Kiril Despodov returned to action after an absence of nearly eight months and helped PAOK beat Partizan Belgrade 3:1 in a friendly match at Toumba Stadium in Thessaloniki. The Bulgaria national team captain came on in the second half, and in the 78th minute he took a corner from which Mady Camara scored the final goal.
The match was part of the celebrations marking PAOK’s centenary. Before kick-off, supporters of the two clubs, who have maintained a long-standing friendly relationship, held a joint march to the stadium. Information about the joint march and the anniversary nature of the match was confirmed by Partizan and the Greek sports outlet Sport24.
Partizan took the lead in the first half through a goal by Demba Sek, but PAOK equalised through Jonjo Kenny before the break. Shortly after the start of the second half, Batiste Santamaria scored to make it 2:1, and Camara added the third goal after Despodov’s cross.
For the Bulgarian footballer, this was his first appearance after a lengthy recovery from injury. His last match was on March 22 against Volos, when he came on as a substitute. Subsequently, Despodov underwent surgery on his big toe in May, and his rehabilitation lasted longer than expected.