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Greek Super League Wrap: Round 22

Goal.com's Chris Paraskevas watches a teen hero and impending Piraeus title as he wraps up another round of Hellenic action.

Feb 16, 2009 7:19:49 AM

Greek Super League: Olympiakos - Aris (INTIME)

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Greek Super League: Olympiakos - Aris (INTIME)

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Levadiakos 0 – 3 PAOK
Panionios 0 – 0 Ergotelis
AEK Athens 1 – 0 Thrasyvoulos
Olympiakos 2 – 1 Aris
OFI Crete 1 - 1 Asteras Tripolis
Panthrakikos 0 – 1 Larissa
Panserraikos 1 – 0 Skoda Xanthi
Irakis 0 – 0 Panathinaikos

There were plenty of headlines from Round 22 of the Greek Super League as AEK Athens were saved by their teen birthday-boy and Olympiakos took another step towards their 12th title in 13 years.

Panathinaikos dropped points in Thessaloniki – subject again to some contentious officiating – whilst former Premier League star Stelios Giannakopoulos continued to defy the sceptics with yet another important winner for new club Larissa.

The action started on Saturday, however, where Fernando Santos’ PAOK returned to winning ways with a 3-0 victory away against Levadiakos.

Goals from Conceicao, Sorlin and an Ivic penalty kept the northern Greeks on equal points with second-placed Panathinaikos, whilst their opponents slipped to within four points of the relegation zone.

Without the services of Uruguayan star Alvaro Recoba, Panionios lacked a cutting edge in front of goal as they were held to a goalless draw at home to Ergotelis.

Despite a lack of scoring action it was a reportedly entertaining encounter played out in Athens, Ivica Majstorovic hitting the woodwork for the home side and Mario Budimir likewise for the visitors.

An AEK Athens outfit ravaged by injuries and suspensions struggled to overcome last-placed Thrasyvoulos at the OAKA Spiros Louis Stadium, stealing victory through a Panagiotis Tachtsidis strike in the 92nd minute of the match.

The teenager turned 18 on Sunday and celebrated his birthday with a superb effort to rescue his team from what would have been an embarrassing result at home against the league’s stragglers, who now appear all but relegated.

Defending champions Olympiakos extended their unbeaten run in the league to 15 games with a 2-1 over Aris, the only team to have beaten them this season.

Club legend Predrag Djordjevic capitalised on a defensive error to open the scoring in the first half, before Aris ‘keeper Michalis Sifakis saved Luciano Galletti’s penalty and the ensuing rebound, only to see the Argentine still manage to put the ball in the back of the net, with Aris’ Vitolo having received his second yellow card minutes earlier.

A rather comical Vasilis Torosidis own goal in injury time wasn’t enough to prevent Ernesto Valverde’s team from maintaining their perfect home record this season as they prepare for a UEFA Cup meeting with St. Etienne on Wednesday.

Relegation-threatened OFI Crete began Sunday with a 1-1 draw at home with fellow strugglers Asteras Tripolis.

Ioannis Matzourakis’ embattled Cretan side took the lead when a Zdravko Popovic free kick snuck in at the far post, before Marcelao equalised for the visitors from the penalty spot early in the second half.

OFI remain four points behind Levadiakos in third-last place but could have won the match late on, Iliye Stolitsa missing a wonderful chance before Asteras’ Efstathios Rokas was sent off for two bookings received in injury time.

Larissa held onto to fifth place thanks to more heroics from former Bolton Wanderers and Hull City man Stelios Giannakopoulos, his goal giving the Thessaly team a 1-0 away win over Panthrakikos.

The 34-year-old’s superbly measured half-volley - his third goal in four games for the club - gave Marions Ouzounidis’ men a crucial three points in northern Greece.

Panserraikos scored a dramatic home win over Skoda Xanthi to keep alive their hopes of surviving upon their return to the Greek top-flight, Anastasios Papazoglou’s 89th-minute winner giving them a slightly fortunate victory in Serres.

Papazoglou's header sparked wild celebrations in the stands, with the team’s bench virtually emptied as Hugo Broos’ men bagged a vital victory that brings them level with OFI Crete.

Two officiating decisions dominated headlines as Panathinaikos were again frustrated on the domestic scene, this time held to a 0-0 draw away against Iraklis.

Ever a difficult side to visit, Makis Katsavakis’ men produced a typically resilient defensive display at the Kaftanzoglio Stadium to frustrate Henk ten Cate’s Athenian outfit.

Despite another insipid attacking performance, the manager’s attention turned to the ruling out of an apparently legitimate goal by striker Evangelos Mantzios late in the second half, before referee Anastasios Kakos failed to award a penalty for a hand-ball two minutes later.

Panathinaikos remain second, ahead of PAOK by virtue of goal difference but having allowed first-placed Olympiakos to extend their lead to 14 points with eight matches remaining.

Chris Paraskevas, Goal.com

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