Greek soccer’s big three scored unanswered goals yesterday to keep themselves within two points, in another low-scoring weekend.

League leader AEK beat visiting Levadiakos 3-0 easily, with goals from Rivaldo, Ismael Blanco and an own goal by Fritz Emeran. Levadiakos played all of the second half with 10 men, after Dimitris Diamantis got sent off.

One point behind AEK, Olympiakos scored a 1-0 home win over fifth-placed Aris thanks to a Predrag Djordjevic penalty, while third-placed Panathinaikos came back from Thessaloniki with a precious 0-1 win over PAOK via former PAOK striker Dimitris Salpingidis.

Iraklis held fourth-placed Asteras Tripolis to a 0-0 draw in Thessaloniki, Larissa beat visiting Atromitos 2-0, Panionios needed a 92-minute Rafiq Djebbour goal to beat Apollon Kalamarias 2-1, while on Saturday Xanthi saw off Veria 2-0 and Ergotelis ended 1-1 with OFI in the Iraklion derby.

OFI (16), Apollon (15) and Ergotelis (13) remained in the drop zone.