The midweek’s first round of games for the Greek Cup’s group stage produced little excitement and hardly any surprises, with the exception of Iraklis holding Panathinaikos to a goalless draw in Athens on Thursday.

Just like in the 1-1 draw at Veria on Monday for the Super League, Panathinaikos wasted a great number of chances and drew 0-0 with a spirited Iraklis at the Apostolos Nikolaidis stadium. The Greens will now need to beat the other two sides in the group, second-division teams Apollon Smyrnis and OFI, to be sure of advancing to the knock-out stages. Apollon tops the group after downing OFI 1-0 in Athens.

Olympiakos strolled against Platanias on Wednesday winning 3-0, with Felipe Pardo scoring twice and Omar Elabdellaoui once, as Sparti saw off Hania 4-0 in the same group.

PAOK defeated Larissa 2-0, goals coming from Yiannis Mystakidis and Facundo Pereyra. In the same pool Trikala thrashed Panelefsiniakos 5-0 away.

On Tuesday AEK put four past visiting Kerkyra (4-0) thanks to goals by Rodrigo Galo, Lazaros Christodoulopoulos and Tomas Pekhart, plus an own goal by Jordao Diogo. Lamia overcame Anagennisi Karditsas with a 1-0 score.

In other groups it was PAS Giannina 1 Xanthi 0, Kalloni Lesvou 1 Agrotikos Asteras 2, Aiginiakos 0 Aris 3, Asteras Tripolis 1 Veria 0, Atromitos 1 Panetolikos 0, Panthrakikos 3 Kallithea 0, Panionios 0 Levadiakos 0, and Panserraikos 0 Kissamikos 2.

The second round of games in the group stage is scheduled for November 29-December 1. The top two teams from each group of four advance to the next round.