Greece round-up: AEK thump Panionios

AEK Athens came from behind to beat city rivals Panionios GS 6-2 and climb five points clear at the top of the Ethniki Katigoria on Sunday.

Fast start
The league leaders, who progressed to the last 16 of the UEFA Cup on Thursday by beating PFC Litex Lovech, were pegged back inside the first minute when Apostolos Mantzios stole in to net the opening goal.

Red card
Vasilios Tsartas equalised from the penalty spot in the 16th minute, and AEK went into the break ahead after Sotirios Konstantinidis drove home in the 43rd minute. Theodoros Zagorakis extended their lead three minutes after the restart and Panionis were reduced to ten men on 56 minutes when Mantzios was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Two for Zagorakis
Demis Nikolaidis made it 4-1 in the 64th minute, and although Ilias Ioannou pulled one back for Panionios a minute later, AEK romped home with Zagorakis scoring his second and Lacerda Ramos adding the sixth in the dying minutes.

Shock result
FC PAOK Thessaloniki overcame Panathinaikos FC 2-1 to move up to fifth. Jonas Kolkka gave last year's runners-up a seventh-minute lead but goals from Giannakis Okkas and Pantelis Konstantinidis after the interval gave PAOK all three points.
Panathinaikos coach Yannis Kyrastas suggested after the game that his future at the club could be in doubt if results did not pick up soon.

Four goals
Abderaheem Wakili scored all four goals for Xanthi FC as they beat Aigaleo 4-2. Wakili completed a first half hat-trick inside 31 minutes, with Nikos Kehagias's own goal after 24 minutes the only break in the flow. Two minutes after the restart Wakili added his fourth, before Kostas Paputsis converted a 58th-minute penalty for Aigaleo.

Only goal
Elsewhere, Theodore Papadimitriu scored the only goal of the game as Ethnikos Asteras beat Ionikos 1-0, while Iraklis FC and Akratitos fought out a 1-1 draw.