2002–03 Greek Football Cup


The 2002–03 Greek Football Cup was the 61st edition of The Greek Football Cup, or Greek Football Cup. That season's edition was entitled "Vodafone Greek Cup".

Tournament details

The two finalists were PAOK and arch-rivals Aris, meeting up again in a cup final after 33 years.
PAOK had to overcome some big obstacles to reach the final. They qualified against OFI on away goals rule and eliminated league champions Olympiacos with two wins in the quarter-finals and cup holders AEK with 2–1 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
On the contrary, Aris had an easier path on their route to the final. They eliminated PAS Giannina with two wins, Ethnikos Asteras with 3–2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals and qualified against Egaleo on away goals rule in the semi-finals.
The final was held at Toumba Stadium, Thessaloniki on 17 May 2003. PAOK defeated Aris 1–0 with a goal scored by Georgiadis who made an impressive individual effort, dribbling past a defender with his right foot, faking a shot with his left and finishing with a swift side-foot kick that launched the ball up and into the back of the net. The assist was provided by Markos. Aris had a great chance to equalize late at the game but the ball hit the post on Morris' effort.
During the postgame press conference, Aris manager Giorgos Foiros made a complaint that the final should have been a two-legged tie because PAOK had the advantage of playing on home ground. Kaftanzoglio Stadium, a neutral ground and Thessaloniki 's largest stadium was under renovation for the 2004 Summer Olympic games. The Hellenic Football Federation's regulation for that season's cup stated that if the final was to be held at Thessaloniki, it would be hosted at the second largest stadium of the city which was Toumba. About a week before the game, Aris demanded from the federation either the final to be played at Kalamaria or Makedonikos stadiums, both neutral grounds or to be held a draw between Toumba Stadium and Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium, but both requests were denied due to the tournament's regulation.
PAOK manager Angelos Anastasiadis became the first in club's history to win the cup both as a player and manager.

First round

Team #1Agg.Team #21st leg2nd leg
Trikala0–6Kallithea0–40–2
OFI4–0Kavala4–00–0
Panionios3–2Marko2–11–1
Ethnikos Asteras2–1Niki Volos2–00–1
Athinaikos2–3Agios Dimitrios1–11–2
PAS Giannina3–1Vyzas Megara1–12–0
Egaleo6–4Agrotikos Asteras3–13–3
Olympiacos Volos 1–1Panegialios1–00–1
Larissa0–4Skoda Xanthi0–10–3
Panserraikos2–6Ergotelis1–21–4
Nafpaktiakos Asteras2–7Panachaiki1–51–2
Akratitos8–0Acharnaikos3–05–0
Agios Nikolaos2–4Iraklis2–30–1
Ethnikos Piraeus0–7Paniliakos0–30–4
ILTEX Lykoi0–5Panathinaikos0–20–3
Levadiakos4–5Apollon Kalamaria2–22–3
Chalkidona6–1Kastoria4–02–1
Patraikos3–2Atromitos1–12–1
Leonidio0–1PAOK0–10–0
Kilkisiakos1–2Kalamata1–20–0
Kassandra0–2AEK Athens0–20–0
Chania0–6Aris0–40–2
Kerkyra1–0Proodeftiki0–01–0
Fostiras1–4Olympiacos0–21–2
Thrasyvoulos0–3Apollon Athens0–20–1
Poseidon Neoi Porroi0–4Ionikos0–10–3

Second round

Team #1Agg.Team #21st leg2nd leg
Iraklis1–2Panionios0–01–2
AEK Athens6–1Chalkidona3–13–0
PAOK2–0Olympiacos Volos2–00–0
Panathinaikos1–0Skoda Xanthi1–00–0
Kalamata1–3Akratitos1–10–2
Egaleo4–2Agios Dimitrios2–02–2
Kallithea2–4Olympiacos1–41–0
Patraikos1–4Aris0–11–3
Kerkyra0–4OFI0–10–3
Ergotelis2–3Ethnikos Asteras2–00–3
PAS Gianninabye
Apollon Athensbye
Apollon Kalamariabye
Ionikosbye
Paniliakosbye
Panachaikibye

Third round

Team #1Agg.Team #21st leg2nd leg
AEK Athens5–0Apollon Athens2–03–0
PAOK 1–1OFI0–01–1
Aris4–0PAS Giannina3–01–0
Panionios2–1Ionikos1–01–1
Panachaiki0–2Olympiacos0–20–0
Egaleo6–1Paniliakos4–02–1
Apollon Kalamaria1–4Ethnikos Asteras0–21–2
Akratitos0–4Panathinaikos0–10–3

Quarter-finals

Team #1Agg.Team #21st leg2nd leg
Panathinaikos1–2Egaleo0–11–1
Panionios3–5AEK Athens1–12–4
Aris3–2Ethnikos Asteras3–10–1
PAOK5–2Olympiacos3–12–1

Semi-finals

Team #1Agg.Team #21st leg2nd leg
Egaleo1–1Aris 1–10–0
AEK Athens1–2PAOK0–11–1

Final

The 59th Greek Cup Final was played at the Toumba Stadium, Toumba.