Match ends, Olympiakos 2, Manchester United 0.
OlympiakosOlympiakos2Man UtdManchester United0
Manchester United's Champions League campaign is in serious peril after they were comfortably beaten by Olympiakos in the last-16 first leg in Athens.
United, who registered only one shot on target, fell behind when Alejandro Dominguez diverted home Giannis Maniatis's effort before the break.
Arsenal loanee Joel Campbell's precise shot doubled the lead and the visitors only came to life late on.
Robin van Persie blazed over the top when they finally opened up the Greeks.
It would have been an injustice to the hosts had the Dutchman converted his late chance, however, after United's current limitations were exposed on a chastening night.
Olympiakos lead the Greek Super League by 20 points, having won 24 of 26 games, in sharp contrast to their opponents' increasingly forlorn Premier League title defence.
And, after reverses for Manchester City and Arsenal last week, the Greeks inflicted the third defeat of the round for English sides.
Olympiakos manager Michel had suggested before kick-off that United, whose best hope of passage into next year's Champions League appeared to be winning this season's competition, could fold under the pressure of knockout football.
The visitors, who were famously eliminated by Galatasaray in a similarly white-hot atmosphere in Istanbul in 1993, certainly fuelled the noisy home fans' enthusiasm with some early defensive wobbles.
After Rio Ferdinand had misplaced a couple of passes, a last-ditch challenge from Nemanja Vidic only just ended Dominguez's run after he had advanced into the area unchallenged.
Dominguez continued to orchestrate Olympiakos's attacks from an advanced midfield role and with Juan Mata cup-tied, Adnan Januzaj left out of the match-day squad and Rooney frustrated by the referee and his own performance, the visitors lacked a similarly commanding figure.
So it was fitting that it was the Argentine who opened the scoring.
Maniatis's trundling low shot posed little danger to United goalkeeper David De Gea, but Dominguez's outstretched foot cleverly diverted the ball into the opposite corner giving the Spaniard too much ground to make up.
United, who had lacked energy and invention, showed slightly more purpose before the break, but could not create any clear-cut chances, goalkeeper Roberto dealing competently with the visitors' crosses.
David Moyes's half-time team-talk needed to focus players' minds and change their tactics but neither was in evidence as Tom Cleverley knocked the ball out of play under no pressure soon after kick-off.
A goal down, the visitors had no room for further error and Campbell's superb curling effort, after he slipped Michael Carrick's flimsy challenge, threatened to cut them adrift in the tie.
Moyes introduced Shinji Kagawa and Danny Welbeck at the expense of Antonio Valencia and Cleverley, but it did little to change the momentum.
Michael Olaitan sent a shot fizzing just over as the hosts revelled in the space and uncertainty in United's defence.
Only in the final 10 minutes were United able to bring any pressure to bear, but, after two measured touches had given him a clear sight of goal, Van Persie crashed over the top with his weaker right foot from Chris Smalling's cross.
It summed up a miserable new episode in Moyes's faltering first season in charge.
Line-ups
Olympiakos
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 16Jiménez Gago
- 30Salino
- 20Holebas
- 8Ndinga
- 24Manolas
- 25Marcano
- 26CampbellSubstituted forFusterat 67'minutes
- 2Maniatis
- 99Olaitan
- 35DomínguezSubstituted forMachadoat 76'minutes
- 17PérezSubstituted forValdezat 86'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Machado
- 14Samaris
- 18Valdez
- 19Fuster
- 21Papadopoulos
- 42Megyeri
- 88Bong
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1de Gea
- 12Smalling
- 3EvraBooked at 3mins
- 16Carrick
- 5FerdinandBooked at 90mins
- 15Vidic
- 25A ValenciaSubstituted forWelbeckat 60'minutes
- 23CleverleySubstituted forKagawaat 61'minutes
- 20van Persie
- 10Rooney
- 18Young
Substitutes
- 11Giggs
- 13Lindegaard
- 14Hernández
- 19Welbeck
- 26Kagawa
- 28Büttner
- 31Fellaini
- Referee:
- Gianluca Rocchi
Match Stats
Home TeamOlympiakosAway TeamMan Utd
- Possession
- Home39%
- Away61%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away1
- Corners
- Home1
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away10
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Olympiakos 2, Manchester United 0.
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Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Jose Holebas.
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Attempt blocked. Ashley Young (Manchester United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Booking
Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United).
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David Fuster (Olympiakos) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Robin van Persie (Manchester United) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Danny Welbeck.
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Shinji Kagawa (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Leandro Salino (Olympiakos).
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Foul by Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United).
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Paulo Machado (Olympiakos) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).
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Nelson Valdez (Olympiakos) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Olympiakos. Nelson Valdez replaces Hernán Pérez.
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Attempt missed. Robin van Persie (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Chris Smalling with a cross.
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Attempt blocked. Robin van Persie (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Corner, Olympiakos. Conceded by Patrice Evra.
Substitution
Substitution, Olympiakos. Paulo Machado replaces Alejandro Domínguez.
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Foul by Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).
