Nigeria striker Benjamin Chukwuka Onwuachi scored two goals in the first half but Costas Katsouranis scored one goal and set up a stoppage time equalizer to help Panathinaikos rally from two goals down in a 2-2 draw at Kavala in the Greek League at the weekend.
Panathinaikos’ French striker Djibril Cisse also scored for the Athenians in the second half, after the former Juventus star Onwuachi had given newcomer Kavala a 2-0 lead at the break.
Kavala, which is in the top-flight after 28 years in lower divisions, nearly opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Onwuachi dribbled past a defender and sent his shot over Alexandros Tzorvas’ crossbar.
But the 25-year-old Nigerian forward broke the deadlock in the 21st minute with a powerful shot from the edge of the area and added a second goal two minutes before halftime, firing home following a cross by Ilias Ioannou.
However, Panathinaikos pushed forward immediately after the restart and Katsouranis pulled a goal back in the 55th minute.
He followed up in the fourth minute of injury time by providing the cross for Cisse to head the equalizer. “I’m grateful to God for his favours but I would have loved for us to win this game,” Onwuachi told Tidesports source.
“I have scored against Panathinaikos in the 2006/07 season, with respect to them and not sounding arrogant, I think it was a routine exercise and they all know that.