Four wins, three different sets of points
Olympiacos, PAOK and Panathinaikos have won their opening four 2018/2019 Super League matches, but they all have a different set of points in the standings.
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Following an awful 2017/2018 campaign, Olympiacos have started the season efficiently, beating Levadiakos (1:0), PAS Giannina (5:0), Asteras Tripolis (2:1) and Panionios (1:0) to claim a maximum 12 points from four matches. In the previous two games, the Thrylos struggled for long periods against dogged opponents, but after Bibars Natcho smashed in a stoppage time winner to defeat a defiant Asteras in Piraeus, Egyptian striker Ahmed Hassan did the same in Nea Smyrni.
Arch-rivals PAOK and Panathinaikos have also won four Super League matches at the start of the season, but in accordance with overriding punishments from last year, they find themselves trailing Olympiacos by two and six points respectively.
Due to Ivan Savvidis’ infamous pitch invasion during a Super League battle against AEK Athens in March, PAOK were deducted two points from this season’s table, meaning the Dikefalos tou Vorra were immediately playing catch-up in the title race. Nevertheless, PAOK have already moved ahead of AEK and are now just two points behind Olympiacos with the two leaders set to meet in a crucial derby at the Karaiskakis Stadium on Sunday. In their games, PAOK have seen off the challenges of Asteras Tripolis (1:0), Panionios (1:0), OFI (3:1) and AEK (2:0) to move within a whisker of Olympiacos.
As a direct result of their six-point penalty for financial problems, Panathinaikos were incredibly the bookmakers’ fourth favourites for relegation, but the young Greens have defied the odds to take Greece by storm. Despite possessing a squad largely made up of teenage academy products, Panathinaikos have proved unstoppable so far, defeating Xanthi (1:0), Lamia (3:1), AE Larissa (3:1) and Levadiakos (3:0) in hugely impressive fashion. At the moment, the Athenian giants only have six points in the table and sit in sixth spot, but Panathinaikos can challenge for at least the top four if they continue their unlikely streak. The capital club host PAS Giannina at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday.
First seven positions of the 2018/2019 Super League table:
Olympiacos, 12 points
PAOK, 10 points*
Atromitos, 10 points
Aris, 9 points
AEK, 9 points
Panathinaikos, 6 points**
PAS Giannina, 6 points
*PAOK deducted two points for the behaviour of club president Ivan Savvidis in Super League match against AEK in 2017/2018 season
**Panathinaikos deducted six points for lack of Super League licence and outstanding financial obligations
by Shaun Nicolaides
Image Source: to10.gr
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