Greece: Panathinaikos reclaim lead as Olympiakos fall

(GSM) – Panathinaikos returned to the Greek Super League summit on Sunday with their 3-0 win over Levadiakos, but Olympiakos fell further off the pace in a 1-0 loss to Iraklis.

Desperate to go back to the top after PAOK claimed top spot on Saturday, Panathinaikos struggled to break through against the Levadiakos defense for much of the game.

The resistance, though, finally ended in the 64th minute when Dimitris Salpingidis grabbed his fourth goal of the season.

The floodgates then opened up as Sebastian Leto doubled the advantage in the 71st minute, and Djibril Cissé notched his league-best 21st goal just two minutes later.

Olympiakos, however, fell five points off the pace of the leaders as they stumbled away to Iraklis.

Olof Mellberg conceded a penalty in the fifth minute, giving Iraklis’ Bogdan Mara the chance to open the scoring with a fine spot kick past Antonis Nikopolidis.

The visitors pressed forward, but the defense of Iraklis and goalkeeper Daniel Fernandes produced a magnificent display to keep them off the board.

They had to hold on in the dying minutes when Constatin Iacob earned his second booking and was sent off.