AEK Athens secured a winning start to their campaign on home soil, narrowly defeating Austrian side LASK 1-0 in Greece. The match was decided by a moment of individual brilliance from Romanian midfielder Razvan Marin midway through the opening half.
Marin broke the deadlock in the 21st minute with a spectacular free-kick taken from the left side of the penalty area. His curling strike cleared the defensive wall and found the top corner, leaving the LASK goalkeeper with no chance of a save.
The early goal proved to be the decisive factor as AEK Athens maintained their defensive discipline to protect the lead. The result ensures the Greek side collects all three points to begin their tournament run with a positive outcome.
