William Troost Ekong on target in PAOK’s Champions League triumph

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Defender Willam Troost Ekong scored an important goal to lift Greek side PAOK to a 3-2 win against Borac Banja of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Qualification match on Wednesday.

Konstantinos Koulierakis opened the scoring for PAOK in the 17th minute at the Thoumba Stadium, Thessaloniki.

The lead lasted for five minutes before Sebastian Herrera equalised for the visitors.

Koulierakis scored his second goal of the game to restore the Thessaloniki-based side’s lead in the 39th minute.

Enver Kulasin restored parity for Banja in the additional minutes of the first half.

Six minutes into the second half, PAOK scored the winning goal from a corner kick.

Ekong outjumped defenders inside the six-yard box to meet the corner and scored with a header into the middle of the goal.

PAOK will take a goal lead into the return leg at the Gradski Stadion, Banja Luka on July 31, 2024.