Ajdarevic strike secures AEK victory over Olympiakos

AEK forced Olympiakos’s second loss in the Super League this year, winning 1-0 in Sunday’s derby to secure little more than the bragging rights, given it remains 18 points from the top of the table.

League leader Olympiakos is now 10 points clear of second-placed Panionios, as its performance at the Olympic Stadium of Athens merited no more than what it got, against an AEK that was more passionate and more efficient.

The host has Swedish midfielder Astrit Ajdarevic to thank for his free-kick on the 34th minute that went in off the head of Manuel da Costa for the rather poor derby’s sole goal.

Olympiakos ended the game with 10 men as skipper Alberto Botia got sent off for a second bookable offense and for the second consecutive year in the AEK vs Olympiakos league fixture.

Panionios – which next Sunday visits Olympiakos – strolled to a 1-0 win over 10-man Iraklis thanks to another Ben Mohamed goal, staying two points ahead of PAOK. The Thessaloniki team thrashed bottom team Veria 4-0 with two goals from Aleksandar Prijovic and one each from Pedro Henrique and Dimitris Pelkas.

Having scored eight goals in two games over the previous week, Panathinaikos put another five past host Asteras Tripolis on Saturday. The 5-0 win for the Greens, through goals from Victor Klonaridis, Marcus Berg, Rodrigo Moledo, Paul-Jose M’poku and Olivier Boumal, kept them one point behind PAOK and confirmed that manager Marinos Ouzounidis is transforming the Athens giant. His opposite number on Saturday, Dimitris Eleftheropoulos, tendered his resignation.

In other weekend games PAS Giannina downed neighboring Kerkyra 1-0, Atromitos overcame Xanthi 2-1 and Platanias Hanion defeated host Panetolikos 2-1 at Agrinio to climb to seventh at the table.

On Monday Larissa hosts Levadiakos.