Anderlecht and Olympiacos met in Brussels for their Champions League clash as both teams looked to bounce back from disappointing results in their opening games.
Both sides fell to heavy defeats to Benfica and Paris Saint-Germain but were in good form in their respective league competitions going into the game.
Olympiacos registered their first win of the competition's group stage as striker Kostas Mitroglou scored a hat-trick with a series of fine finishes, as Anderlecht struggled in front of goal missing a hatful of chances including a first-half penalty.
Check out our commentary below to see how all the events unfolded in Brussels.
Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the Champions League clash between Anderlecht and Olympiacos.
Both teams are in need of a victory tonight after losing their opening games in Group C.
John van den Brom's side fell to a 2-0 defeat to Benfica in their opener at the Estadio Da Luz as goals from Filip Duricic and Lusiao were enough to secure the win for the Portuguese side.
However, Anderlecht have bounced back well in the Pro League and have taken six points from a possible nine since their Champions League defeat. A win last time out over Lierse moved them into fourth place in the league, so they should be high on confidence coming into tonight's game.
Olympiacos got thrashed by Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 in their first group game but that hasn't stopped them performing well in the league as they've dropped just two points all season.
They are currently top of the Super League after taking 16 points from a possible 18 in their first six matches, so they should also be in good spirits heading into the game tonight.
The teams have just been announced and we'll start with the home side.
ANDERLECHT STARTING XI: Proto, Gillet, Kouyate, Nuytinck, N'Sakala, Tielemans, Kljestan, Praet, Bruno, Suarez, Mitrovic.
ANDERLECHT SUBS: Kaminski, Deschact, Mbemba, De Zeeuw, Milivojevic, Cyriac, Acheampong.
OLYMPIACOS STARTING XI: Roberto, Maniatis, Manolas, Siovas, Bong, N'Dinga, Samaris, Olaitan, Saviola, Weiss, Mitroglou.
OLYMPIACOS SUBS: Megyeri, Holebas, Papadopoulos, Medjani, Fuster, Dominguez, Yatabare.
Anderlecht's Youri Tielmans becomes the first player born in 1997 to play in the Champions League. The young midfielder makes his European debut at the age of just 16.
Mitrovic will lead the line for the home side tonight by himself but he will be supported by a midfield trio of Praet, Suarez and Bruno, who will look to get into advanced positions. Tielmans and Kljestan will be the holding midfielders in front of the back four.
Olympiacos keep faith with former Manchester City winger Vladimir Weiss who scored their only goal in their 4-1 defeat to PSG. He along with Saviola and Olaitan will sipport Mitroglou, who will lead the line tonight.
Just in case you've forgotten about Weiss's goal against the French side here it is again.
Anderlecht's Dennis Praet is really looking to prove a point tonight, he told reporters: "I feel completely ready for it. We will do anything we can to beat Olympiakos. I think first place in the group will be impossible, but ending second or third is not impossible."
These thoughts were echoed by his manager, Van den Brom said: "Because of the results in the first matches in which we both suffered defeats, this match is essential for both sides to see what role we will play for the rest of our European season. So we both need a win. But the role of the technical staff is to make clear to the players that we must not overrun ourselves, we have to remain calm. We do not have to win in the first minute."
The players are making their way out onto the pitch and we should be underway shortly.
A late change to teams: Silvio Proto was injured in the warm-up ahead of the game and is replaced by Thomas Kaminski.
We're underway in this Group C clash.
Slow start to the game as the visitors seem content to knock the ball around their back to try and get into a passing rhythm.
CHANCE! Mitrovic is played through on goal and does well to beat the challenge of Siovas but as he attempts to shoot the defender gets back at him and makes an excellent tackle.
Olaitain is brought down by N'Sakala giving the visitors a chance to whip a free kick from a dangerous position on the right hand side of the box deep in Anderlecht territory.
Weiss lifts a cross into the box but it's knocked behind for a corner. From the resulting corner, Weiss lifts a cross into the area but this time it's headed behind by Maniatis.
Olympiacos win another free kick in a dangerous area but again Weiss's delivery is poor as his cross doesn't beat the first man and is cleared by the home side.
CHANCE! Mitrovic raids down the right and lifts a ball into the box first time for Praet, who makes contact with a volley but his effort trickles past the post. That was close!
The home side are in again down this time down the left and Suarez lifts a cross to the back post where he founds Bruno unmarked who takes a touch but he can only volley his effort into the sideman.
CHANCE!! Samaris brings down Suarez on the left and Praet lifts the free kick into the area and Roberto comes to punch it clear but doesn't do a good job of it and the ball lands at the feet of Samaris but he can only put his effort wide of the target.
GOAL! Anderlecht 0-1 Olympiacos (Mitroglou)
The visitors take the lead and it's Mitroglou who gets the goal as Saviola capitalises on an error for Gillet and slides the ball to the striker who beats the offside trap and fires a low effort underneath Kaminski to find the net.
CHANCE!! Anderlecht are nearly level immediately as Bruno gets the ball down the left-hand side and cuts in on his right foot and drills an effort towards the bottom corner but Roberto sticks out a hand and parries the ball away.
A good response from the home side as they're putting the visitors under pressure and they think they should have a penalty as Samaris brings down by Kouyate but the referee waves play on.
PENALTY TO ANDERLECHT!
They've got a penalty this time and it's the same duo involved as Kouyate is brought down by Samaris and the referee points to the spot after warning the defender for his previous encounter. It looks like it's going to be Mitrovic to step up.
