‘God of War’ praying for Larissa blunder
By: Peter Katsiris |
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Aris heads into their final league fixture of the season with high hopes of qualifying for the Greek Super League playoffs, but their chances of partaking in the quadruplet that battles for Greece’s four remaining European spots after champions Olympiacos appear to be dim.
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.
Category: 
Ferrera steps down at Panthrakikos, joins Panionios
By: Peter Katsiris | Add Comments
Panthrakikos announced the end of their cooperation with manager Emilio Ferrera earlier this week and shortly after his dismissal, the Belgian bench boss was made Panionios’ manager for the upcoming season.
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.
Greek Cup set for another Athenian Derby
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The Greek Cup is set for another thrilling episode of the rich rivalry between Olympiacos and AEK Athens, after both sides claimed a ticket during midweek.
Leading their semi-final tie with Panserraikos by a 3-1 score-line due thanks to their dominant performance in Athens, AEK faced a relaxed night in Serres on Wednesday. A scoreless evening ensued in the second leg as AEK saw off Panserraikos limited resurgence to be the first side to qualify for the finals of the Greek Cup.
A day later attention shifted to Piraeus, where Asteras Tripolis looked to make history with a visit to Olympiacos’ Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium. The Arcadian club faced an up-hill battle after the first match finished 2-2 in Tripoli, but got off to the right start when Danijel Cesarec put Asteras on the high road to the final.
Flavio slipped past Dudu with a rapid burst down the right flank before providing an accurate cross into the box where Cesarec potently waited to head past ‘keeper Antonis Nikopolidis.
The Peloponnesian side maintained their lead heading into the second half but it was soon erased when Dudu levelled the score-line on forty-eight minutes. Confusion in the Asteras box was the result after a free-kick for the hosts and an alert Dudu thunderously struck a loose ball past Giorgos Abaris to put Olympiacos back in control.
The defending Greek Cup Champions had their hopes of a domestic double revived after a brief lull; and soon after their spirits had been lifted, Ernesto Valverde’s men grabbed a lead of their own.
Luciano Galletti slipped a sleek grounded pass into the Asteras box for Diogo, and the Brazilian scored his third goal of the tie to give Olympiacos a 2-1 lead just after the hour mark.
Asteras tried to climb back to level terms late on in the match, but there was no happy ending for Nikos Kostenoglou’s men, whose Cup run ends in disappointment after producing quite a scare for the Piraeus giants.
VOTD: Greek Super League Against Violence
By: Peter Katsiris | Add Comments
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.
Greek Wrap (…Not a Gyro) Round 27: Polished Silverware
By: Peter Katsiris | Add Comments
The weekend’s slate of games ended with Olympiacos collecting silverware in the Greek Super League for the fifth consecutive season, and the twelfth time in the last thirteen years. The news came after the Greek Champions pegged back to beat Panionios and Asteras Tripolis held Panathinaikos to a miserable 1-1 draw in Tripoli. At the other end of the table Panserraikos’ loss to Aris in Serres looks to confirm the ‘Liontaria’s’ return back to the Beta Ethniki, while OFI’s hopes lived to fight another day with a dramatic win against Panthrakikos. Extra football could hit Larissa, however, as the ‘Vyssini’ took a step closer to securing the last available playoff berth.
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 5th, 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
AEK win builds aggregate cushion over Panserraikos
By: Peter Katsiris | Add Comments
AEK Athens cruised to a 3-1 win in the first leg of their Greek Cup tie with Panserraikos at the OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium on Wednesday night. A brace from Rafik Djebbour and an additional goal from Daniel Majstorovic gave AEK the win, while a goal for Panserraikos’ Marco Aurelio gives the ‘Liontaria’ some hope heading back to Serres.
The hosts went ahead on the twenty-minute mark through their Algerian ace Djebbour. Eluding his defenders enough to warrant a shot, Djebbour’s ouncing effort found its way past ‘keeper Fotis Kipouros to give AEK an early lead.
