Celta Vigo sealed their place in the Europa League Round of 16 after a 1-0 win over PAOK at Balaidos, completing back-to-back victories in the play-off tie. Coupled with their 2-1 away win in Greece last week, the result gave the Spanish side a 3-1 aggregate triumph.
The match began nervously for Celta, with PAOK nearly leveling the tie on aggregate in the 17th minute.
Georgios Giakoumakis rose highest from a corner but, from close range, sent his header off target, frustrating the visitors.
Gradually, Celta took control, looking to extend their advantage. Several scoring opportunities arose before halftime, but a combination of poor finishing and stout defending kept the scoreline level.
The breakthrough finally came just after the hour mark. Borja Iglesias cushioned a pass from Javi Rueda into the path of Williot Swedberg, who calmly slotted the ball into the far corner beyond PAOK goalkeeper Antonis Tsiftsis.
The goal marked Swedberg’s third consecutive strike against PAOK this season, having scored in both previous meetings.
PAOK struggled to respond, managing only four shots in 90 minutes as Celta’s defense held firm. The home crowd at Balaidos erupted as their team successfully progressed to the next round.
Looking ahead, Celta await the winner of the Lyon vs. Aston Villa tie, where they will face a stern test in the Europa League Round of 16.
