Greece round-up: Panathinaikos push forward

Panathinaikos FC increased their lead over title rivals Olympiakos Piraeus FC to three points with a 1-0 victory over Xanthi FC.

Warzycha the hero
The match took place in Patras due to the stadium ban imposed on Panathinaikos following crowd trouble in Giannina three weeks ago. Substitute Krzysztof Warzycha, Panathinaikos's 39-year-old Polish striker, scored the only goal of the game with a spectacular 25-metre drive in the 74th minute. Earlier, Michalis Konstantinou, who eventually made way for Warzycha, wasted a glorious chance when he saw Xanthi goalkeeper Jurai Bucek nine minutes before half-time.

Olympiakos held
Olympiakos, meanwhile, lost ground on the leaders when they were held to a goalless away draw by a resilient fourth-placed Panionios FC. In a rather uneventful encounter, both sides created chances but the visitors had much of the possession. Andreas Lagonikakis had a goal disallowed for Panionios in the 81st minute and Vangelis Mantzios wasted a chance to break the deadlock minute later.

Six for AEK
AEK Athens FC are now only two points adrift of Olympiakos after a crushing 6-1 victory against Iraklis FC. Vassilis Tsartas opened the scoring after only two minutes before Ilija Ivic double the home side's advantage with a superb individual effort two minutes later. A Tassos Katsiabis own goal made it 3-0 before half-time, and second half strikes from Vassilis Lakis, Grigoris Georgatos and Dimitris Nalitzi sealed AEK's eight successive league win.

Derby delight
FC PAOK Thessaloniki are fifth after a 2-0 win against Aris Thessaloniki FC in the Thessalonika derby. In a match played at a neutral venue in Trikala because of a stadium ban imposed on PAOK, Giasemakis Giasemi gave the 'home' side the lead five minutes after the break and former Aris player Giorgos Theodoridis sealed the victory with a spectacular 30-metre strike. Aris's Nikos Papadopoulos was sent off in added time after a professional foul on Giasemi.

OFI score four
OFI Crete FC remain eighth but will be full of confidence following their fine 4-0 win at tenth-placed Egaleo FC. The visitors cruised to victory thanks to goals from Tassos Dentsas, Gerasimos Belevonis, Metodi Dejanov (2). PAS Giannina FC, facing relegation from the top flight for financial reasons, claimed a 1-0 win at home to Kallithea GS, while Akratitos FC boosted their survival hopes as Panagiotis Gitsis, Alsead Bayazid and Panagiotis Ziakkas scored in a 3-0 home win against struggling Panahaiki FC. Proodeftiki FC and Ionikos FC played out a goalless draw in the weekend's other game.