Greece round-up: AEK back on top

AEK Athens reclaimed top spot in Greece with a 4-1 win against Panahaiki GC on Saturday.

Tsartas makes good
Greece international midfield player Vasilis Tsartas produced a man-of-the-match display for AEK although he had to first atone for missing an early penalty. He scored AEK’s first after 22 minutes with a well-struck shot and ran to the AEK supporters and made an apologetic gesture for his earlier miss.

Unassailable lead
Akis Zikos put AEK 2-0 ahead two minutes after half-time and Tsartas added a third seven minutes later, making no mistake from the penalty spot at the second attempt after Vassilis Lakis had been felled by visiting goalkeeper Christos Kiurkos. Panahaiki, rooted to the bottom of the table, found themselves four down as Christos Maladenis added to the party atmosphere by firing home a shot 13 minutes from time.

Panahaiki hit back
Tsartas left the field to rapturous applause when he was substituted with six minutes from time, but Panahaiki had the last word when Nenad Vukcevic scored a consolation deep into stoppage time.

PAOK climb to third
In tonight's other match FC PAOK Thessaloniki clinched a 3-1 away victory at Ethnikos Asteras to move level on points with third-placed Panathinaikos FC. Giorgos Georgiadis set PAOK on their way after ten minutes but his early strike was cancelled out by Michalis Berneanu, who equalised 14 minutes later. PAOK were 2-1 up just three minutes later when Georgiadis converted a penalty awarded after Nikos Frussos was fouled by home defender Bozidar Bandovic. Vassilis Borbokis latched on to Vangelis Nastos' neat pass to complete the scoring.

Sunday fixtures
The remaining fixtures take place tomorrow with all eyes on the big top of the table Athens derby between Olympiakos Piraeus FC and UEFA Champions League contenders Panathinaikos.