Standard sail past Panathinaikos

Dieudonné Mbokani ensured there would be no way back for Panathinaikos FC, his strike just before half-time adding to R. Standard de Liege's 3-1 lead from the first leg of their UEFA Europa League round of 16 tie.

The Greens had Standard on the back foot for much of the game. Sinan Bolat made a decent save to keep out a Kostas Katsouranis header on 11 minutes and then a brilliant one to thwart the same player two minutes from the break. The midfielder pounced on a rebound when Giorgios Karagounis's free-kick was allowed to skid against a post, but the goalkeeper pushed his drive over the bar.

It was a lucky break for Standard, and one they exploited to the full deep into first-half added time. With the Panathinaikos defence mesmerised by a long punt forward, Mbokani toe-poked over the last man, controlled with his thigh and lanced a low shot past Alexandros Tzorvas to leave Nikos Nioplias's side needing three goals to force extra time

To their credit they never stopped trying; a scrambling Bolat managed to fend away Dimitris Salpingidis's goal-bound effort moments after Mbokani had an offside goal disallowed, and Sebastian Leto found the goalkeeper similarly alert from a long shot. Substitute Ante Rukavina caught Standard napping, but headed over as the Belgian side eased through to Friday's draw in Nyon.