Matchday 5 was another action packed weekend in the Greek Super League which saw a goalfest between Larissa and OFI with Larissa prevailing with a 4-3 home win. Aris returned to winning ways while PAOK lost ground to league leaders Olympiakos after a goaless draw away to Ergotelis. Newcomers Panserraikos and Panthrakikos came out with 1-0 wins against Thrasyvoulos and Panionios respectively to climb away from the bottom of the ladder. In Sunday's big derby, AEK was handed a 2-0 defeat after Olympiakos came to life midway through the second half thanks to goals by Kovacevic and Diogo.Matchday 6 is upon us once again and we have more quick summaries and injury lists than you can poke a stick at! We start off the weekend on Saturday with the match between Panionios and Aris whilst elsewhere, Iraklis face off against steady Ergotelis and Panserraikos will welcome out of form Asteras Tripolis. Sunday sees AEK versus Larissa, with AEK wanting to return to winning ways. Olympiakos face Panthrakikos in Karaiskaki Stadium but once more the game of the weekend is in Thessaloniki as PAOK host Panathinaikos. Interestingly enough, the Panathinaikos squad has been offered a nice bonus by the board if they can return triumphant from Toumba Stadium.
Matchday 5 Results
Larissa 4 - 3 OFI Crete
Aris Salonika 1 - 0 Iraklis
Ergotelis 0 - 0 PAOK Salonika
Asteras Tripoli 0 - 0 FC Xanthi
Panathinaikos 2 - 0 Levadiakos
Thrasyvoulos 0 - 1 Panserraikos
Olympiacos 2 - 0 AEK Athens
Panthrakikos 1 - 0 Panionios
Sunday, 19th October
Olympiacos - Panthrakikos
Summary: A second string Olympiakos side will be forced to play against Panthrakikos this weekend due to a rainfall of injuries to the first team side. Most of Olympiakos midfield will be missing including Ieroklis Stoltidis, Dudu, Luciano Galletti and captain Predrag Djordjevic leaving only Argentine playmaker Fernando Belluschi from the first team squad. Other injuries include full backs Leonardo and Georgios Galitsios plus back up keeper Pavel Kovac leaving coach Ernesto Valverde
to work a makeshift midfield with Christos Patsatzoglou and Sebastian Leto. For Panthrakikos a return to training for striker Okan Yilmaz and light training sessions for Xenofon Gittas, Emanuele Troise, Athanasios Stoikos, Christos Pentsas and Manuel de Jesus Lopes means that the the team will only strengthen if at least half of this list will be available for the match. But in the end even a second string Olympiakos in front of their home fans will not have much troubles defeating the newcomers, that and the fact that Panthrakikos has yet to score a single goal in away matches so far.
Pick: Olympiakos to Win (possible result 2-0)
Olympiakos 2 - 0 Panthrakikos
Sunday, 19th October
Levadeiakos - Skoda Xanthi
Summary: Levadeiakos will look to bounce back after the away defeat to Panathinaikos last matchday and with a 2 out of 2 record at home this could prove possible against Xanthi. Striker Eduardo Montoya trained with the side and will be available for the match while defender Fritz Emeran and midfielder Argirios Gatsos will undergo late fitness tests to see if they too will be included in the squad. Xanthi will be travelling with no injury worries to Levadia Municipal Stadium and will be depending upon striker Victor Agali and Argentine Sebastián Penco, who was handed a new contract this week, to be on target in front of goal.
Pick: No Pick (possible result 1-1)
Sunday, 19th October
PAOK - Panathinaikos
Summary: Panathinaikos will have a tough away match this week at Toumba Stadium against a PAOK who would like nothing more than to continue their very bright start to the season. Obviously Panathinaikos President Giannis Vardinogiannis sees this game as a game of great importance, so as to not see Olympiakos slowly slipping further and further away on points, and has put a player bonus on the match if the side can take full points in Thessaloniki. This could come true especially if PAOK striker Zlatan Muslimovic does not manage to reach the required fitness to join the squad. Greek international keeper Konstantinos Chalkias will be back in the squad while midfielder Lambros Vangelis has returned to light trainning sessions. For Panathinaikos the return to midfield for Giorgos Karagounis is assured but wether he will start the match or come off the bench like Greece's mid-week World Cup qualifier against Switzerland will depend on fitness. Sotiris Leontiou is undergoing light training while freekick specialist Andreas Ivanschitz is expected to be included in the squad. Striker Rodrigo Souza might be also set to miss the clash after he suffered an injury during yesterdays training session.
