The first round of games of the 2012-2013 Super League produced little excitement but plenty of controversy, thereby picking up from where it had left in the end of the previous season. Olympiakos and Panathinaikos scored hard-fought wins on the road over the weekend, while the other two Greek representatives in Europe, PAOK and Atromitos were more convincing in their victories.

Champion Olympiakos beat Veria 2-1 on Sunday thanks to goals by Rafik Djebbour (Photo above)  and Francois Modesto, while the newly-promoted Macedonian side had an opening goal incorrectly disallowed as offside.

Panathinaikos fielded a weakened side at Levadiakos, with coach Jesualdo Ferreira having the Champions League playoff return leg with Malaga in mind, but still emerged victorious from its Livadia challenge with a 1-0 victory. Defender Loukas Vintra (Photo below) was on target for the Athens giants on Saturday.

Olympiakos and Panathinaikos were then locked on Sunday in a battle of statements, accusing each other of influencing officials, which does not bode well at all ahead of the new season.

PAOK needed a beautiful second-half strike by in-form forward Stefanos Athanasiadis to beat new boys Panthrakikos 1-0 at home, while Atromitos scored twice through Chumbinho and Sokratis Fytanidis in the first half to beat host Kerkyra 2-0 on Sunday.

Once-great AEK lost 1-0 at home to Asteras Tripolis, as the inexperienced side the Athens team fielded was unable to make its teenage passion match the quality of the Peloponnesian club.

In other games OFI and Xanthi drew 0-0 in a rather entertaining encounter on Crete, while the goalless draw between PAS Yiannina and promoted Platanias was much more dull