Atromitos snatches win at AEK as derby ends in a draw
Atromitos is practically left alone in the chase of leader PAOK, by virtue of its 2-0 win at champion AEK on Sunday, although the big game of the weekend undoubtedly was the 1-1 draw between the Eternal Rivals, Olympiakos and Panathinaikos in Piraeus.
A particularly eventful second half at the Georgipos Karaiskakis Stadium saw Panathinaikos lead just after the hour mark with a spectacular volley by Ergys Kace, and Olympiakos find the equalizer five minutes into the time added-on via Pape Abou Cisse.
Before the goals, Panathinaikos keeper Sokratis Dioudis was stretchered off after taking a head blow by Bibras Natcho’s knee. The match was stopped for over five minutes with plaers, officials and fans fearing the worst for unconscious Dioudis, but the former Greece Under-21 keeper regained consciousness amid a warm applause by the Olympiakos fans, no less.
The result made the Greens happy, as they escaped from Piraeus with a precious point that has taken them to 15 at the sixth place, while Olympiakos is now six points off the pace in third.
PAOK has climbed to 26 thanks to an anxious 2-1 home win over Panetolikos, through an own goal by Nikos Marinakis and the maiden goal for PAOK by former Arsenal striker Chuba Akpom. Alhassan Kamara cut the distance for the visitors at Toumba.
Atromitos remained two points behind PAOK thanks to a cleverly earned victory at AEK behind closed doors at the Olympic Stadium. The Peristeri club was lucky to avoid conceding on the three occasions AEK hit the woodwork, and gave its host a lesson on efficiency scoring in two out of the handful of chances it created, through Spyros Risvanis on the 88th and Efthymis Koulouris on the 90th.
Koulouris remains the top scorer of the Super League and Atromitos continues as the only unbeaten team in the league along with title favorite PAOK.
Fourth-placed Xanthi suffered a 1-0 reverse at home to Panionios on Saturday, 10-man Lamia ground out a goalless draw from visiting Asteras Tripolis, Levadiakos rose to 12th beating fellow relegation fighters OFI Crete 2-1 in Livadia, and Larissa saw off PAS Giannina 2-0 at home.
On Monday Apollon Smyrnis hosts Aris in Athens.
