By: Georgios Kioussis

A sumptuous Giorgos Karagounis strike three minutes from time lifted Panathinaikos over PAOK on Matchday 1 of the Greek Super League Playoffs, Sunday evening at Toumba Stadium. As the match seemed destined for a goalless draw, the midfield maestro capped off his side’s otherwise docile performance with a determined piece of running and a neat chip over PAOK keeper Kostas Chalkias.

Until then, the proceedings were decidedly yellow and red, referee Anastasios Kakos issuing nine cautions and one sending off, when Pablo Garcia kicked at and elbowed Simao on the stroke of halftime.

Prior to being reduced to ten men, the outfit from Thessaloniki looked far more committed than their Athens-based rivals. Fernando Santos’ men bossed the midfield with relative ease, their opponents struggling to establish tempo or possession. Indeed, all Pana had to show in the early going was a Loukas Vyntra header inside ten minutes, which looped harmlessly over Chalkias’ crossbar.

For all their midfield dominance, the Double-Headed Eagle of the North, deficient of the necessary guile in the final third, failed to make it count. A Vieirinha strike from the edge of the penalty area at the half hour mark was one of the few chances fashioned, but the Portuguese winger lacked the composure to keep his effort down.

Ironically, the best opportunity of the first half fell to the visitors two minutes before the break, Ante Rukavina racing free behind a static PAOK defense. The Croatian forward did well to round Chalkias, but skewed his effort into the side netting despite looking at an open goal.

From there, tempers would flare, Pablo Garcia ultimately seeing red following his off-the-ball incident with Simao. The Uruguayan midfielder, infamous for punching Olympiakos’ Diogo earlier in the season, would not leave without protest, though replays justified the referee’s decision.

Hoping to build on the numerical advantage, Pana boss Henk ten Cate introduced the attack-minded Sotiris Ninis and Cleyton at the start of the second half. But aside from a Ninis strike on 52 minutes that proved comfortable for Chalkias, the Greens seemed devoid of any sort of ambition.

Instead, the hosts continued to pour forward, Olivier Sorlin just missing the target with a curling effort on 55 minutes. Spurred on by fervent home support, the Northerners proceeded to pin their opponents deep in their own third, winning a series of corners, the most inviting of which fell to Zlatan Muslimovic 11 minutes from time. The striker glanced his close-range header toward goal, but Pana keeper Mario Galinovic was perfectly placed to produce a fine reaction save.

That set up Karagounis’ winner, which the midfielder did exceptionally well to take. After jinking past several markers, the Greek international spotted Chalkias off his line and elegantly lobbed the goalkeeper from just outside the area.

It was a goal that came very much against the run of play, but it will make little difference to Henk ten Cate’s men, who now move ahead of their opponents and into first place in the playoff standings.

PAOK FC 1-0 Panathinaikos FC
Karagounis 87′

Yellow Cards:
PAOK FC — Sznaucer 42′, Muslimovic 45′ + 1′, Veron 82′.
Panathinaikos FC — Simao 12′, Sarriegi 45′ + 1′, Vyntra 45′ + 1′, Gilberto 45′ + 1′, Ninis 56′, Karagounis 82′.

PAOK (Fernando Santos) – Chalkias, Lino, Sznaucner (89′ Bakayoko), Malezas, Contreras, Pablo Garcia, Sorlin, Conceicao, Ivic, Vieirinha (46′ Veron), Muslimovic.

Panathinaikos (Henk Ten Cate) – Galinovic, Nilsson, Vyntra, Sarriegi, Moon, Simao (46′ Cleyton), Gilberto, Karagounis, Ivanschitz (46′ Ninis), Rukavina (74′ Salpigidis), Mantzios.

Referee: Anastasios Kakos

Venue: Toumba Stadium, Thessalonki, Greece.

The last of the quartet to qualify, Larissa will be hoping to leave their mark on the Super League play-offs and earn a spot in the UEFA Champions League.

A slim 1-0 win over Levadeiakos on the last day of the season was the final prerequisite for Larissa’s play-off dream to come true. Just barely qualifying for the play-offs – which they just missed out on last year – Larissa will be keen to make a mends this season.

An inconsistent first half to the season was erased when Larissa’s winter investments translated into success in the standings. The blockbuster additions of Stelios Giannakopoulos from Hull City and Sasa Ilic from Red Bull Salzburg have boosted a side desperate for European exposure.

