PAOK Saloniki Women 2-3 TJ Spartak Myjava Women produced one of the most entertaining scorelines of the UEFA Women's Europa League matchday, with the Slovak visitors leaving Thessaloniki with a thrilling 3-2 victory after a night of relentless attacking football and five goals in front of a passionate home crowd.

The result is a significant one for Spartak Myjava's continental ambitions, while PAOK are left to reflect on a defensive display that undid much of their excellent work going forward. Played on 23 September 2026 at 21:00 local time, the match swung one way and then the other before the visitors finally edged ahead for good.

Match Overview

PAOK started with the confidence of a side that knows its own ground, pressing high and forcing Myjava into a series of hurried clearances. The Greek side's midfield trio controlled the opening twenty minutes, and it was no surprise when the opener arrived — a quick combination down the right ended with a low finish across the goalkeeper to put the hosts in front.

Myjava's response was immediate and clinical. The Slovak team, well drilled in transition, levelled within eight minutes after winning the ball in the middle third and driving straight at a retreating back line. The equaliser visibly rattled PAOK, and the visitors turned the game on its head shortly before the interval to go in 2-1 ahead.

Key Moments

• Opening goal: A flowing PAOK move down the right flank finished with a composed strike at the near post to give the hosts a deserved lead.
• The equaliser: Myjava punished a loose pass in midfield, breaking at speed and finishing with a first-time shot from the edge of the area.
• Spartak's second: A dangerous set piece swung into the box was only half-cleared, and the follow-up was drilled through a crowd of bodies for 2-1.
• PAOK's response: The hosts came out strongly after the break and restored parity with a header from a corner that crept inside the far post.
• The winner: Against the run of play in the closing stages, Myjava's substitutes combined to seal a 3-2 win with a calm finish on the counter.

Tactical Story

PAOK's approach was built on width and overlapping full-backs, and for long spells it worked: the hosts created the better chances from open play and forced a string of saves. The problem was the space they left behind. Every time the ball was lost in advanced areas, Myjava had runners in position to attack a stretched back line.

Spartak Myjava's game plan was clear from the first whistle — sit compact, absorb pressure, and strike quickly once possession was regained. Their two central midfielders screened the defence intelligently, and their front three were happy to attack one-on-one whenever the Greek side's full-backs pushed high.

The most decisive margin came in the substitutions. Myjava's bench injected fresh legs and sharpness in the final twenty minutes, and it was that energy which produced the winning goal, whereas PAOK's late changes struggled to disrupt the visitors' rhythm.

Standout Players

For the hosts, the wide players were the most consistent threat, delivering quality crosses and drawing fouls in dangerous positions. The PAOK goalkeeper made several important interventions to keep the scoreline level into the closing stages, though she was left exposed for the decisive third goal.

Myjava's match-winner off the bench will take the headlines, but the real foundation was laid by their central defensive pairing, who won nearly everything in the air and repeatedly snuffed out PAOK's attempts to play through the middle.

What It Means

The 3-2 scoreline hands Spartak Myjava a hugely valuable away result in the competition, giving them both momentum and a psychological edge ahead of the return fixture. For PAOK, the evening is a reminder that domination of possession counts for little without control of the counter-attacking spaces — a lesson that must be learned quickly if they are to stay in the hunt for progression.

Both teams finished the night with plenty of positives in attack. Whether PAOK can tighten up defensively on the road will likely decide how far their European campaign goes.