Panathinaikos 1-3 Standard Liege: Shamrock Stunned By Smash And Grab Belgians

Standard Liege have taken a massive step towards the quarter-finals of the Europa League following an efficient 3-1 win away to Panathinaikos.

A lone Loukas Vyntra goal shortly after the break was the best the Greeks could muster as three counterattacking goals from Axel Witsel, Milan Jovanovic and Igor De Camargo stunned the Spiros Louis Stadium in Athens.

The hosts started brightly and had the Belgian's on the back foot in the early stages. Standard resisted the early onslaught and Dieudonne Mbokani's deep cross from the left wing was met by Witsel who climbed highest at the back post to head back across Milan Galinovic's goal for an early lead.

Pana responded and continued to play the better football with Sebastian Leto and Djibril Cisse working Sinan Bolat in the Standard goal but they couldn't find a way past the 21-year-old Turkish shot stopper and were soon hit with another sucker punch as the visitors profited from another clinical counterattack.

Just eight minutes after taking the lead against the run of play, Standard found themselves two goals to the good thanks to a terrible mistake from Galinovic who raced off his line in a bid to intercept Steven Defour's through ball but he failed to reached it, allowing Jovanovic to roll the ball into an empty net from just outside the 18 yard box.