Olympiakos’ historic mauling of AEK
Olympiakos demolished AEK with a historic 5-1 away win on Sunday, to get within two wins from a second consecutive Super League title.
The Reds matched their biggest ever away victory over AEK – the previous one dating since 1972 – with Giorgos Massouras bagging a brace and Mady Camara, Youssef El-Arabi, and Kostas Fortounis adding their names on the scoresheet at the Olympic Stadium of Athens. Karim Ansarifard pulled one back for AEK.
While this is a victory taking Olympiakos to the verge of clinching the league title, as it needs just two wins in the eight matches left in the playoffs, this was also a dramatic night for AEK that had its fans protest against their own team – a handful inside the stadium and numerous others outside it – and for AEK manager Manolo Jimenez. Both the Spanish coach and the club apologized for the result.
Panathinaikos beat PAOK for the second time in three weeks, but this time by the more emphatic 3-0 score at the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium. The Greens took three out of the four chances they had, via Federico Macheda, Lucas Villafanes and Aitor (pictured below), to enter the European spots for the first time this season. PAOK manager Pablo Garcia also apologized for the result.
Second-placed Aris has now put four points between itself and PAOK, thanks to its 2-0 home win over Asteras Tripolis, courtesy of strikes by Xande Silva and Dimitris Manos.
Olympiakos has 73 points, Aris 54, PAOK 50, Panathinaikos 49, AEK 48 and Asteras Tripolis 43.
In the playouts, Larissa drew 1-1 with fellow struggling Panetolikos, OFI came from behind to score a 2-1 against PAS Giannina, Atromitos shared a 1-1 draw with Apollon Smyrnis, as did Lamia with Volos.
