UEFA Champions League

Standard Liege 2-0 Olympiacos: Mbokani & Jovanovic Seal Standard Win

The Greeks will have to wait for their place in the knockout stages.

Nov 4, 2009 4:44:14 PM

Champions League: Standard Liege - Olympiakos / Carcela-Gonzalez - Maresca (INTIME)

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Champions League: Standard Liege - Olympiakos / Carcela-Gonzalez - Maresca (INTIME)

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Standard Liege kept UEFA Champions League Group H alive with a hard fought victory over Olympiacos thanks to goals from Dieumerci Mbokani and Milan Jovanovic.

Having taken the lead the Belgians had to weather some pressure from Olympiacos in the second half before Jovanovic added the second goal on the counterattack with just two minutes remaining to seal all three points.

Congolese striker Mbokani put the Belgians in front after just half an hour with a fine individual effort, racing clear of Olof Mellberg who misjudged the flight of the ball before firing past Antonios Nikopolidis from 14 yards.

Mbokani had been threatening, playing off the shoulder of the Greek back line and though he was guilty of straying offside on a handful of occasions he got his reward this time and made no mistake with the finish.

The home side could have doubled their advantage minutes later when Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez smashed a fine left-footed effort off the woodwork from 25 yards with Nikopolidis beaten.

The Greeks were reeling but could have had an equalizer when Mitroglou hit an effort from distance which was not far wide of Sinan Bolat's goal.

Olympiacos dominated possession in the second half but an Enzo Maresca header was really as close as they came to getting a goal. Standard drifted further and further back trying to hold out with the one goal lead and a goal for the visitors looked inevitable as the Belgians seemed content to let Olympiacos control the ball.

Zico' side then gradually committed more forward in search of the equaliser but Oscar Gonzalez's booking for an outrageous dive typified their night.

Jovanovic proved a decent outlet for relieving pressure on the Standard defense and a couple of runs from the Serbian kept the Olympiacos backline on their toes. In fact it was Jovanovic who made and scored the second for Standard, feeding Mbokani down the right and when the Congolese forwards effort was parried by Nikopolidis, Jovanovic was on hand to head home and secure all three points for the hosts.

Standard Leige can still catch Olympiacos in second place but will need to get something from the game against Arsenal at the Emirates next time out while hoping Olympiakos drop points in their remaining fixtures.

Paul Madden, Goal.com

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