Iago Aspas Leads Celta Vigo to Crucial Victory Over PAOK in Europa League Play-Off
Celta Vigo is on the brink of advancing to the Round of 16 in the Europa League after securing a 2-1 victory against PAOK in Thessaloniki during the first leg of their play-off round tie. The match started with both teams vying for control, but it was Iago Aspas, the club captain, who ignited the scoring. He received a pass from Miguel Roman and skillfully placed the ball into the bottom corner, putting Celta ahead. Just nine minutes before halftime, Aspas turned from scorer to provider, assisting Williot Swedberg, who also found the same corner of the net to extend Celta's lead to 2-0. This goal was particularly significant for Swedberg as he had previously squandered a golden opportunity. In the second half, Celta aimed to secure a decisive third goal, but Hugo Alvarez was thwarted by PAOK goalkeeper Antonio Tsiftsis. This miss proved pivotal as Alexander Jeremejeff pulled one back for the home side, firing into the top corner of Ionut Radu's goal, making it 2-1. Despite a few close calls, including a near goal from Fer Lopez, the match concluded without further scoring. Celta Vigo retains control of the tie and will secure their advancement with a draw or better in the return leg at Balaidos next Thursday. Before that, Celta must shift focus to their upcoming La Liga match against Mallorca on Sunday, as both teams chase crucial points.
Source: Football España - 2026-02-19