Belgian champions Standard Liege have one foot in the Europa League quarter-finals after a convincing 3-1 win over Panathinaikos.
Belgian champions on course for quarter-finals
Belgian champions Standard Liege have one foot in the Europa League quarter-finals after a convincing 3-1 win over Panathinaikos in Athens.
Standard travelled to the Greek capital for the first-leg of their last 16 clash and were soon in the lead as Axel Witsel put them ahead on eight minutes.
Liverpool-bound forward Milan Jovanovic doubled their lead not long after as Standard took control.
Loukas Vintra pulled one back for the home side just after the break, but Standard restored their two-goal margin with Igor De Camargo scoring with just 16 minutes left.
The night went from bad to worse for Pana in the final-minute when Simao was dismissed.
Pana coach Nikos Nioplias had sprung a double surprise in his team selection, with Giorgos Karagounis and Dimitris Salpingidis benched. Keeper Alexandras Tzorvas, meanwhile, missed out due to illness.
But the hosts threatened early and Djibril Cisse's free-kick was parried by keeper Sinan Bolat before Ante Rukavina also tried his luck.
Standard, though, broke away to open the scoring in the eighth minute. The move culminated in a fine cross from the left by lone striker Dieudonne Mbokani which was headed in at the far post by midfielder Witsel.
Vintra fired wide from long range for the Greek side, but they were soon left facing an even bigger deficit.
Lead doubled
In the 16th minute, Jovanovic beat onrushing stand-in keeper Mario Galinovic to Steven Defour's pass and finished with ease to make it 2-0.
That was Defour's last meaningful contribution, though, as he was forced off injured five minutes later and replaced by Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez.
Cisse's 25-yard effort warmed Bolat's hands and Benjamin Nicaise was off target for Standard from even longer range, before the game settled into a quiet spell.
That all ended a minute before the interval though, as the hosts sought to change the tone of Nioplias' half-time team-talk.
First Sebastian Leto chanced his arm from 20 yards - Bolat equal to that effort - before their best chance of the half fell to Rukavina, who headed over from close range in stoppage time.
Leto and Sotiris Ninis made way as Salpingidis and Karagounis were pressed into service upon the resumption.
And the latter made an immediate impact, winning and delivering the free-kick from which Vintra headed home to halve the deficit. Mohamed Sarr was booked for the foul.
Josu Sarriegi's foul on Jovanovic sparked a minor flashpoint, with Karagounis and Jovanovic following the defender into the book for their reactions. Bolat was then carded for time-wasting and Eliaquim Mangala replaced Nicaise before Standard made it 3-1.
Pana, pushing forward in search of a leveller, were again stung by the Belgians' flowing counter-attack and Jovanovic played in De Camargo to put his side in a commanding position.
Wilfried Dalmat replaced the impressive Jovanovic, possibly with that yellow card in mind, before substitute Lazaros Christodoulopoulos almost sparked a comeback.
His header struck a post, however, and Bolat held Cisse's header in injury time before Simao collected a second yellow card for a foul on Carcela-Gonzalez.
