Ergotelis upsets Panathinaikos with 3-2 Super League victory
Ergotelis scored an impressive win over Panathinaikos for the soccer Super League in Athens’s Olympic Stadium last night, making the most of the defensive frailty of the host. Ergotelis won 3-2 thanks to its fast counterattacks that the slow defenders of the Greens could not handle, while the absence of injured defensive midfielder Gilberto Silva left the center of the host’s defense even more exposed. Panathinaikos led after just seven minutes with Brazilian full back Gabriel and missed two chances with Vangelis Mantzios to extend its lead. The second half however started with a bang for Ergotelis who scored twice with its young striker Vassilis Koutsianikoulis within the space of four minutes (in the 47th and 51st) after inexcusable defensive errors by Panathinaikos. The host equalized in the 53rd minute courtesy of Lazaros Christo-doulopoulos, his first goal with Panathinaikos, but Ergotelis regained its lead in the 62nd minute when Mario Budimir capitalized on another Panathinaikos error. The game ended with Panathinaikos fans jeering their own players and applauding the winners, particularly Koutsianikoulis. «I am really ashamed of what happened here and I assume full responsibility,» said the Greens’ coach Henk ten Cate after the match. Ergotelis has now overtaken Panathinaikos in the standings, having taken 12 points from seven games against 11 for Panathinaikos.
