The return of Greek players to league action after achieving Greece’s qualification to the 2014 World Cup offered pretty much more of the same, with Olympiakos, PAOK, Panathinaikos and Atromitos all scoring victories in fairly entertaining games.
Olympiakos put four past Panthrakikos on Saturday to win 4-1 at Komotini on Saturday despite the absence of top scorer Costas Mitroglou. Costas Manolas, Joel Campbell, Andreas Samaris and Javier Saviola were on target for the Reds, while Igor de Souza had equalized for the Thrace club.
PAOK came from 1-0 down to beat struggling Aris in the Thessaloniki derby at Toumba on Sunday night. Shaloze Udoji gave the Yellows the lead against the run of play, but three goals in the last 20 minutes by Lucas Perez, Stefanis Athanasiadis and Zvonimir Vukic ensured PAOK stayed within six points from leader Olympiakos.
Atromitos struggled to beat bottom side Veria, but secure its 1-0 home win thanks to a Thanasis Karagounis strike on Saturday.
Panathinaikos, one point behind third-placed Atromitos, shook off the absence of its fans serving a one-game penalty behind closed doors to beat visiting PAS Giannina 3-1. Nikos Karelis scored twice after Marcus Berg had given the Greens the lead and Tomas De Vincenti had equalized.
In other games, coach Lawrie Sanchez watched his new team Apollon lose 1-0 at home to OFI, Xanthi defeated visiting Panetolikos 3-1, Asteras Tripolis downed Ergotelis 1-0 on Crete and Kalloni Lesvou scored a third straight win, seeing off Platanias 1-0.
Today, Levadiakos greets Panionios.
