Mantzios brace earns point

Mantzios: Scored brace

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A Vangelis Mantzios brace saw Panathinaikos earn their first Group B point against Werder Bremen in Greece.

But the 2-2 draw leaves both teams playing catch-up to progress after Inter Milan beat Anorthosis Famagusta 1-0 in the group's other game.

The home side dominated early proceedings and almost took the lead in the second minute when a dangerous free-kick from Georgios Karagounis flashed across the face of goal but Mantzios could not connect at the far post.

The hosts had another free-kick on the left on 15 minutes which Karagounis again whipped in and Sebastian Proudl could only clear over his bar.

Karagounis then hit a low effort from the edge of the box which fully tested Werder keeper Christian Vander who had to dive to his left to push the ball around his post.

On 23 minutes, Nickolaos Spiropoulos crossed from the left but Gabriel headed wide, while two minutes later Karagounis unleashed a powerful strike from 35 yards which Vander did well to push over.

Controversial circumstances

But the visitors then took the lead in controversial circumstances against the run of play on 29 minutes from a Mesut Ozil free-kick.

The ball hit Per Mertesacker on the arm in the box and he then slotted home right footed past keeper Alexandros Tzorvas from close range.

Werder might have then doubled their lead on 33 minutes when the ball fell to Diego 25 yards out but he put his effort well wide of the host's right post.

But Panathinaikos deservedly equalised three minutes later when Gabriel crossed from the right and Mantzios rose unchallenged in the box to head past the diving Vander into the right side of the net.

Karagounis then almost played Mantzios through but Werder scrambled the ball away, while at the other end Diego had a long range effort well saved by Tzorvas shortly before the break.

Second-half

Soon after the restart, Werder substitute Markus Rosenberg got a header onto a cross from the right but Tzorvas saved.

Both sides pressed before Mantzios tried to find a way through on 56 minutes but Prodl blocked his effort on the edge of the box.

Karagounis then did well to create space for himself on the left on 60 minutes but his shot curled away from goal.

But the hosts went in front for the first time on 68 minutes after Ozil had cleared Loukas Vidra's header from a corner off the line.

The ball fell to Mantzios who looped his shot over the keeper's head to score his second of the night.

The hosts almost got a third on 72 minutes when Dimitris Salpigidis' long range effort beat Vander but hit the crossbar and bounced out.

But Hugo Almeida equalised for the visitors 11 minutes later with a free header from a great cross by substitute Sebastian Boenisch from the left.

The home side almost got the winner four minutes later but Vander bravely punched a cross off substitute Ante Rukavina's head at close range, while Tzorvas then did well to save Boenisch's shot at the other end.