Olympiacos completed an excellent week for Greek sides in European competitions by defeating 10-man Burnley 3-1 in the first leg of their Europa League playoff tie in Piraeus.
A superb captain’s display from Kostas Fortounis, who scored twice, makes Olympiacos favorites to go through to the group stage of the competition.
Fortunis opened the scoring on the 19th minute with a curling fee-kick, but the hosts were pegged back by Chris Wood’s penalty for Burley three minutes after the half-hour mark.
Fortounis then turned provider for Andreas Bouchalakis to direct a header past Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton three minutes into the second half, before notching his team’s third from the penalty spot to seal the victory.
Burnley’s cause was not helped by the 59th-minute dismissal of Ben Gibson, who was sent off for a second bookable offence which resulted in the penalty kick from which Fortounis scored.
The Greek side are now the firm favorites to finish the job in next week’s second leg in England and take their place in the group stage draw on August 31.
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