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Greeks avoid Euro tragedy

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Djebbour: The striker was the difference as Olympiakos cruise past Russian side Rubin Kazan

Sky Bet

Olympiakos are safely through to the last 16 of the Europa League thanks to a first-half goal from their Algerian hitman Rafik Djebbour.

The striker scored the only goal of the game against Rubin Kazan to hand the Greek side a 2-0 aggregate victory despite going down to 10 men.

The striker's 14th-minute goal gave Ernesto Valverde's side their sixth straight win in all competitions and built on last week's excellent display in Russia.

A bright start was exactly what the Greek side wanted to ease the pressure and that was exactly what they got as they forced a succession of corners in the Kazan half and threatened an opener.

It duly arrived with less than a quarter of an hour played when a foul by Salvatore Bocchetti gave the hosts a free-kick on the right flank. Ariel Ibagaza sent in the set-play and Djebbour rose highest to nod home from six yards.

Kazan keeper Sergei Ryzhikov had to be alert to pluck a dangerous Kevin Mirallas cross out of the air while Ibagaza's set-pieces continued to cause problems for the static visiting defence.

Mirallas drove just wide from the edge of the box in the 33rd minute then David Fuster - scorer of the winner last week in Russia - should have done better when he headed just wide from 12 yards.

Vladimir Dyadyun shot wide for Kazan in first-half injury time and Obafemi Martins forced a fine save out of Olympiakos keeper Roy Carroll, who saved a penalty with his first touch for the club in the previous match, with a 51st-minute drive.

Martins, who had been booked, was substituted for Alan Kasaev on the hour but the frustration was growing for the visitors, with only Bebras Natcho's accurate set-pieces posing any kind of threat.

At the other end, Jean Makoun drilled just wide from 18 yards as the Greeks tried to finish the contest, and the same player curled a shot over the bar 15 minutes from time.

With time running out for the Russians, Nelson Valdez fired over in the 84th minute then headed into the arms of Carroll as the visitors' last chance of drawing the home side into a dramatic finish faded to nothing.

Source: http://www1.skysports.com/news/12040/7541399/

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