The Reds are on 48 points after 19 games but the manner of their win in the Peloponnese was highly questionable. Asteras were
adamant that a penalty awarded after half an hour should never have been given.
David Fuster went down in the opposition box but replays showed that the defender had clearly got to the ball first before making contact with the midfielder. The Spaniard got up and tucked the penalty away to set the Reds on their way.
Olympiakos had several chances to make it 2-0 and render arguments over the penalty somewhat academic. But wayward finishing and good goalkeeping kept the league leaders at bay and ensured that the arguments about the spot kick will rage on throughout the week.
The Reds got a helping hand from one of their players in the Panionios vs Panathinaikos game when on-loan striker Kostas Mitroglou pounced in the 50th minute to give the Nea Smyrni side the lead.
The Greens hit back six minutes later when Sebastian Leto was brought down and awarded a penalty. Djibril Cisse smashed the ball home to make it 1-1.
The Frenchman had the chance to make it 2-1 in the 78th minute but hit the bar. It was the best chance of a frantic final period of a match that may have marked the moment when Panathinaikos completely lost grip of the title they won last season as they are on just 41 points.
Seven points now looks like a huge gap to make up on Olympiakos, who do not seem likely to lose a lot of games between now and the end of the season.
Kavala kept up their outsiders' chances of a third-place finish with an emphatic 3-0 win over Iraklis in a game where both sides ended with 10 men.
All the games and the red cards came in a hectic half hour in the second half. Igor Tomasic put the home side ahead with a header in the 67th minute and just five minutes later, Ricardo Dani of Iraklis and Jamal Abdoun of Kavala were sent off for an altercation.
The visitors, desperate for a point to stay clear of the relegation zone, went in search of an equalizer but were caught on the counter attack twice. Hotshot Benjamin Onwuachi scored his ninth league goal of the season to make it 2-0 with nine minutes to go and Mark Pertzel got the third in the fourth minute of injury time.
Kavala now have 27 points and are fifth but Iraklis are back in a relegation fight as they remain stuck on 22 points, just three points outside the drop zone.
Atromitos continued climbing away from the bottom three with a 1-0 win at 15th-placed Panserraikos.
Ilias Anastasakos scored the game's only goal with a fine diving header in the 82nd minute.
The win takes Atromitos up to seventh on 25 points. The Serres club remains on 16 points.
Ergotelis and Aris drew 0-0, leaving the Yellows off the pace as far as third place goes and a point behind the Cretans.
source: sportingreece
