SLGR Standings: AEK take firm grip of third, OFI give themselves a chance
SLGR Standings: AEK take firm grip of third, OFI give themselves a chance
In Peristeri, AEK defeated Atromitos to take a firm grip of third place of the 2018/2019 Super League, while OFI moved up to 14th and PAOK continued their march towards the Greek crown.
Watch LIVE GREEK TV including full GREEK SPORTS coverage from AGONASport.com!
This week, unbeaten PAOK were given a scare by Panetolikos in Agrinio, but after falling behind to a penalty from Admir Bajrovic in the second half, Vieirinha and Leo Matos scored in quick succession to give the Dikefalos tou Vorra another vital three points as they power to the trophy.
On Sunday evening, all eyes were on the Olympic Stadium as Panathinaikos hosted Olympiacos in the Eternal Derby, but with the visitors leading 1:0 after an excellent header from Miguel Angel Guerrero, despicable scenes between fans and police brought the match to a halt with 20 minutes remaining. It’s expected Olympiacos will be handed a 3:0 victory on paper, but for their part, Panathinaikos will be docked at least three points as their season continues to fall apart.
Reigning champions AEK took a huge step towards clinching third position and potentially a place in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round. The match against nearest challengers Atromitos promised to be a real test for the stuttering Kitrinomavri, but in a solid, committed display, they grabbed a vital victory at the Peristeri Stadium thanks to a clever late goal from Christos Almpanis. AEK now possess a four-point advantage over Atromitos with five matches remaining.
If they’re not careful, Atromitos could be caught in fourth by high flying Aris. On Monday, Aris were far too strong for relegation doomed Apollon Smyrnis, destroying their opponents 5:0 in Thessaloniki as Nicolas Diguiny (2), Martin Tonso, Hamza Younes and Giannis Fetfatzidis struck gold. As a result, Aris now only trail Atromitos by three points, and they will welcome the Peristeri outfit to the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium on matchday 28.
At the other end of the table, OFI gave their survival bid a well-needed boost, as they defeated fellow strugglers Levadiakos 2:0. OFI and Levadiakos have now swapped places in the Super League table, and with five rounds left, the Cretans only trail 13th placed PAS Giannina by a single point. The club in 13th position will compete against the second best Football League team in a relegation/promotion playoff. PAS drew 0:0 against AEL.
Asteras Tripolis desperately wanted to beat eighth placed Lamia at home, but despite their best efforts, the match finished 0:0. The Tripoli club are level on 27 points with AEL as their relegation fears haven’t yet disappeared. Elsewhere, Panionios climbed to ninth, with Serbian midfielder Novica Maksimovic scoring the only goal against Xanthi with a superb strike. Incredibly, Xanthi, who sit in 10th spot, have scored just the one Super League goal in their last nine matches!
2018/2019 Super League standings after 25 rounds:
PAOK, 67 points
Olympiacos, 57 points*
AEK, 47 points
Atromitos, 43 points
Aris, 40 points
Panetolikos, 33 points
Panathinaikos, 32 points**
Lamia, 30 points
Panionios, 29 points
Xanthi, 29 points
Asteras Tripolis, 27 points
AEL, 27 points
PAS Giannina, 23 points
OFI, 22 points
Levadiakos, 20 points
Apollon Smyrnis, 10 points
*Decision not yet released concerning abandoned match against Panathinaikos
**Decision not yet released concerning abandoned match against Olympiacos
by Shaun Nicolaides
Image Source: sportfm.gr
Thank you for visiting AGONAsport.com, the only English based website for Greek sports fans across the world! Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and Twitter for all the latest news in Greek Sports!