Former Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva believes the Republic of Ireland provided the perfect test as Brazil continued their preparations for the World Cup with a 2-0 friendly win at the Emirates Stadium. Veteran midfielder Gilberto - playing back at the club he left for Panathinaikos in 2008 - believes yesterday's game was just the examination Brazil needed as they prepare for the challenges ahead in South Africa. 'It was very hard and Ireland gave us a lot of difficulties,' said Gilberto, who was part of the Brazil side which won the World Cup in 2002. 'They marked us very tight and high up. 'However, in the second half we had some more space and could pass the ball with more fluency, which was how we scored the second goal.' Gilberto, 33, added: 'It will be hard in South Africa, but we will do our best. The first thing is to qualify from the first round, and then we will fight for every game until the end.'

Former Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva believes the Republic of Ireland provided the perfect test as Brazil continued their preparations for the World Cup with a 2-0 friendly win at the Emirates Stadium. Veteran midfielder Gilberto - playing back at the club he left for Panathinaikos in 2008 - believes yesterday's game was just the examination Brazil needed as they prepare for the challenges ahead in South Africa. 'It was very hard and Ireland gave us a lot of difficulties,' said Gilberto, who was part of the Brazil side which won the World Cup in 2002. 'They marked us very tight and high up. 'However, in the second half we had some more space and could pass the ball with more fluency, which was how we scored the second goal.' Gilberto, 33, added: 'It will be hard in South Africa, but we will do our best. The first thing is to qualify from the first round, and then we will fight for every game until the end.'

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Panathinaikos extended its lead in the Greek league to eight points on Sunday after earning a 0-0 draw at Aris Thessaloniki as second-place Olympiakos lost 1-0 at home to PAOK. Panathinaikos now has 48 points from 19 games, with Olympiakos and third-place PAOK on 40 points each. The Greek leader squandered an early chance when Djibril Cisse met a cross by Dimitris Salpingidis in the ninth minute but could only send his header Michalis Sifakis's crossbar. Ten minutes later, a free kick by Giorgos Karagounis found Gilberto Silva in the Aris area, but his header hit the crossbar. Unlike Aris, which failed to seriously threaten in the first half, the visitors had another chance in the 41st minute, when a powerful shot by Lazaros Christodoulopoulos forced Sifakis to make a diving save. Alexandros Tzorvas palmed away a powerful shot by Aris striker Eddie Johnson before a 20-meter (yards) shot by Panathinaikos midfielder Costas Katsouranis in the 88th was saved by Sifakis to secure his side a point. Striker Edinho scored PAOK's winner in a counterattack in the 20th minute following a through ball by Vladan Ivic. Olympiakos controlled the game in the second half but it was PAOK which came close to a second goal with Vieirinha and Pablo Garcia both hitting Antonis Nikopolidis's crossbar. Also Sunday, it was: Atromitos 2, Kavala 0; Panthrakikos 1, Xanthi 1 and AEK 3, Giannena 1.

Former Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva believes the Republic of Ireland provided the perfect test as Brazil continued their preparations for the World Cup with a 2-0 friendly win at the Emirates Stadium. Veteran midfielder Gilberto - playing back at the club he left for Panathinaikos in 2008 - believes yesterday's game was just the examination Brazil needed as they prepare for the challenges ahead in South Africa. 'It was very hard and Ireland gave us a lot of difficulties,' said Gilberto, who was part of the Brazil side which won the World Cup in 2002. 'They marked us very tight and high up. 'However, in the second half we had some more space and could pass the ball with more fluency, which was how we scored the second goal.' Gilberto, 33, added: 'It will be hard in South Africa, but we will do our best. The first thing is to qualify from the first round, and then we will fight for every game until the end.'

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Panathinaikos extended its lead in the Greek league to eight points on Sunday after earning a 0-0 draw at Aris Thessaloniki as second-place Olympiakos lost 1-0 at home to PAOK. Panathinaikos now has 48 points from 19 games, with Olympiakos and third-place PAOK on 40 points each. The Greek leader squandered an early chance when Djibril Cisse met a cross by Dimitris Salpingidis in the ninth minute but could only send his header Michalis Sifakis's crossbar. Ten minutes later, a free kick by Giorgos Karagounis found Gilberto Silva in the Aris area, but his header hit the crossbar. Unlike Aris, which failed to seriously threaten in the first half, the visitors had another chance in the 41st minute, when a powerful shot by Lazaros Christodoulopoulos forced Sifakis to make a diving save. Alexandros Tzorvas palmed away a powerful shot by Aris striker Eddie Johnson before a 20-meter (yards) shot by Panathinaikos midfielder Costas Katsouranis in the 88th was saved by Sifakis to secure his side a point. Striker Edinho scored PAOK's winner in a counterattack in the 20th minute following a through ball by Vladan Ivic. Olympiakos controlled the game in the second half but it was PAOK which came close to a second goal with Vieirinha and Pablo Garcia both hitting Antonis Nikopolidis's crossbar. Also Sunday, it was: Atromitos 2, Kavala 0; Panthrakikos 1, Xanthi 1 and AEK 3, Giannena 1.