Their chance to take advantage of a gateway to Europe – or at least the UEFA Europa League – arrives now. The Alkazar Stadium in Larissa will be a motivational venue for the Vyssini, but it will still be an up-hill battle if they are to beat the likes of AEK, Panathinaikos, and PAOK.

Capping the season with a five-game unbeaten run, it was Larissa’s determination that secured them a spot in the play-offs. Now they’ll have to groom that determination as a driving point to European competition.

Form

Mar 14.  Larissa 0-0 PAOK  (Greek Super League)
Mar 22.  Iraklis 0-2 Larissa (Greek Super League)
Apr 5.  Larissa 0-0 Panionios  (Greek Super League)
Apr 12.  Olympiacos 0-1 Larissa  (Greek Super League)
Apr 26.  Levadeiakos 0-1 Larissa  (Greek Super League)

Team News

The injury bug has taken a definitive toll on Larissa as Poland striker Maciej Zurawski and Greek midfielder Giorgos Fotakis, have been ruled out for their side’s opener against AEK this Sunday. The Vyssini camp will be hoping both players recover from their injuries in a timely fashion.

Key Player

It is very rare for a player of Turkish descent to make a desired impact in the Greek Super League, but Tumer Metin’s influence may be a special case. Having only made nine appearances all season hasn’t stopped the former Fenerbahce man from playing a crucial role in Larissa’s success this season. He scored the winner in his side’s win on the ultimate day of the season, and with Zurawski unavailable for an indefinite amount of time, Metin will be relied on to provide from the midfield.

Prediction

High hopes linger in Larissa, but their talent in comparison to their competitors is worrisome. Although their home fixtures will be closely contested, their endeavours away from the Alkazar Stadium are likely to be detrimental.

4th Place.

It was a renaissance season for PAOK, but success in the play-offs is still desired as Thessaloniki’s only representative aims to bring the UEFA Champions League back to Northern Greece next season.

A busy summer transfer period paid off for PAOK; the Thessaloniki giants shocked many en route to a second place finish behind league winners Olympiacos. Despite the achievement, much is still expected of Fernando Santos’ men – especially with the club’s most loyal supporters calling for a long awaited return to European competition, and speculatively the Champions League.

Challenging for top spot in the Super League, PAOK remained a consistent threat to the Greek crown for most of the season. With an aggressive attack, and stingy defense, PAOK challenged the grip of the traditional trio of top sides – Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, and AEK.

Now comes PAOK’s biggest test, a six round play-off against their closest rivals for a shot at qualifying for Europe’s most prestigious club competition. Although there is no silverware up for grabs, the Dikefale will feel top spot at the end of the play-offs will be a reward in itself.

No matter their placing in the play-offs, PAOK are guaranteed a return to at least the UEFA Europa League next season. With that token, one of the side’s now pushing Greece’s ‘Big Three’ to the limits will return to European competition for the first time since being banned during the 2006/2007 season – a punishment inflicted by UEFA after many debts were left unsettled by the club’s former ownership.

Form

Mar 14.  Larissa 0-0 PAOK  (Greek Super League)
Mar 22.  PAOK 2-1 Thrasyoulos (Greek Super League)
Apr 5.  Asteras Tripolis 0-2 PAOK  (Greek Super League)
Apr 12.  Skoda Xanthi 1-2 PAOK  (Greek Super League)
Apr 26.  PAOK 4-1 Panserraikos  (Greek Super League)

Team News

The PAOK camp might be a bit short on strikers after Ilias Anastasakos and Lambros Choutos both missed practice on Friday. Anastasakos is slated to resume training with the club this coming Monday, while Choutos’ fitness is indefinite.

Key Player

Zlatan Muslimovic scored seven goals in his first season in the Greek Super League to lead the team – along with two joint leaders – in scoring. His strength on and off the ball will be a key attribute if PAOK are to stay competitive; meaning the Bosnian will likely play a crucial role in PAOK’s play-off plans.

Prediction

The season will be a success for PAOK, no matter their result in the play-offs. But with a competitive climate in Thessaloniki, PAOK will be keen to seek for first place. Nonetheless, the side might not have enough experience to outlast their rivals in a bid for the top prize.

2nd Place.

Tumer Metin’s first half strike against Levadeiakos gave Larissa three crucial points as the Vyssini snapped up the last playoff spot on Sunday, two points ahead of battlers Aris FC – who also won 3-2 at home against Panthrakikos.

