PAO, AEK back to winning ways

Panathinaikos reduced the gap from Super League leaders Olympiakos to four points with a 2-0 win over Ergotelis in Athens on Saturday, as AEK also beat Xanthi by the same scoreline.

The Greens had been rocked by the news before kick off that sporting director Carlos Freitas had resigned.

The Portuguese was seen as being instrumental in bringing his countryman Jesualdo Ferreira to Athens to coach

PAO but he seems to have been the latest victim of the ongoing boardroom shakeup at the club.

Freitas's departure did not seem to deter the Greens, who started brightly and were 1-0 up within seven minutes thanks to a header from former Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva.

Defender Cedric Kante made it 2-0 in the 40^th minute with another header.

The win moves Panathinaikos onto 44 points after 20 games. Ergotelis remain sixth on 25.

AEK moved level on 33 points with PAOK but remain in fourth place after their away win at Xanthi.

Leonardo Pereira gave the visitors the lead in the fourth minute with a well-executed half volley inside the penalty area.

AEK were 2-0 up on 26 minutes when an in-form Nikos Liberopoulos headed home from a corner.

The remainder of the game, which saw the referee dish out seven yellow cards, had little in the way of goalmouth action.

The defeat leaves Xanthi on 24 points in ninth place.

In Saturday's other game, struggling Iraklis were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Kerkyra.

The host hit the post in the second half through Giorgos Kyriazis but were not able to break down the visitors' resistance that would have given them a vital win to lift them away from the relegation zone.

The point takes Iraklis to 23 points but they remain in 14^th. Kerkyra have 24 points in 11^th.

source: sportingreece