Ferencváros and Panathinaikos settled for a 1-1 draw in an entertaining UEFA Europa League group-stage encounter at the Groupama Arena in Budapest, with Dele Yusuf finding the net for the home side.
The strike marked Yusuf’s 18th goal involvement of the season across all competitions, adding to his tally of two in the Nemzeti Bajnokság, four in the Europa League, six in the Superliga Srbije, and six in the Hungarian Cup.
Yusuf put Ferencváros ahead in the 62nd minute after calmly converting from the penalty spot, giving the Hungarian champions a deserved lead following sustained pressure.
Panathinaikos, however, found a late response as Moroccan midfielder Anass Zaroury drew the visitors level in the 86th minute, unleashing a powerful left-footed effort that beat Ferencváros goalkeeper David Grof to make it 1-1.
Before Yusuf’s breakthrough, Ferencváros had created several promising chances but lacked the finishing touch to turn their dominance into goals.
Panathinaikos also carved out opportunities during the contest but were forced to wait until the closing moments to restore parity.
Nigerian forward Cyril Dessers was unavailable for Panathinaikos, as the striker continues to recover from an injury picked up several weeks ago.
The result keeps both sides firmly in the race in the Europa League group stage, with Ferencváros still aiming for direct qualification to the Round of 16.
Panathinaikos’ hard-earned point maintains their push for a spot in the knockout playoff places.
The contest ultimately ended with the spoils shared in Budapest after a competitive match highlighted by Yusuf’s penalty and Zaroury’s late equaliser.
