Unstoppable Panathinaikos makes Champions League

By George Georgakopoulos

Panathinaikos will be Greece?s representative in the qualifiers of next season?s Champions League after beating PAOK with a 2-0 score on Sunday to clinch the top spot in the Super League play-off mini-league, with two games left to play.

The Greens scored two early goals via Charis Mavrias ? on loan from Sunderland ? and Nikos Karelis and dominated the game at the filled-to-capacity Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium.

Panathinaikos has therefore extended its perfect record in this season?s play-offs with four wins in as many games, without conceding a single goal. It has also preserved its perfect record in all Super League play-off tournaments as in all six it has entered it has managed to finish on top.

PAOK has now dropped to third in the mini-league, risking to miss out on the second spot that secures a place in the group stage of the Europa League, as Asteras Tripolis has leapt to second after defeating Atromitos 1-0 on Sunday.

Dimitris Kourbelis scored the game?s sole goal at Tripoli taking Asteras?s points tally to six, i.e. two points ahead of PAOK and eight behind Panathinaikos, that has 14. Atromitos remains last with two points.

On Wednesday Panathinaikos hosts Asteras and PAOK greets Atromitos.