Nonetheless, Aris won’t be competing for European spots as they did last year. Instead, alongside Larissa, Aris’ bitter rivals PAOK are joined by Panathinaikos and AEK Athens as the other three sides rounding up the playoff contingent.

PAOK finished second in the league, eight points behind Champions Olympiacos, while Panathinaikos finished in third, a further two points behind. AEK clinched their berth in the playoffs weeks ago with their fourth place rank, but their preparations for the playoffs will likely take a back seat as an upcoming clash with Olympiacos in the Greek Cup Final awaits the Athenian outfit.

The playoffs commence on May 10^th, but each side will map out their plans for European competition as early as this Tuesday when the Super League commission completes the draw for the playoff round. No matter the order, PAOK will have the advantage – even if it is as slim as a point – as the Thessaloniki based side will start the playoff round with three points. Panathinaikos will begin with two points, AEK with one point to their name, while Larissa will start from scratch with zero points.

With plenty of disappointment to take to Greece’s second tier, OFI Crete will look to restore at least an ounce of pride when the Cretans travel to face Panathinaikos on Sunday. The Heraklion based side has struggled all season long, and a win at the OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium won’t save them from demotion to the Beta Ethniki; however, the islanders could benefit from a much needed confidence boost ahead of the season.

Panserraikos’ supposed fairy tale end to the season didn’t come with a happy ending. The ‘Liontaria’ were convincingly bounced from the Greek Cup semi-finals by AEK Athens, and their quest to stave off relegation was baffled by self-destruction and by Iraklis’ unwillingness to lose. So, the Beta Ethniki Champions of 2007 will return to the same division they won promotion from about twelve months ago. A fourteen year wait to return to the Greek top flight has been compounded by a one-year stint in the Super League, but the Serres side will be hopeful of denting PAOK’s push for second place in the Super League when the pair meet at the Toumba Stadium on Sunday night.

Meanwhile, Thrasyvoulos will look to suffice for some of the pain inflicted by their bottom of the table finish when Olympiacos visit Fyli on Sunday evening. Two polar opposites will meet at the municipality’s stadium, as the home side looks to hand Greek Champions their fourth loss of the – during a process which would see Thrasyvoulos register just their fourth victory of the season. Pride will definitely be on the line for the hosts, whose aim focuses an overturning of 2-1 result from the reverse fixture.

That’s because Larissa holds a two-point edge over the Thessaloniki giants and with just one round left on the Greek calendar, a win for Aris on Sunday might not be enough for Iomar Mazinho’s men.

With one eye elsewhere, Aris hosts Panthrakikos at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium (19:00 GR, ET3), while Larissa travels to Levadeia where Levadeiakos await the ‘Vyssini’ (19:00, ALPHA). A win is a must for Aris, especially if they are adamant about returning to the playoffs – and ultimately European competition – for the second consecutive season.

Their past European endeavour ended early as Croatian side NK Slaven Belupo ousted Aris in the second qualifying round with a 2-1 aggregate win. Hoping to erase their early exit from their memory, Aris looks to end a shaky season on a high.

Much to their fans dismay, Aris’ destiny depends on much more than the outcome in Thessaloniki. A win for Larissa would be the best result for Marinos Ouzounidis’ men, but in the meanwhile detrimental to Aris’ hopes. A draw for Larissa and victory for Aris would see both sides finish the Super League schedule level on points.

The Greek Super League rules and regulations state the first tiebreaker after points is  the amount of points collected during head-to-head matches. Both matches ended in a draw, but Aris holds the advantage after a 1-1 draw at Larissa’s Alkazar Stadium betters the pair’s 0-0 stalemate in Thessaloniki.

The ‘Vyssini’, however, won’t be content with letting their advantage slip away; especially after last year’s nail biting finish to the Super League. A series of results, including a 4-3 defeat of PAOK on the last day, left Larissa on the outside looking in as Panionios edged the 2007 Greek Cup Champions for the final playoff spot. Failing to reach European competition since triumphing in the Greek Cup, and stunning Blackburn Rovers for a spot in the UEFA Cup Group Stage, Larissa will be hoping its long line of winter arrivals will pay off on Sunday.

Panthrakikos revealed their decision was a result of Ferrera’s request to resign due to personal reasons regarding family, but the Belgian’s decision to sign on at Super League rivals Panionios is sure to leave a bitter taste.

“He expressed his wish to leave for familial reasons, and we accepted his demand. This will be confirmed at the end of the season, when we stage a press conference,” major shareholder Thodoris Savvakis told the Greek press.