Pick: LAY PAOK (possible result 0-1)
PAOK 1 - 1 Panathinaikos
Saturday, 18th October
Panserraikos - Asteras Tripolis
Summary: Asteras Tripolis last two matches (a loss to Levadeiakos away and a draw at home with Xanthi)have ended goaless for the side and this could hurt them against Panserraikos who have started finding their feet, especially in away games (2 wins in 3 away matches) and are coming into the game with a great win away to strugglers Thrasyvoulos. Panserraikos coach Giannis Papakostas will have a near full squad for this match with the return from International duties for Guinean striker Sambegou Bangoura slotting straight back into the squad. Asteras Tripolis will still be
missing Argentine duo Sebastian Ereros and Israel Damonte but will have available for selection defender Bruno Urribarri and Horacio Cardozo.
Pick: No Pick (possible result 0-0)
Saturday, 18th October
Iraklis - Ergotelis
Summary: Iraklis have been sinking further and further down the Greek Super League table and will have to really step up and get a home win against an Ergotelis side who have been steady so far this season and seat comfortably within the top half of the ladder. To injuries then and Iraklis are free from any with only Serge Die sitting this one out due to being red carded in the last fixture. Ergotelis had Georgios Vakouftsis and Charis Mattheakis both pull out before the end of Thursdays training session but it is not yet certain to wether they will be included in the squad. Ioannis Kiliaras and Labros Kefaloukos are back to full training and will be included in the squad for the Iraklis away match.
Pick: LAY Iraklis (possible result 1-1)
Iraklis 0 - 0 Ergotelis
Sunday, 19th October
OFI - Thrasyvoulos
Summary: Both teams will want 3 points out of this game considering they are both in relegation spots at this moment and with Panthrakikos and Panserraikos starting to play more positive football and getting results OFI will have a good chance at home to share some confidence within the club. One more training session than before Sunday's match and OFI look to have a solid squad going into this one with only Greek midfielder Tassos Venetis picking up a training injury and long time lay-off defender Dimitris Arvanitis who has begun undergoing physiotherapy. For Thrasyvoulos
also a full squad will travel to face OFI. Aleksandar Simic put a great performance in for OFI during last fixtures thrilling away loss to Larissa and he can be the difference for Sundays match as well. Strikers Esteban Herrera and Dame Ndoye will have a chance to get on the scoreboard.
Pick: OFI to Win (possible result 3-1)
OFI 1 - 3 Thrasyvoulos
Saturday, 18th October
Panionios - Aris
Summary: Panionios face Aris this matchday and they will be looking to forget about last game s loss to newcomers Panthrakikos and concentrate on winning ways once more. Aris in the other hand had a much needed win at home against strugglers Iraklis by a 1-0 margin after Alejandro Lembo's last minute strike. Panionios coach will no doubt be making changes to the side that lost last matchday including midfielder Ivica Majstorovic who will miss this game due to suspension. Fabian Estoyanoff will still be out due to a late injury during Thursdays training session but long awaited Alvaro Recoba will be available to start. Another surprise inclusion in the Panionios squad is that of striker Lampros Choutos who was fined for his bust up with the coaching staff a month back. For Aris not many injuries to anounce but there is that of influential winger Mario Regueiro who is back in the injury list and is looking to be out for around 10 days before being able to begin training once more.
Pick: Panionios to Win (possible result 2-1)
Panionios 2 - 1 Aris
Sunday, 19th October
AEK - Larissa
Summary: Larissa will have the better morale after last matchday where they defeated OFI 4-3 at home while AEK suffered a 2-0 defeat in Olympiakos Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium. That and the loss of Greek International defender Sotiris Kyrgiakos, who suffered an injury during the Greece - Switzerland midweek match, are certain blows to what was a positive start for AEK who find themselves in 5th spot in the Greek Super League ladder. Doubtful is also Canadian midfielder Tamandani Nsaliwa who suffered a slight injury during yesterdays training session. For Larissa veteran midfielder Nolberto Solano will not be starting in this match due to physical tiredness after the International games played with Peru. Belgian striker Mbo Mpenza will be out due to injury.
Pick: LAY Larissa (possible result 1-1)
AEK 1 - 1 Larissa
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