AEK celebrates its 13th title, while Ionikos is relegated
AEK celebrated on Sunday its 13th league title, as its easy victory over Volos sealed its triumph in the 2022-23 Super League championship, while Lamia snatched a late equalizer to send Ionikos to the second division.
Having secured a three-point lead from last Monday, AEK strolled to a 4-0 win over visiting Volos and partied all night with its fans for its first title in the new OPAP Arena stadium at Nea Filadelfia.
Steven Zuber, Mijat Gacinovic, Orbelin Pineda and Damian Szymanski scored in AEK’s final match that was followed by wild celebrations inside and outside the stadium.
A deflated Panathinaikos drew 1-1 at home against Aris, ending up five points from the top that it had stayed on for most of the season. Laszlo Kleinheisler put the Greens ahead but Juan Iturbe equalized for Aris that also had a penalty saved in the second half.
Olympiakos won 1-0 at PAOK and snatched the third spot that will lead to next season’s Europe League unless PAOK wins the Greek Cup in the final on May 24 against AEK. The Reds emerged victorious from Toumba through a Diadie Samassekou goal.
The final table of the playoffs is as follows: AEK 83, Panathinaikos 78, Olympiakos 73, PAOK 67, Aris 51 and Volos 40.
In the playouts Lamia performed the ultimate escape act at Nikaia, as it fell 2-0 behind Ionikos while it needed a draw to stay up, but in the second half it scored twice to snatch a 2-2 result that sent Ionikos down. The precious goal that preserved Lamia’s Super League status came directly from a free kick by former Manchester United player Zoran Tosic.
In other games OFI beat Panetolikos 2-0 to finish top of the playouts, Asteras drew 1-1 with Atromitos and Levadiakos shared a 3-3 draw with PAS Giannina.
OFI ended up with 41 points, Atromitos with 38, PAS Giannina 31, Panetolikos 30, Lamia 29, Ionikos 27 and Levadiakos 26.
Panserraikos has already clinched the first ticket up to the Super League from Super League 2, with Kifissia likely to secure the second.
