PAOK leads race after Athens derby draw
PAOK has taken a one-point lead at the Super League playoff standings after its 2-1 win at Olympiakos Volou and the 1-1 draw between Panathinaikos and AEK on May 12.
The Thessaloniki side is on pole position now in the race for Greece?s second Champions League spot after making the most of its few chances at Volos.
The players of coach Makis Havos led at the 33rd minute through Adelino Vieirinha and doubled their advantage at the 53rd via Dimitris Salpigidis.
Juan Martin pulled one back for the local side, which came close to equalize towards the end putting pressure on the Costas Chalkias goal, but without success.
AEK is now second, one point behind PAOK, after snatching a draw at the Olympic Stadium from host Panathinaikos, in a game that could have gone either way.
Overall Panathinaikos was the better team as it had to win in order to stay on top of the table, but it was AEK that took an early lead at the second minute through Leonardo, its scorer in the previous game against Olympiakos Volou, too.
Panathinaikos tried to fight back in front of no more than 7,000 fans, but only got to get back on level terms through an AEK own goal. It was Ismael Blanco who sent the ball into his own team?s net at the 24th minute.
Both teams had one good chance to win the game in the end, but Loukas Vintra for Panathinaikos and Pantelis Kafes for AEK failed to get onto the score sheet.
The results mean that PAOK has six points, AEK has five, Panathinaikos has four and Olympiakos Volou is yet to register a point in the playoffs.
