Football | Ghana

Owusu-Abeyie © Action Images

Panathinaikos on top



A 72nd-minute goal by Ghana's Quincy Owusu-Abeyie was all Panathinaikos needed to go top of the Greek Super League. Olympiakos had earlier lost 1-0 at Xanthi, only its second defeat of the season. Panathinaikos has two more points and a game in hand on Olympiakos.

Third-place AEK Athens is a further six points behind after drawing 1-1 at Ergotelis on Saturday. At Athens' Olympic Stadium, visiting Atromitos kept Panathinaikos in check for most of the first half and had the opening chance when Costas Mitroglou's volley was well saved by diving goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis in the 14th minute.

Panathinaikos first threatened when Quincy's long drive went just past the left post in the 33rd minute. Toward the end of the half, Panathinaikos complained loudly twice when Sebastian Leto and then Zeca were tackles in Atromitos' area. Replays showed that both challenges were legal and Zeca was lucky not to be carded for a theatrical dive.

Panathinaikos came close to scoring when Cleyton's shot was stopped by Charles Itanje in a flying save in the 51st, while Karnezis made another great save in the 68th from Panayiotis Vallas' shot from the edge of the area. Four minutes later, Loukas Vyntra made a deep cross and Leto rose to head the ball but it hit the back of an Atromitos defender and fell into the path of a charging Quincy, who scored with a strong low drive from just inside the area.

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