Another slate of games are in the books as the Greek Super League plenty of conversation over the weekend with interesting results coming from the round's eight matches. Panathinakos FC continue to lead the way after three matches, Aris Thessaloniki FC trailing closely behind with seven points, but Panathinaikos' inner-city rivals AEK Athens FC have a game in hand and lie just three points adrift.
Olympiacos CFP, a traditional feature at the top of the table, lies in unfamiliar territory with their six place rank - the Piraeus side does have a game in hand, though. PAOK are one ahead, while Asteras Tripolis lie in fourth, and are one of the six undefeated clubs thus far.
The middle of the table sees plenty of congestion, a total of six clubs on four points - including PAOK and Olympiacos. At the bottom, however, clubs including Skoda Xanthi and Panthrakikos are struggling to get their campaign off the ground.
Larissa FC 2-2 Atromitos FC Metin 24', Romeu 38' - Kalantzis 45' +1', Favalli 49'
Larissa blew a two-goal lead to finish with a 2-2 draw at home to Atromitos in the Super League's matinee match this Saturday. Tumer Metin bagged his first goal of the season just before the half-hour mark - Turk hitting the post just a few minutes before. With seven minutes to go in the frame, Romeu doubled Larissa's advantage with a long-ranged effort.
Atromitos pulled back a goal just before the interval, Christos Kalantzis giving the Peristeri side something to play for in the second half. Sure enough, the visitors equalized in timely fashion; Lucas Favalli knotting the match at 2-2 when he found the back of the net on forty-nine minutes.
Both sides had their chances to win the game, especially Atromitos who earned a penalty just after the hour mark. But Arkadiusz Malarz stood tall between the posts, the Polish 'keeper denying Marcelo Oliveira.
As for Larissa, their best chance to steal a win came late on, but Tumer Metin's shot from distance could only find the post, again.
Aris Thessaloniki FC 1-0 PAS Giannina FC Nafti 3'
An early goal from summer signing Mehdi Nafti gave Aris a slim 1-0 win at home to PAS Giannina on Saturday night in Thessaloniki. The Tunisian found the back of the net on three minutes as he deposited a weak grounded effort, from some distance, past Dimitrios Elefterhopoulos.
Aris remained disciplined in defense, hardly allowing Giannina to erase the deficit, yet the home crowd was in for a strenuous evening as Aris' failure to net a second goal made for a nervy night at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium.
Olympiacos CFP 0-0 FC Kavala
The jeers from the bleachers continue to echo loud for Olympiacos, even more so after a 0-0 draw with Kavala at the Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium.
In their Super League home opener, Olympiacos were expected to take care of business ahead of their midweek UEFA Champions League clash with AZ Alkmaar, but a lacklustre night in front of goal cause headaches for the Greek Champions.
The hosts did find a goal late in the first half, Brazilian winger Leonardo rocketing an effort past Kavala 'keeper Charles Itandje; the goal disallowed, however, on account of an offside call on a screening Diogo.
With critical matches in store for the Piraeus giants, managers Temuri Ketsbaia will need to spark his offense ahead of the Alkmaar test, and two domestic derbies against PAOK and AEK in the next ten days.
Asteras Tripolis FC 1-1 PAOK FC Cesarec 62' - Fotakis 48'
Asteras Tripolis remains undefeated, as does PAOK, after both side played out a 1-1 draw in Tripoli on Saunday.
The visitors looked the favourites after a 3-0 thrashing of Levadiakos two weeks, and with an early second half goal from recent Greece call-up Giorgos Fotakis, PAOK took command on forty-eight minutes.
A rebellious Danijel Cesarec had other plans as he sneaked around Kostas Chalkias before tapping in an equalizer on sixty-two minutes for his second of the season. The result stood only thanks to Asteras 'keeper Matias Omar Degra as he denied a late flurry of PAOK chances.
Ergotelis FC 1-0 Skoda Xanthi FC Leal 2'
Sergio Leal pounced on a loose ball just two minutes in to net his first goal for Ergotelis as the Cretan club earned theior first win of the season with a 1-0 score-line against Skoda Xanthi.
After last weekend's 5-0 thrashing of Olympiacos a friendly at the Pankritio Stadium, Ergotelis were less active in offense as they slipped past the visiting Thracians who still remain winless three games into the new season.
Levadiakos FC 1-0 Panionios GSS Barkoglou 71'
Giorgos Barkoglou's goal nineteen minutes before time gave Levadiakos their first win of the season as Panionios fell to a 1-0 defeat in Levadia.
After a penalty for Alvaro Recoba was blocked by Levadiakos 'keeper Srdjan Blazic on sixty-nine minutes, Levadiakos found the back of the net at the other end just two minutes later.
First earning a free-kick, a bit of clever football from the hosts saw Athanassios Moulopoulos thread a low pass into the box for Barkoglou, who made no mistake as he slipped the ball past Tomas Belic.
Panthrakikos FC 0-1 Panathinaikos FC Leto 78'
A very late goal from Sebastian Leto assured Panathinaikos kept their perfect record intact as Henk ten Cate's men sneaked away from Komotini with a 1-0 win over Panthrakikos.
A horrid miscommunication in the Panthrakikos defense allowed a grounded cross from Djibrill Cisse to make its way all the way to Sebastian Leto on the far side of goal, and the Argentine made no mistake as he buried the loose ball past Jose Manuel Roca.
Holding on to top spot in the Super League, the win sets up Panathinaikos for their midweek UEFA Europa League clash with Aegean rivals Galatasaray AS in Athens on Thursday. Meanwhile, Albert Cartier's debut as Panthrakikos manager was ruined by the Trifylli after the Frenchman signed on at the Thracian club during international week.
AEK Athens FC 1-0 Iraklis FC Kafes 14'
Panathinaikos' co-tenants at the OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium also earned a 1-0 win, as an early first half goal from captain Pantelis Kafes saw AEK earn full points at home to Iraklis.
The former Greece international rose best to a corner from Leonardo to open the scoring with a thunderous header past Wojciech Kowalewski. AEK could have decided the match early on, but a rare penalty miss by Ismael Blanco kept the score at 1-0.
A series of red cards in the second half could have determined the match, but Iraklis never managed to take advantage even though AEK's Igancio Scocco was the first to be dismissed. Ilias Papazaxarias sending-off in the latter ten minutes all but confirmed an unsuccessful night for Iraklis, while AEK are in good shape ahead of their UEFA Europa League clash with Everton at Goodison Park.
Matchday 4...
League play is interrupted this week as European duties occupy some of Greece's top clubs. Olympiacos finally return to the UEFA Champions League group stage after a one-year absence, their campaign kicks off at home against AZ Alkmaar.
The UEFA Europa League sees two clubs wave the Greek flag; Panathinaikos link up with Turkish side Galatasaray in Athens for another instalment of the Greco-Turkish rivalry so thick in sport. In England is where AEK begins its group stage quest, a tricky task at Goodison Park is up for Dusan Bajevic's men.
When the domestic returns to the forefront on the weekend, the highlight fixture features PAOK and Olympiacos at the Toumba Stadium on Sunday. Another notable fixture is Panathinaikos vs. Aris in Athens, while the Thracian rivalry between bottom sides Skoda Xanthi and Panthrakikos is sure to stir up emotion.
Saturday, 19 September, 2009 Panionios vs. Asteras Tripolis Kavala vs. Atromitos Iraklis vs. Larissa
Sunday, 20 September, 2009 PAS Giannina vs. AEK Levadiakos vs. Ergotelis Skoda Xanthi vs. Panthrakikos Panathinaikos vs. Aris PAOK vs. Olympiacos
