Levi Garcia cops double: AEK Athens win Greek Cup

"THE best way to finish a great season."

This is how TT's Levi Garcia described the feeling of copping his second piece of silverware this season with AEK Athens after winning the Greek Cup on Wednesday.

On May 14, AEK Athens won the 2022/2023 Greek Super League title after defeating NFC Volos 4-0. Garcia provided an assist to teammate Orbelin Pineda, in the 59th minute, for the third goal.

In an interview with Newsday, he said while it has been a "massive season" for him, it was not yet over as the team was set to face PAOK in the Greek Cup final.

A ten-man AEK Athens secured a 2-0 victory.

AEK defender Lazaros Rota received a red card just six minutes into the match for a foul on PAOK midfielder Taison Barcellos Freda.

Garcia started but was subbed off in the 62nd minute for teammate Nordin Amrabat.

AEK's Harold Moukoudi opened the scoresheet in the 26th minute while Paolo Fernandes sealed the deal with the second goal in the first minute of added time.

The last time AEK Athens won this cup was in the 2015/2016 season and they have won it a total of 16 times.

In a post-match Facebook post, the team said it was their first time winning the Greek Super League and Greek Cup in the same season since 1978. Prior to then, this was only achieved in 1939.

The post said, "Matias Almeida (team manager) and his boys in the pantheon of our team's history. Third double after a huge course. Well done to each and every one. LONG LIVE AEK!"

In another post, it said, "With ten players from the sixth minute, with a goal by Mukundi at 26 minutes...a calm game until the end. With Fernandes's goal magic at 91 minutes, with style, with absolute excellence, with the best football, with a team full of class and quality, with the seal of a top coach – AEK-PAOK 2-0 and well deserved double for the best team in Greece!"

Garcia posted photos of himself holding the trophy on Facebook saying, "Proud to be a part of this team."