SPORTS

AEK rejoins PAOK in second beating it on the road

GEORGE GEORGAKOPOULOS

TAGS: Soccer

AEK has regained the upper hand in its fight with PAOK for Greece’s second spot in next season’s Champions League qualifiers, beating its rival away on Wednesday, as the first half of the Super League playoffs came to a close.

PAOK was a shadow of its usual self and easily succumbed with a 2-0 score at home to an AEK that appeared more eager to win.

The Yellows scored via Dmytro Chygrynskiy and Marko Livaja and have matched PAOK on points, as well as snatching the advantage in goal difference at their head-to-head record.

A number of PAOK fans gathered after the game outside the locker room at Toumba to vent their frustration against coach Abel Ferreira.

Two goals by Ahmed Hasan sufficed for champion Olympiakos to defeat visiting OFI 2-1 in Piraeus and preserve its unbeaten record in the league this season, five games from the end. Vajebah Sakor had equalized for the Cretans.

Panathinaikos scored its first win in the playoffs, defeating a depleted Aris 2-0 at the Olympic Stadium of Athens. The Greens had captain Dimitris Kourbelis and Dimitris Kolovetsios to thank for their goals on the night.

Olympiakos has now opened a 22-point lead reaching 81 points. AEK and PAOK are on 59, Panathinaikos has climbed to 50, Aris is on 38 and OFI stayed on 35.

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