Anderlecht secures 1-0 victory over PAOK in Europa League qualifier

On August 6, 2026, PAOK hosted Anderlecht at Toumba Stadium in Thessaloniki for the first leg of the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round. The match began in a shock for the hosts, as Anderlecht's Tsvetkovic scored the opening and only goal of the match just 17 seconds after kickoff, following a defensive error involving Zivkovic and Zafeiris.

Despite the early setback, the team managed by Alessio Lisi attempted to respond throughout the game, controlling possession while the Belgian side maintained a solid defensive structure. Although Andrija Zivkovic, who had suffered a leg injury earlier in the week during training, was declared fit to play and included in the starting lineup, PAOK could not equalize. Taha Ali, Soualiho Meite, and Kiril Despodov were absent from the squad for this fixture.

PAOK now faces the challenge of overturning the 1-0 deficit in the return leg scheduled for August 13 in Belgium. The winner of this tie will advance to the Europa League playoffs to face either Levski Sofia or Kairat, while the defeated team will enter the Conference League playoffs, where a potential opponent is Apollon Limassol.