Panathinaikos extend coach Anastasiou's contract

Greek giants Panathinaikos have extended coach Yannis Anastasiou's contract until the summer of 2018, the club said Tuesday.

The former Greece international was hired in May 2013 on a two-year deal, the 42-year-old's first head coaching job. Anastasiou guided the Athens club to victory in the end-of-season play-offs last year after finishing second in the regular season.

Panathinaikos also won the Greek Cup last year, beating PAOK Thessaloniki 4-1 in the final. The club is currently second in the Super League, nine points behind leaders Olympiacos but assured of another play-off berth.

During his playing career, Anastasiou was capped five times by Greece and enjoyed spells with Belgian club Anderlecht and in the Dutch league with Ajax.