PAOK knock Olympiacos off top spot
SUPER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 21
Andre Vieirinha’s second-half penalty gave reigning champions PAOK a narrow 1-0 win over Volos at the Toumba on Monday, a result which saw Abel Ferreira’s team replace Olympiacos at the top of the Super League.
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PAOK’s 34-year-old Portuguese skipper Vieirinha made no mistake from 12 yards after Dimitrios Limnios had been fouled, and that goal proved the difference between the two teams as Dikefalos tou Vorra claimed three precious points.
The Thessaloniki club now have 52 points, holding a single point advantage over Olympiacos, who have 51, after 21 matches.
THE MATCH
Following Olympiacos’ 0-0 draw at the OAKA with AEK, this match offered the chance for PAOK to reclaim top spot if they could defeat Volos and get all three points.
PAOK arrived at this game after eeking out a 1-0 victory away to Lamia in their last match and are doing all they can to keep pace with Olympiacos. Volos, on the other hand, went down to AEK on Wednesday at home and faced another difficult challenge at the Toumba against Ferreira’s men as they continue their battle to remain in the top flight.
PAOK started the strongest of the two sides and had two great chances to take the lead within the first 10 minutes. The first came after eight minutes when Josip Misic intercepted possession and strode towards the goal. The Croatian went a little too far left though and looked unbalanced as he blazed his shot high over the crossbar.
A minute later there was another chance when Vieirinha’s headed pass picked out Karol Swiderski. The Polish striker fired in a snapshot from inside the penalty area which Volos goalkeeper Thanasis Garavelis saved well down low to his left.
As the half wore on Volos improved and showed that they had not come to simply make up the numbers at the Toumba, with the teams going into half-time on level terms at 0-0.
The onus was on PAOK to attack more in the second half, and they did just that, pushing Volos back into their final third time and again, but on far too many changes they managed to mess things up with a poor final ball or finish.
Then came a crucial moment on the 60th minute when PAOK were awarded a penalty. Dimitris Limnios was the man who won it, surging into the area before being fouled by Volos defender Marios Tsaousis.
PAOK skipper Andre Vieirinha stepped up to slot the ball home from 12 yards to give PAOK a lead that they would keep right up to the final whistle.
The home side did have further chances to kill the game off, but another goal was not forthcoming and PAOK had to settle for the 1-0 scoreline.
STARTING LINEUPS
Paok: 88 Zivkovic (GK), 2 Rodrigo, 4 Ingason, 5 Varela, 23 Giannoulis, 18 Limnios, 33 Douglas, 8 Mauricio, 20 Vieirinha, 27 Misic, 9 Swiderski
Volos: 1 Garavelis (GK), 21 Ekonomou, 44 Chika, 33 Dimopoulos, 20 Tsaoussis, 6 Tsokanis, 8 Muniz, 23 Joao, 2 Dedakis, 10 Guarrotxena, 9 Mantzis
HIGHLIGHTS