The advantage only stood for three minutes as Panserraikos levelled the score through their on-loan Brazilian Marco Aurelio. A well-placed free-kick by the midfielder clipped the upright before making its way into the AEK goal past Sebastian Saja.
AEK reclaimed their advantage on thirty-seven minutes as Majstorovic rose to the occasion when Ismael Blanco provided an accurate cross from the right flank. The Swedish defender beat all to the ball before heading home the go-ahead goal past Kipouros.
It was only a few minutes after Majstorovic’s tiebreaker that AEK extended their lead by a further goal through Djebbour. The Algerian striker pounced on a loose ball and neatly slotted it into the Panserraikos goal to send AEK well on their way to the win ahead of the interval.
The Athenians didn’t extend their lead in the second frame, but remain heavy favourites to progress to the finals by taking care of business away in Serres
AEK FC 3-1 Panserraikos FC
Djebbour 20′, 40′, Majstorovic 38′ – Aurelio 23′
AEK FC (Dusan Bajevic): Saja, Georgeas, Majstorovic, Kyrgiakos, Juanfran, Nsaliwa, Kafes, Tachtsidis (67′ Pelieteri), Scocco (76′ Edinho), Blanco (88′ Pliatsikas), Djebbour.
Panserraikos FC (Hugo Broos): Kipouros, Kallimanis, Voskopoulos, Papazoglou, Aurelio (46′ Pipinis), Baykara (72′ Konstantinidis), Milenkovic, Abubakari, Bule (72′ Zoundi), Bangoura, Anakoglou.
Referee: Nathaniel Charalambidis (Kavala)
Venue: OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium, Athens, Greece.
Final Four chase Cup Prize
By: Peter Katsiris | Add Comments
The Greek Cup has reached the semi-final round and tonight the remaining four clubs will compete in the introductory leg of their semi-final ties. Titleholders Olympiacos are favourite to repeat as Champions and finish the season with another domestic double, while inner-city rivals AEK Athens will hope to get their hands on some silverware. The sides they are up against will aim to guarantee the Athenian duo don’t get a easy passage into the finals as Asteras Tripolis and Panserraikos look to make the most of their first ever appearance in the semi-finals.
Tonight’s action kicks off in Athens between AEK and Panserraikos. Dusan Bajevic’s AEK defeated Panserraikos 5-1 two weeks ago in Serres, and are expected to win again against the visiting ‘Liontaria’. Though their loss in the Greek Super League was crippling for pride and their chances of avoiding the relegation zone, Panserraikos shocked all of Greece when they knocked out Panathinaikos in the quarter-finals.
Later in the evening, Asteras Tripolis welcomes Olympiacos to Tripoli in what is likely to be a tactical battle. Having lost to Olympiacos twice already, Asteras will be searching for a valiant performance this evening as the Peloponnesian side targets a trip to the Cup Final. Olympiacos is coming off an emphatic 5-0 win over Iraklis and have plenty of potential to do the same in Tripoli; however, the Greek Champions have struggled during their visits to the Arcadia prefecture with just one goal to suffix one win and one loss for their travels.
* Photo Cred – novasports.gr
Greek Wrap (…not a gyro) Round 26: Time’s a ticking
By: Peter Katsiris | Add Comments
Another eight matches down in the Greek Super League and the standings have gone under yet another shuffling in several races for glory. The title race looks all but over with Olympiacos streaking towards a twelfth title in thirteen years, but the playoff race is heating up while the relegation picture becomes all the more clearer with just four rounds of matches remaining on the Greek calendar.
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
Villarreal thwarts Panathinaikos back to reality
By: Peter Katsiris | Add Comments
In cooperation with www.greeksoccer.com
Panathinaikos have failed to advance to the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals following a 2-1 defeat to Villarreal Tuesday evening at the OAKA Spiros Louis. Vangelis Mantzios’ header 10 minutes into the second half canceled out Ariel Ibagaza’s opener, before substitute Joseba Llorente booked his side’s progression in Europe’s premier club football competition.
