Panathinaikos vs Real Betis

Panathinaikos pulled off a stunning smash-and-grab in Athens, beating Real Betis 1-0 in the Europa League Round of 16 first leg thanks to an 88th-minute penalty from Vicente Taborda. A crowd of over 27,000 at the Olympic Stadium erupted as the hosts snatched victory against the run of play. It looked bleak for the Greeks when Anass Zaroury was sent off for a second yellow on 59 minutes, leaving them a man down for the final half-hour. Betis dominated with 69% possession and six saves from Alban Lafont kept the visitors at bay. The decisive moment arrived when Diego Llorente fouled substitute Karol Swiderski in the box. VAR confirmed the penalty and Llorente saw a second yellow, before Taborda stepped up to calmly slot home from the spot. Panathinaikos carry a precious lead to Seville for the second leg, where Betis must overturn the deficit without the suspended Llorente.