Soccer-Olympiakos make winning start to Super League season

By Graham Wood ATHENS, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Greek champions Olympiakos Piraeus made a typical galvanising start to the new Super League season on Sunday with an impressive 3-0 home victory over Panionios. Marco Silva's new-look team, which has undergone wholesale changes during a busy close season of transfer activity following a surprise coaching change, were in control from the kick-off at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium. Greece midfielder Kostas Fortounis broke the visitors' resistance after 25 minutes, putting Olympiakos ahead with a clinical finish after controlling Jimmy Durmaz's pinpoint cross. Panionios battled away without troubling the Olympiakos goal and the game was over as a contest in the 72nd minute when Greek Under-21 midfielder Andreas Bouchalakis doubled the hosts' advantage with a deflected shot. Substitute Mathieu Dossevi added gloss to the scoreline with a third goal from long range in added time. The Red and Whites' victory came 24 hours after AEK Athens made a triumphant return to top flight football following a two-year absence with an emphatic 3-0 home win over Platanias at the Olympic Stadium. Goals from Venezuelan forward Ronald Vargas, Brazilian defender Rodrigo Galo and Greek striker Christos Aravidis saw AEK take the three points. AEK were relegated to the third tier for the first time ever after going through a painful bankruptcy process at the end of the 2012/13 season but coach Traianos Dellas, who was part of Greece's Euro 2004-winning side, has built a young, energetic team. Panathinaikos, who are tipped to pose a stronger title challenge to fierce rivals Olympiakos this season, open their campaign at Panaitolikos on Monday. (Editing by Ken Ferris)