The Greeks were in prime position to move on after snatching an away goal when the sides met in the first leg of their First Knockout Round encounter. Yet an organized Villarreal denied Pana the opportunity to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in seven years.
Panathinaikos boss Henk ten Cate employed the 4-5-1 formation many pundits were predicting, Vangelis Mantzios – who nearly scored at the El Madrigal – returning from injury to lead the line.
The striker started brightly, dragging the ball away from his marker along the byline but hitting his cross at Diego Lopez inside five minutes.
It was a piece of action indicative of Pana’s style on the night, Mantzios tirelessly providing the hold-up play as the Greens looked to turn defense into attack.
Villarreal by contrast appeared the passing side they often are, Manuel Pellegrini’s men producing slick movement and one-touch football. Their efforts nearly came to fruition on 20 minutes as a sustained piece of possession provided them their first look at goal, but Nihat Kahveci’s long-range effort lacked the power to trouble Mario Galinovic.
Nihat would again try his luck seven minutes later, but his strike proved equally inadequate.
Galinovic’s opposite number was finally called into action on 33 minutes, though Giorgos Karagounis’ curling free kick from distance was routine for Diego Lopez in the end.
However things were less comfortable for the Spaniard four minutes later as Simao’s clever ball over-the-top sprung Mantzios in on goal. The striker shot first time from the edge of the penalty area, but Diego Lopez got down well to his left to deny the 25-year-old.
Everything looked in order for Panathinaikos going into halftime, but it took Villarreal just four minutes into the restart to turn the affair on its head. Joan Capdevila picked out Ariel Ibagaza with a clever cutback, and the Argentine sent a stunning first-time effort from the edge of the area past a despairing Galinovic.
Yet Ibagaza barely had time to celebrate his first ever Champions League goal as his side came under immediate pressure, a series of Pana set pieces culminating in an equalizer on 55 minutes. Karagounis’ corner was met in the air by Mantzios, who turned his thumping header past Diego Lopez.
It was a deserved goal for Mantzios, and one that sent the home supporters into rapture. But the celebrations were short-lived as Villarreal recaptured the lead on 70 minutes. A swift counterattack by the Spaniards ended with Ibagaza turning from recipient to provider. The midfielder picked out Joseba Llorente with a lofted through ball, and the striker made no mistake, settling the ball and slamming past Galinovic.
The writing was on the wall for Pana, though Mantzios would not give up his side’s cause. The striker leapt well to meet Karagounis’ cross on 78 minutes, but glanced his header over the bar.
Giuseppe Rossi could have added the gloss in stoppage time but his shot was cleared by Loukas Vyntra before it could cross the goal line.
It will make little difference to Villarreal, the Spanish outfit having secured their place in the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals nonetheless.
Panathinaikos (Henk Ten Cate) – Galinovic, Nilsson, Vyntra, Sarriegi, Wawrzyniak (Rukavina 86′), Simao, Gilberto, Karagounis (C), Gabriel (Christodoulopoulos 74′), Salpingidis, Mantzios
Villarreal (Manuel Pellegrini) – Diego Lopez, Angel Lopez (Javi Venta 29′), Fuentes, Godin, Capdevila, Senna (C), Eguren, Cazorla, Ibagaza (Bruno 75′), Rossi, Nihat (Llorente 46′)
Goals – Ibagaza (49′), Mantzios (55′), Llorente (70′)
Bookings – Llorente (70′)
Referee – Massimo Busacca (SUI)
Assistant referees – Matthias Arnet (SUI), Francesco Buragina (SUI)
Fourth official – Carlo Bertolini (SUI)
Venue – OAKA Spiros Louis, Athens, Greece
Greek Super League Preview – Round 25: Saturday Preview
By: Peter Katsiris | Add Comments
Three games in the Greek Super League are the highlight for fans of Greece’s top flight on Saturday. Six sides with a lot to play for occupy the ticket as races in Super League begin to heat up. Greek Cup fortunes came mixed for three of the clubs in action on Saturday, but all three will shift their focus to their respective Super League schedule in order to achieve their goals.
