The opening quarter-hour at the AEK Arena wasn’t a particularly memorable affair, though it could have seen either side go ahead, with Ronaldo Webster being the first to forge a clear chance, as some clever trickery saw him weave into the box and force a point-blank save from Zlatan Alomerović at his near post.
At the other end, Ángel García won a free kick within striking distance of the box, and fellow Spaniard Waldo Rubio flighted in an inch-perfect ball, from which Hrvoje Miličević only narrowly put a header over the bar.
With AEK needing a win to break into the top eight of the final standings, it was no surprise to see more of an attack vs defence scenario play out in the latter first-half minutes.
Riad Bajić and García saw shots blocked in quick succession by a stubborn Shkëndija, before AEK were denied an opener by barely an inch, when a free kick in similar territory to Rubio’s earlier effort saw the same man spark some penalty box pinball. A flick to the far post saw Đorđe Ivanović stoop to head in, but a VAR review spared Shkëndija.
The North Macedonians were still on course for a playoff spot at half time, but their chances of sealing progress took a hit early in the second half, when Liridon Latifi’s stamp on Godswill Ekpolo’s ankle earned him a straight red card.
And although that didn’t immediately translate to a glut of AEK chances, they were momentarily thrust into the top eight by favourable scorelines elsewhere, standing eighth as the clock hit 60’.
However, AEK were leapfrogged by Lech Poznan’s second goal against Sigma Olomouc in Czechia barely two minutes later, and with their golden ticket to the Round of 16 hanging in the balance, there was still a tinge of unease in the air as the final quarter approached.
As expected, Shkëndija were increasingly living inside their own penalty box and restricted AEK to mere rations – an approach vindicated by the fact that every team of concern behind them trailed by at least a two-goal margin on 75’, on the dot of which Rubio fired a speculative shot off target.
That said, Shkëndija’s Imran Fetai might have committed the ultimate robbery late on, but for the quick intervention of Miličević’s last-ditch tackle to divert it wide.
And that would be repaid in full, as AEK got that all-important goal with just seven minutes, when a corner to the near post saw a Gus Ledes flick on reach the diving head of Karol Angielski, who netted his fourth European goal at a time when AEK were crying out for a hero.
With that one moment of inspiration, the Yellow-Greens managed to sneak into the Round of 16, while leaving Shkëndija grateful for results elsewhere keeping them in the top-24, and alive to fight another day in the New Year.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Waldo Rubio (AEK Larnaca)