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WAC fails after dramatic extra time against PAOK Saloniki
WAC fails in the Europa League qualification against PAOK 0-1. A game full of chances, decided in extra time.
WAC fails after dramatic extra time against PAOK Saloniki
The WAC lost 0-1 after extra time in an exciting Europa League qualifying game against PAOK Saloniki on August 14, 2025. The encounter took place in front of 6,720 spectators in Klagenfurt and, like the first leg, ended goalless after 90 minutes, so the game went into extra time, in which the decisive goal was scored.
The decision was made by Mady Camara in the 115th minute, who benefited from WAC's defensive error and hit the net with a long-range shot. Despite an increase in chances for the WAC, the missed opportunities remained the decisive moments of the game. Thierno Ballo had a promising opportunity in the first half, but was denied by goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka in the 36th minute.
Opportunities and tactics
Coach Dietmar Kühbauer decided to field the same starting lineup as in the first leg. There were several dangerous situations in the first half, including a header from Nicolas Wimmer in the 40th minute that was placed too centrally. The WAC played defensively and tried to take advantage of the mistakes in PAOK's build-up game.
In the second half the chances remained unchanged. Ioannis Michailidis threatened to score with a long-range shot, but WAC goalie Nikolas Polster was able to parry it in the 60th minute. Kühbauer deployed three offensive players in the 63rd minute, which increased the attacking efforts. David Atanga and Dejan Zukic had good opportunities in the 66th and 73rd minutes, but were unable to score the decisive goal.
The extension brought some critical scenes; Polster had to fend off a deflected cross in the 91st minute. The final breakthrough came from Camara, who punished the WAC for losing the ball in the 115th minute.
Outlook for the Conference League
As a result of this defeat, the WAC is eliminated from the Europa League qualification and will now play in the Conference League play-off against Omonia Nicosia. Omonia was third in last year's Cyprus Championships and represents a new challenge for the team.
This ends an exhausting duel for the WAC, which, despite the strong performance and the ratio of chances, could not be achieved with the desired result. The team is now looking forward and preparing for the next big game.