Iraklis FC vs. Panionios FC
Time: 16:45 GR
Referee: Giannis Stavridis (Piraeus)
Venue: Kaftanzogleio Stadium, Thessaloniki
TV: Novasports1
Panionios seems set for another mid-table finish, a worse off ranking than last year’s playoff berth. The ‘Kyanerythri’, however, will look to add three points to their running total when they pay a visit to Iraklis at the Kaftanzogleio Stadium in Thessaloniki.
Having lost a midweek Cup match against Asteras Tripolis, spelling elimination for Panionios, Panagiotis Stamatopoulos’ men could see their Super League winless drought stretch to a fifth game with as ‘keeper Dario Kresic and Alvaro Recoba are among the absentees.
Iraklis has already fallen to Asteras in the Cup, but their round of sixteen exit permitted ‘O Gireos’ to have the week off. Manager Makis Katsavakis will be hoping his side made good use of the times as Iraklis aims to end a three game winless streak, and restore confidence after last week’s 3-0 loss to Levadeiakos. Denis Epstein is the only scratch, but the German’s speed and talent will be dearly missed by the hosts.
Asteras Tripolis FC vs. Aris FC
Time: 16:45 GR
Referee: Ilias Mazarakos (Arta)
Venue: Asteras Tripolis Stadium, Tripoli.
TV: NET
They might have made history in the Greek Cup, but Asteras Tripolis is more than aware their successful Cup run to-date won’t remove them from a tedious relegation battle. The Arcadian club, however, will take confidence of their midweek triumph in Tripoli ahead of their Saturday afternoon clash with Aris.
On the outside looking in, Aris trails Larissa by three points for the last playoff spot. Last year they were a shoe-in for one of the four playoff spots, as was Asteras who narrowly missed out on ecctra football when Panionios squeezed into the final playoff spot. Iomar Mazinho will make his first trip to the Peloponnese, but the Brazilian bench boss will likely be in for a stiff match as Asteras looks to put on another solid performance.
If Aris’ standpoint in the league is shocking, there is a loss of words for the circumstances Asteras Tripolis must overcome. Sitting in twelfth place, Asteras is only four points up on the drop zone and if their two-game winless streak continues, the gap could be reduced to one by the end of the weekend. There are a few fitness doubts for manager Nikos Kostenouglou to adjust too, but it is still unclear if Jaoud Zairi will play against Aris despite being included in the weekend roster.
Panathinaikos FC vs. Larissa FC
Time: 19:00 GR
Referee: Nathaniel Charalambidis (Kavala)
Venue: OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium, Athens.
TV: NET
Saturday’ action ends with a highly anticipated meeting at the OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium in Athens. Panathinaikos are likely distracted by their bid to progress to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, but if Henk Ten Cate’s men are to position themselves in a solid position for the playoffs, the ‘Trifylli’ will need to claim maximum points when Larissa visits the Greek capital.
Villarreal visits Panathinaikos at OAKA on Tuesday, but since Giorgos Karagounis gave Panathinaikos a 1-1 draw at the El Madrigial in Spain nearly a fortnight ago, the Athenians have yet to win a game on the domestic scene. Last weekend the Eternal derby with Olympiacos ended in a scoreless stalemate, but disaster followed on Wednesday with Panserraikos claiming a shock win in Athens to defeat Panathinaikos 3-2 and reach the semi-finals of the Greek Cup. It is expected Ten Cate will rest some of his regulars with the second leg to their tie with Villarreal just around the corner. Health concerns, however, are at a minimum for the ‘Prasini’.
Larissa is not as fortunate when it comes to nagging injuries as Stelios Giannakopoulos, Stelios Venetidis, and Naim Aarab will miss out on the Panathinaikos visit. When both sides met at the Alkazar Stadium back in November, tempers got the better of the players as the affair ended with a 1-1 draw in Larissa. Having lost just once since the prior meeting between these two clubs, Marinos Ouzounidis’ side will be keen to extend their astonishing unbeaten run to fourteen games with a strong showing in Athens.
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