Meanwhile, Panionios also made an announcement regarding Ferrera. Currently the Athenian club were under the lead of interim manager Panagiotis Stamatopoulos, but the Greek caretaker will step down when the Belgian arrives ahead of next season.

An announcement on the club’s official website confirmed the move, and revealed plans for a future press conference.

“Emilio Ferrera has signed a three-year contract and will be officially presented to the media on Monday, May 4,” read the statement on the club’s official website.

The move to sign Ferrera comes as a bit of a surprise after the Nea Smyrni based side was previously linked with reputable Greece U-21 bench boss Nikos Nioplias and former Anorthosis Famagusta tactician Temuri Ketsbaia.

Ferrera’s capture ends a near season-long search for Panionios, after Ewald Lienen’s departure saw Takis Lemonis stay on for just over a week before the club turned to Stamatopoulos.

So I was just doing a routine browse of youtube.com when I came across this amazing video created for the Greek Super League. Some might assume it looks like a Harry Potter clip with these bald men (aka Daniel Majstorovic and Stelios Giannakopoulos) being thrusted but how can you disregard the George Clooney of Greece, Antonis Nikopolidis? In my opinion it’s one of the best football-related commercials I have seen, especially considering its aim is to abolish violence from Greek football.

AEK Athens FC 3-1 Levadeiakos FC
Djebbour 2′, Blanco 39′, Edinho 81′ – Kiassos 26′

Dusan Bajevic’s AEK took a step closer to the premier playoff spots with their sixth consecutive win in the Greek Super League coming through a 3-1 triumph over Levadeiakos. While the game was not a crucial encounter in terms of any points race, the Athenians put on a clinical performance on either side of the interval to defeat Momcilo Vukotic’s Levadeiakos, and leave the visitors in a worrying state as the relegation zone closes in on the Levadeia outfit.

Panionios FC 2-3 Olympiacos CFP
Lourenco 45′, Anderson 51′ – Derbyshire 22′, Maniatis (o.g.) 62′, Dudu 72′

Alongside Panathinaikos’ falter in Tripoli, Olympiacos’ 3-2 win over Panionios in Nea Smyrni paved the way for Olympiacos to yet another Greek crown. A late goal from Dudu Cearense allowed Ernesto Valverde’s to scrape through the Athenian suburb with a slim win, while their not-so-slim advantage in the Super League standings allowed for the Piraeus giants to clinch the Greek Championship ahead of schedule.

OFI Crete FC 4-3 Panthrakikos FC
Popovic 11′, Barcauan 18′, Sfakianakis  60′, 82′ – Kanotidis 6′, Riera 15′, Konstantinidis 65′

A dramatic 4-3 win for OFI over Panthrakikos at the Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion allows the Cretans to continue their fight to stay alive in the Super League – even if safety is a whole six points away. Giving a valiant effort in front of their home crowd, OFI showed plenty of heart by coming out the top dog after a seven-goal thriller. Nonetheless, Emilio Ferrera’s side will likely be disappointed in the final result after squandering two early leads to take zero points back to Komotini.

Panserraikos FC 1-2 Aris FC
Georgiadis 2′ – Campora 60′, Regueiro 78′

A match featuring desperation for diverse reasons saw Aris claim a much needed three points with a 2-1 win over Panserraikos in Serres. Trailing Larissa in the push for a playoff spot, the match was a must-win for Aris if the Thessaloniki-based club was to keep pace with Larissa after the ‘Vyssini’s’ triumph at Kaftanzogleio.

PAOK FC 2-1 Thrasyvoulos Fylis FC
Liapakis (o.g.) 46′, Bakayoko 90′ – Martorell 36′

Losing ground in the battle in second place after a winless spell, PAOK returned to the win column with a tender 2-1 win over Thrasyvoulos in Thessaloniki. Again it was the clutch performing of Ibrahim Bakayoko that saved ‘Dikefale tou Vorra’ from embarrassment at the intense Toumba Stadium.

Skoda Xanthi FC 0-1 Ergotelis FC
Koutsianikoulis 61′

Ergotelis handed Skoda Xanthi’s playoff hopes a detrimental blow as the Cretans slipped past the Thracians with a 1-0 win at the Skoda Xanthi Arena. The Canaries again relied on Vasilis Koutsianikoulis to pave the way to maximum points, as the blonde-haired bandit, who is dubbed the Greek Lionel Messi, struck just past the hour mark to account for the match’s only goal.

