A time-stop goal by late replacement Ahmed Hassan gave Olympiakos Piraeus a 1-0 victory over the 1993 European Cup winner Olympique Marseille in their Group C Champions League match on Wednesday.
Hassan, who came to Giorgos Masouras in the 84th minute, headed home an inch-perfect cross by former Marseille forward Mathieu Valbuena after the powerful Olympics had missed a series of chances.
In the first half of the two, Yann M’Vila flew over the bar, and Youssef El-Arabi had a close-range shot blocked for the home side, while Florian Thauvin fired wide at the other end.
Olympiakos had a goal set aside after a VAR search in the 52nd minute, with Masouras sweeping in a rebound after Marseille keeper Steve Mandanda parked Valbuena’s stinging low shot.
Lazar Randjelovic arrived at the Olympiakos post in the 69th minute before the outstanding Mandanda took a seven-meter Valbuena volley.
When the game seemed to be heading for a goalless stalemate, Hassan stepped up and beat Mandanda with an irresistible header down to the bottom left corner to give the Greek side a well-deserved victory.
