ZAKYNTHOS, Greece (Interstat) — Pyrgos scored twice in quick succession midway through the first half and then held off Zakynthos for a 3-2 victory in Super League 2 on Monday. Zakynthos was the home side, but Pyrgos made the early pressure count and protected its advantage through a tense closing stretch at the host venue. The result lifted Pyrgos to 2 wins, 4 losses and 2 draws in the competition and across all competitions, while Zakynthos stayed at 0 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws in the competition and across all competitions.

Manssou Fofana opened the scoring in the 27th minute for Pyrgos, and Isaac Scheer doubled the lead in the 29th. Fofana and Scheer each finished with one goal while playing the full 90 minutes, giving Pyrgos a cushion it would need. The visitors did not add to the score before halftime, but their two-goal burst changed the shape of the match and forced Zakynthos to chase from an early deficit. Pyrgos’ first two goals came in a three-minute span and set the tone for a match that remained close on the scoreboard.

Zakynthos responded after the break. The home side pulled one goal back in the 50th minute, cutting the deficit to 2-1 and raising the tempo. Pyrgos answered in the 70th minute with its third goal, restoring a two-goal advantage and quieting the home crowd. Zakynthos kept pressing and scored again in the 88th minute, but the late goal only reduced the final margin to 3-2. The home side’s second goal arrived too late to force an equalizer, and Pyrgos saw out the remaining moments.

Pyrgos managed the final stages without another goal, closing out a road win that improved its season record. Before the match, Pyrgos had lost to Karditsa at home and at Kalamaria, beaten Panionios at home, drawn at Ellas Syrou, lost at home to Larisa, lost at Nestos and drawn at Panthrakikos. The visitors carried a 1-4-2 competition record into the match and left with a second win. Zakynthos, meanwhile, remained without a win in the competition. The home side had drawn at Asteras Tripolis B, lost at Karditsa, drawn at home with Kalamaria and lost at Panionios before this match. It could not complete the comeback after falling behind by two goals.

Fofana and Scheer were Pyrgos’ key performers, with Fofana’s 27th-minute goal opening the scoring and Scheer’s 29th-minute strike doubling the advantage. Each logged one goal and played the full match. Zakynthos’ goals came in the 50th and 88th minutes, but the home side could not find a third. Pyrgos added its decisive third goal in the 70th minute. The match included five goals in all, with Pyrgos scoring three and Zakynthos two.

The victory gave Pyrgos its second win in Super League 2 and its second win across all competitions. Zakynthos remained at 0 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws in the competition and across all competitions. Pyrgos’ record in the competition is now 2 wins, 4 losses and 2 draws, and its record across all competitions is the same. Zakynthos’ competition record is now 0 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws, matching its record across all competitions.

Pyrgos will next travel to Asteras Tripolis B before hosting PAOK B, traveling to Niki, hosting Marko, traveling to Panserraikos, hosting Kallithea, traveling to Olympiakos, hosting Panthrakikos and Nestos and traveling to Larisa.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Zakynthos 1, Pyrgos 0. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Zakynthos with an 81.5 percent probability to win. Zakynthos had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 5 went under the over/under line of 2.5.