New Delhi: Honours were even at El Madrigal on Wednesday evening as Villarreal had to come from a goal behind to snatch a draw against Greek side Panathinaikos.
A second-half penalty from Giuseppe Rossi earned Villarreal a 1-1 draw in a pulsating contest tonight versus Panathinaikos tonight at El Madrigal.
Giorgos Karagounis had given the visitors a shock 59th minute lead with a stunning volley that flew past Diego Lopez and into the net, and Henk Ten Cate's side will be confident of going through thanks to their priceless away goal.
First half
2008’s Spanish Primera Division runners-up were looking to qualify for the quarter finals in only their second appearance in the competition, after their Juan Roman Riquelme-inspired run had taken them to the semi-finals, eventually losing to Arsenal. The Greeks meanwhile had won against Internazionale in the San Siro on the way to topping Group B, but had lost in Spain in all nine attempts in European competition, so they would have to make history in order to leave El Madrigal with a positive result.
As expected, Manuel Pellegrini’s side attacked incessantly in the opening period but a combination of poor finishing, inspired goalkeeping by Shamrocks’ stopper Mario Galinovic and a lack of control at key moments contributed to a frustrating opening spell for the home side.
They had their chances. Sebastien Eguren nodded wide with Galinovic completely stranded on twenty minutes, and then moments later
Giuseppe Rossi played a neat one-two with Joseba Llorente, and just when the Italian appeared set to pull the trigger, but defender Loukas Vintra came from nowhere to hook the ball from the strikers’ toes. It was an exceptional challenge.
Former Manchester United man Rossi was on form tonight, linking superbly with Llorente and Ariel Ibagaza, but his radar was slightly off on the half hour as the latter flicked a cross perfectly into his path but he could only volley the ball against the legs of Galinovic from close range, in what was far and away the clearest opening of the half.
Just before half time the purposeful Ibagaza skipped into the area but his angled drive drifted inches wide of the post, but it wasn’t all one-way traffic. Panathinaikos looked to exploit their hosts’ fragile and unorthodox back four, and their best opportunity of the half fell to Greek international Giorgos Karagounis , but the midfielder could only shoot straight at Diego Lopez after doing extremely well to fashion the opening.
Second Half
The first half ended goalless, and as the chances on goal began to dry up Villarreal were hit by the ultimate sucker punch on the 55th minute.
Giorgos Karagounis controlled the ball 25 yards from goal and as the ball sat up he unleashed an unstoppable volley that Lopez tried in vain to keep out, but could only turn into the net off of the upright to give the Greeks a lead that was for the most part against the of play.
Panathinaikos were in the ascendency now, and sensed an opportunity to kill off the tie. Evangelos Mantzios turned away from Senna expertly in the Villarreal area, but with just Lopez to beat he struck the ball against the keepers’ legs and squandered a glorious chance to double his sides’ advantage.
And Panathinaikos would be made to regret that miss- albeit in controversial circumstances. Substitute Robert Pires meandered into the area and appeared to go down rather easily under the challenge of two Panthinaikos defenders. The former Arsenal man is renowned for simulation in and around the area, and in all truth this was a scandalous decision. The referee, however, had no hesitation to point to the penalty spot, and Giuseppe Rossi rolled home the kick with aplomb to level the scores.
The equaliser swung the match back into the favour of Los Sumarinos Amarillos, and they continued to attack to find that crucial winning goal to give them an advantage to take to Greece.
Auxiliary full-back Bruno burst forward and fired in a stinging drive that stung the hands of Galinovic, while Pires showed the positive side to his game by attempting to use all his trickery and guile to create.
But another chance never came, and given the amount of clear openings that Villarreal squandered in the first half, they will be bitterly aggrieved to have only drawn this match.
Panathinaikos, meanwhile, were delighted to end their horror hoodoo in Spain and will now be considered favourites to march on in the competition.
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