Asteras Tripolis FC 1-1 Panathinaikos
Kaounos 65′ – Salpigidis 24′

Having held Olympiacos to a 2-2 draw just days earlier, Asteras Tripolis put on a similar performance to claim a point in their scalp with Panathinaikos in Tripoli. The spoils were shared when Vaggelis Kaounos’ second half tally cancelled out Dimitrios Salpigidis’ opener.

Iraklis FC 0-2 Larissa FC
Zurawski 73′, Metin 82′

With their fate in their own hands, Larissa made the most of their trip to Thessaloniki as the ‘Vyssini’ strolled to a 2-0 win over Iraklis. Late second half goals from Maciej Zurawski and Tumer Metin were more than enough for Marinos Ouzounidis’ men, who now lead pursuers Aris FC by four points for the last playoff spot.

Up Next…
Like most leagues across Europe, and possibly the world, the Greek Super League does not have any fixtures scheduled for the ensuing weekend as international play resumes on various levels. In fact, the Greek National Team will be the focus for the next week and a half as Otto Rehhagel’s men continue their quest to qualify for the 2010 World Cup with a double-date with Israel.

However, when action does resume in two weeks time, the chase for the final playoff spot and OFI’s bid to remain a Super League side will be put under the microscope once again.

Sunday, April 5^th, 2008
Levadeiakos FC vs. Olympiacos CFP
Panthrakikos FC vs. AEK Athens FC
Larissa FC vs. Panionios FC
Aris FC vs. OFI Crete FC
Thrasyvoulos Fylis FC vs. Iraklis FC
Ergotelis FC vs. Panserraikos FC
Asteras Tripolis FC vs. PAOK FC
Panathinaikos FC vs. Skoda Xanthi FC

Larissa FC 0-0 PAOK FC

Larissa’s home advantage was not enough to overcome PAOK at the Alkazar Stadium on Saturday as the two sides, who are in the thick of the playoff race, shared the spoils in a scoreless stalemate.

Having lost to Panathinaikos in Athens last week, pressure had become a factor for Larissa as rivals continue their pursuit of the final playoff spot. PAOK, meanwhile, followed last weekend’s derby draw with Olympiacos with yet another 0-0 draw to lose ground on second placed Panathinaikos and the aforementioned titleholders.

AEK FC 1-0 OFI Crete FC
Kafes 23′

Hoping to close the gap for second place, AEK grabbed a slim 1-0 win over OFI Crete at the OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium. With PAOK’s slip earlier in the day, AEK’s three points allowed for the Athenians to creep closer to their Thessaloniki rivals and almost guarantees OFI a drop to the B’ Ethniki next season.

AEK went ahead when Ismael Blanco’s cross was blocked by OFI ‘keeper Arkadiusz Malarz but only as far as Pantelis Kafes, who easily slotted his effort past an out-of-position Malarz. There was no way back for OFI, and Ioannis Matzourakis’ men look destined for a stint in the second-tier of Greek football.

Aris FC 0-1 Skoda Xanthi FC
Agali 80′

Aware of Larissa’s lapse against PAOK, Aris failed to take advantage of the opportunity to inch closer to the promise land known as the final playoff spot. Instead, it was Skoda Xanthi who gained some ground on Larissa with a 1-0 win at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium surely spoiling the home crowd’s evening.

Level throughout most of the match, Victor Agali’s sweet strike proved to be the difference. The Nigerian calmly collected a loose ball at the edge of the Aris box, and swiftly turned before smashing a driven shot into the top corner of the Aris goal.

Ergotelis FC 0-1 Asteras Tripolis FC
Kaounos 33′

Asteras Tripolis continued its climb up the Greek table as the Arcadian followed up last weekend’s 4-0 thrashing of Aris with a 1-0 defeat of Ergotelis in Heraklion. In a relegation log jam just a few weeks ago, Asteras claimed another three points to further support a late chase for the playoffs.

While last week’s rout of Aris was kickstarted by Michalis Sifakis’ sending off, Asteras surged ahead on thirty-three minutes. Adrian Bastia threaded a pass for Vaggelis Kaounos, who freely etched his name onto the scoreboard for the fifth time this season.

Despite home advantage on their side, Ergotelis failed to respond as Asteras claimed a league double over the Cretans.

Levadeiakos FC 1-1 Panionios FC
Napoleoni 72′ – Recoba 35′

With safety in the Super League not yet confirmed, Levadeiakos and Panionios played to a 1-1 draw in Levadia and the point boosted both campaigns in hopes of avoiding the drop.

