Napoleoni puts Atromitos on driving seat
The Super League playoff saga had yet another swing on Wednesday, as mini-table leader PAOK suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Atromitos at home, now making the Peristeri side the favorite to snatch Greece’s other Champions League spot next season, behind champion Olympiakos. In Wednesday’s other game Asteras defeated PAS Giannina 2-1.
With one game remaining, Atromitos is tied on top with PAOK and has beaten the Thessaloniki club twice in the playoffs, so it has the lead and will finish top if it beats Asteras Tripolis at home on Sunday.
PAOK actually led after 33 minutes at the Toumba stadium through Dimitris Salpigidis, but the second half was dominated by Atromitos who scored through Stefano Napoleoni in the 46th and the 93rd minute of the game, while also hitting the woodwork twice between the goals.
The PAOK loss was followed by ugly scenes of home fans attacking their own team’s players, with a bottle hitting PAOK keeper Panayiotis Glykos on the back of his neck. PAOK owner Ivan Savvidis was for the first time booed on his way out of the stadium.
Asteras has kept its hopes of finishing first alive after defeating visiting PAS, and is now aiming at an away win at Atromitos on Sunday along with a PAOK defeat at Ioannina to claim the top spot.
The Tripoli side had a great start to the game leading 2-0 through goals by Juan Pablo Caffa in the 2nd and Savvas Tsambouris in the 16th minute, with Nikos Korovesis reducing the arrears in the 23rd from the penalty spot.
Atromitos and PAOK have 10 points each, Asteras is on eight and PAS has seven points.
