No slips from Greek leaders

By Vassiliki Papantonopoulou

Olympiacos CFP ensured they ended 2004 top of the Alpha Ethniki with a comfortable 3-0 win against Kerkira FC, though champions Panathinaikos FC remain just one point behind.

Olympiacos prevail
It took Olympiacos 14 minutes to take the lead against their lowly opponents with a close-range shot by central defender Georgios Anatolakis, and just before the half-hour Grigorios Georgatos's curling effort from outside the box doubled the advantage. Giovanni sealed victory 13 minutes into the second half.

Late winner
Panathinaikos were made to work hard for a 2-1 win by PAOK FC and indeed the visitors went ahead 34 minutes in when Paris Andralas pounced after Panathinaikos goalkeeper Mario Galinovic failed to clear Sladjan Spasic's shot. But Ioannis Goumas levelled within four minutes and with that amount of time remaining striker Michalis Konstantinou's diving header decided the game.

AEK delight
Three consecutive draws had left AEK Athens FC three points adrift of Olympiacos, but they returned to winning ways with a 3-2 triumph at Ionikos FC that confirms them as the only side to reach the new year unbeaten. Alessandro Soares's close-range shot and a Konstantinos Katsouranis penalty were both cancelled out by Oliver Macor, but with 20 minutes to go Georgios Diamantis, who previously conceded the spot-kick, put through an own goal that handed AEK all three points.

Aris relief
Xanthi FC held on to fourth place with a 2-1 home win against ten-man OFI Crete FC, Luciano de Souza scoring a late free-kick winner, while Halkidona FC are fifth after prevailing 2-0 at Apollon FC, who fell to last place as Ergotelis FC defeated Egaleo FC 2-1. Kallithea FC overcame Iraklis FC 2-1 and FC Aris Thessaloniki escaped the relegation zone with a 1-0 win against ten-man Panionios NFC, their first home victory this season.