Play-Off Race Hots Up

By: Chris Paraskevas | May 15th, 2009

The race for UEFA Champions League football in Greece is extremely tight after Round 2 of the Greek Super League playoffs, with one point separating Panathinaikos, PAOK and AEK Athens.

On Wednesday evening, Panathinaikos played out a dramatic 1-1 draw with Athenian rivals AEK, whilst PAOK managed a 2-0 win away against Larissa.

The latter are now at the bottom of the play-off ladder after losing their opening two matches, the first a 3-2 defeat away against AEK at the weekend.

Goals from Ibrahima Bakayoko and Sergio Conceicao moved PAOK into equal first with Panathinaikos, after the Thessaloniki outfit had lost their first game at home to the Athenians.

Having finished second in the league this season, it would be difficult to deny that PAOK are perhaps the club most deserved of playing at the highest level of European football next season, with their fine form on the pitch paralleled by a resurrection off it.

Champions League football would be a landmark moment for the leadership of club president Theodoros Zagorakis – Greece’s Euro 2004-winning captain – who has helped to engineer a phase of financial rebuilding following a period of difficulty for the traditional powerhouse of the north.

Their victory in Thessaly takes them to six points – they began the mini-league phase with three by virtue of their high league finish – along with Henk ten Cate’s Panathinaikos, who will be keen to repeat their success this season on the European stage again.

They were held however city rivals AEK, who took the lead through a Nacho Scocco free kick before Panathinaikos striker Dimitris Salpigidis had a penalty saved by Sebastian Saja.

Pana were then awarded another penalty that Brazilian winger Gabriel converted, his captain Giorgos Karagounis hitting the crossbar with five minutes of normal time remaining.

Panathinaikos host Larissa on Sunday, while PAOK welcome AEK Athens to the Toumba.