Although their lead on the drop zone was – and still is – quite substantial, neither side has yet to clinch a spot in next year’s line-up of the Greek top flight. Alvaro Recoba took the initiative to assure Panionios of a spot next year as the Uruguayan netted the match’s breakthrough on thirty-five minutes. The former Inter Milan man weaved past two markers before slotting a low shot past Levadeiakos custodian Srdjan Blazic.

It took nearly forty-minutes for the home side to respond, but they managed to equalize on seventy-two minutes through Stefano Napoleoni. The Italian midfielder eluded defenders a he strolled into the Panionios half before releasing a shot from long distance. While the effort had plenty of power, Panionios ‘keeper Tomas Belic must have been disappointed with his decision to punch the ball as Levadeiakos levelled the match with a fluke-like tally.

Panthrakikos FC 2-1 Panserraikos FC
Diallo 14′, Zapropoulos 89′ – Abubakari 25′

After last week’s disastrous 5-1 loss at the hands of AEK, Panserraikos was unable to redeem themselves against fellow promoted side Panthrakikos as the ‘Liontaria’ were dealt a huge blow through a 2-1 loss in Komotini.

The hosts got off to a flying start when Abdul Diallo pounced after Panserraikos ‘keeper Fotis Kipouros fumbled Tim Matthys’ corner to allow the Burkina Faso striker easily popped in the loose ball on fourteen minutes.

The lead, however, didn’t last long. Panserraikos managed to level the score at 1-1 through a header by Mohammed Abubakari off a perfect cross from Marco Aurelio.

Heartbreak was the theme just before full-time as Panthrakikos went ahead once again, but this time there was little time for Panserraikos to respond. Set for extra time, Panserraikos’ slim chances of staying in the Super League took a heavy knock when Nikos Zapropoulos’ header beat Kipouros on eighty-nine minutes.

Thrasyvoulos Fylis FC 0-1 Panathinaikos FC
Salpigidis (pen.) 13′

Deflated by their Champions League exit thanks to the likes of Villarreal, Panathinaikos turned its attention to claiming second spot in the Greek Super League with a 1-0 win over Thrasyvoulos in Fyli.

With what was a questionable penalty call on Thrasyvoulos ‘keeper Peterson Pecanha, the referee paved the way for a spot-kick for Panathinaikos after just thirteen minutes.

Dimitris Salpigidis, who was the fouled party, made no mistake with his penalty effort to send Panathinaikos ahead with what was enough to keep Thrasyvoulos on the losing end.

Olympiacos CFP 5-0 Iraklis FC
Torosidis 60′, Oscar 64′, 79′, Derbyshire 82′, 87′

Olympiacos returned to the form which won them praises and matches by large margins in ahead of the New Year as Ernesto Valverde’s men claimed an emphatic 5-0 win over Iraklis at the Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium.

Vasilis Torosidis’ late first half goal was cancelled by an offside call, but the Greece international struck again on the hour mark to initiate Iraklis’ crumble.

Soon afterwards the deterioration continued as Fernando Belluschi connected with Oscar who tallied swiftly past ‘keeper Giorgos Bantis. A nearly-identical series of events panned out on seventy-nine minutes as Oscar secured a brace after another assist from Belluschi.

Not to be outdone by his Spanish teammate, Matt Derbyshire added to Iraklis woes as the unmarked Englishman easily converted a grounded cross from Leonardo to make it 4-0 for the hosts.

But the evening’s pain for Iraklis didn’t stop there, at least not until Derbyshire notched his second goal of the night. Collecting a neatly crafted pass from Predrag Djordjevic, Derbyshire weaved through the defense before beating Bantis to the near post with a grounded strike.

Next Up:

The Greek Cup takes center stage during midweek as the introductory legs of the semi-final ties take the stage in Athens between AEK and Panserraikos, and in Tripolis between Asteras Tripolis and Olympiacos.

The weekend then offers excitement as the final four weeks of football begin with the twenty-seventh round schedule:

OFI Crete FC vs. Panthrakikos FC
Iraklis FC vs. Larissa FC
Panionios FC vs. Olympiacos CFP
PAOK FC vs. Thrasyvoulos Fylis FC
Skoda Xanthi FC vs. Ergotelis FC
AEK FC vs. Levadeiakos FC
Asteras Tripolis FC vs. Panathinaikos FC
Panserraikos FC vs. Aris FC