives AEK the lead

The decisive moment arrived midway through the first half, when Marin found the net with a normal goal to put AEK 1-0 ahead. The hosts held that advantage at half-time and were not breached after the interval. Marin was AEK’s leading performer, receiving a match rating of 8.2 after playing all 90 minutes. He recorded one shot on target and created four key passes, while also making two tackles.

Lask attempted to alter the match with a series of second-half substitutions. Robert Ljubicic and Kasper Jorgensen were replaced in the 65th minute by Alessandro Schöpf and Florian Flecker, while Christoph Lang made way for Sasa Kalajdzic in the 74th. AEK responded late, sending on Ambrósini António Cabaça Salvador for Luka Jovic in the 82nd minute, followed by Mijat Gaćinović for Aboubakary Koita and Kervin Arriaga for Lovro Majer in the 90th.

Lask had more possession but not enough threat

The statistics show a relatively even contest in possession, with Lask holding 51% to AEK’s 49%. Lask also completed 344 accurate passes compared with AEK’s 341, and attempted 425 total passes to AEK’s 403. However, the home side produced the greater attacking volume, registering 18 shots to Lask’s 11 and 10 efforts from inside the box compared with five.

AEK’s advantage was also reflected in shots on goal, where they led 4-3, and in corner kicks, seven to three. Lask had six shots off target, while AEK had five, underlining how the visitors’ modest possession edge did not translate into enough clear attacking output to overturn the score. Goalkeeper saves were 3-2 in AEK’s favour.

Discipline and league-stage impact

The match produced four yellow cards and no red cards. AEK coach M. Nikolić was booked in the 11th minute, before Luka Jovic received a yellow card in the 40th. Lask’s Melayro Bogarde was cautioned two minutes later, and Andres Andrade was booked in the 80th.

AEK used a 4-4-2 formation under Nikolić, while Lask lined up in a 3-1-4-2 coached by D. Kühbauer. The result gives AEK a winning start and leaves Lask with an opening defeat. In the supplied League Phase standings, AEK are listed first and Lask 15th, with both entries showing zero points from zero games before the completed fixture. AEK’s previous form was a draw followed by a win, while Lask had recorded a loss and a win in their most recent matches.