An Anass Zaroury hat-trick fired managerless Panathinaikos to an emphatic 4-1 victory over Young Boys in the opening matchweek of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League (UEL) phase campaign. The victory is just the third in the Greek side’s previous 23 group or league phase matches in the UEL.
The visitors won the game in a nine-minute first-half salvo that simultaneously blew away the cobwebs off a disappointing domestic start, while igniting their UEL campaign in emphatic fashion.
Karol Świderski’s opener was one of pure instinct, as his deft touch to a mis-directed Tetê shot was enough to guide the ball beyond Marvin Keller in the Young Boys’ goal.
If the opener was down to guile, the second goal was all about brute force, as Anass Zaroury hammered home from six yards after the hosts had failed to clear a near-post corner.
Just four minutes later and Keller was beaten again as the on-loan midfielder had bagged another goal. The hosts' stopper weakly parried Anastasios Bakasetas’ long-range shot into the path of Zaroury, who defied the narrow angle and awkward bounce to fire home and send the Greens into dreamland.
Such was the pace of the game, Young Boys had a goal disallowed during the nine minutes of mayhem that saw Panathinaikos race into a 3-0 lead. The Swiss side would continue threatening throughout the rest of the first half, but their attempts at a response was continually let down by wasteful finishing.
After Saidy Janko gave YB a lifeline by firing his shot into the bottom corner past a poorly-positioned Alban Lafont, Giorgio Contini’s men incredibly missed a hat-trick of golden opportunities to get back into the match.
First, Joël Monteiro blasted high and wide from just six yards out, before Darian Maleš volleyed wide from close range and Christian Fassnacht was denied by last-ditch defending with the goal at his mercy.
Unsurprisingly after a first half featuring four goals, five big chances and 24 shots at goal, the second half was more of a subdued affair as the home side grew increasingly frustrated at their ability to launch a comeback.
They survived several scares at the other end, but their luck eventually ran out when Zaroury met a teasing Giannis Kotsiras cross in the 68th minute, and the Moroccans’ volleyed finish killed off Swiss hopes of a comeback, and ensured a magical opening night of the league phase for the Greek side.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Anass Zaroury (Panathinaikos)