PENALTY SAVED!!
Anderlecht are denied an equaliser as Mitrovic's penalty is saved by Roberto. It's not a bad spot kick as he drills his shot low into the left-hand corner but the keeper dives to his right to make a good low stop.
That could be a big momentum swing in the game just as the home side looked to be getting back into the match.
SHOT! 16-year-old midfield Tielmans tries to find the net from distance with a dipping shot and it bounces awkwardly just in front of Roberto but he does well to maintain his concentration and make the save.
CHANCE! Another chance for the home side goes begging as Tielmans lifts a ball over the the Olympiacos defence into the path of Praet, who takes a shot first time on the volley but his effort goes just over the bar.
Mitrovic is almost through on goal as he latches onto Bruno's through ball but just as he is about to pull the trigger Siovas comes back at him with an excellent challenge and diverts the ball over the bar.
The visitors come back at the home side with a break down the left with Weiss and he forces a corner, which he takes himself. However, his delivery is yet again poor and is easily cleared.
N'Sakala finds room down the left and lifts a cross into the box looking for Mitrovic, Siovas clears but looked to knock it away with his hand. The crowd appealed but the players didn't. That looked like another penalty for Anderlecht there.
Olympiacos seem content to hit the home side on the break and one pass from Saviola does just that as he finds Mitroglou in plenty of space down the left, the striker knocks the ball back to the Argentine on the edge of the area, he aims to shoot but it passes it wide to N'Dinga, who tries to beat Nuytinck but he stands firm and makes the tackle.
Suarez does well down the left for the home side as he beats two defenders before trying to knock the ball into the area and wins a corner. Tielman's delivery from the set piece is poor and collected by Roberto.
Manolas brings down Mitrovic in a dangerous area of the pitch 25 yards from goal. Suarez will line up this free kick.
The midfielder shoots from the 25 yards and he gets his effort over the wall but it doesn't dip enough to scare Roberto as he watches it sail over the bar.
There will be one minute of added time.
HALF-TIME: Anderlecht 0-1 Olympiacos
Half-time in Brussels and Anderlecht won't believe they are losing this. They have had by far the better of the chances in the first half and also missed a penalty as Roberto saved from Mitrovic. There's not a lot more they could have done apart from being more clinical in the final third of the pitch.
The visitors will be delighted with their first-half exploits as Mitroglou scored the only goal of the game with a good link-up with Saviola. Other than that they were very quiet, anticipate them to have a lot of defending to do in the second half.
We're back underway in this Group C clash.
An early chance to threaten for the home side as they earn a free kick deep in Olympiacos territory down the left as N'Sakala is brought down by Samaris.
CHANCE! Anderlecht should be level! Tielman's free kick is beaten away by Roberto but only as far as Gillet, who should shoot at goal in the six-yard box but instead he tries to square the ball to Mitrovic and Siovas gets there first and clears the danger.
Bruno brings down Bong and hands the visitors a chance to threaten from a free kick. Weiss's delivery is finally good and finds Siovas but this time the defender is in an offside position.
CHANCE! Bruno raids down the right for the home side and digs out a cross, which evades Mitrovic and finds Suarez at the back post, he's unmarked and shoots first time on the volley but he fires his effort wide of the post. What a miss!
CHANCE! Anderlecht are in again and this time Mitrovic is denied by Roberto who spreads himself big to make a excellent reaction stop after Bruno played the striker in one-on-one.
GOAL! Anderlecht 0-2 Olympiacos (Mitroglou)
Olympiacos have doubled their lead and have punished the home side for their lack of potency in front of goal as Mitroglou beats the offside trap and latches onto N'Dinga's header before slotting the ball past Kaminski. A long way back for the home side now!
Anderlecht don't deserve to be two goals behind but they are. They are paying for their poor finishing in front of goal and some poor defending in key moments. They look a bit shell shocked!
Praet raids down the left and looks to find a cross but his delivery is poor and is well cleared by the Greek side's defence. It's getting a bit grim for Van den Brom's side.
PENALTY APPEAL! Bruno gets the ball inside the box and knocks it back to Suarez, who goes down in the area but the referee waves play on. The midfielder looked like he was tripped there.
Praet finds room down the left again, he fakes an inside pass to Suarez before moving further down the flank. The midfielder takes a touch to move inside onto his right foot but shoots high and wide over the bar.
The home side are struggling to find a rhythm at the moment and are starting to get frustrated, not a good sign for Van den Brom.
Anderlecht have a chance to get a goal back as Suarez is brought down by Siovas on the edge of the area. The midfielder takes the free kick himself but smacks his effort straight into the all and the danger is cleared.
GOAL! Anderlecht 0-3 Olympiacos (Mitroglou)
What a goal by Mitroglou as he completes his hat-trick. The Greek side hit Anderlecht on the break after the poor free kick and the striker runs with the ball to the edge of the area before he blasts a shot into the top corner beyond the reach of Kaminski. A great finish, which rounds off a complete performance.
Bruno gets in down the right and lifts a cross-cum-shot to the back post where the ball misses everyone in the penalty area and trickles agonsingly wide of the post. When it's not your night, it's not your night.
Anderlect catch a break as Mitroglou thinks he's away again for the visitors after Weiss threads a through ball to him but this time the offside flag goes up. That was a close call.
Mitroglou has been extremely impressive tonight and the stats prove that as he has netted three of his five attempts. Maybe Anderlecht could learn something from him this evening.
Two decent chances for the home side to get a goal back as first Kljestan is brought down outside the area and then Suarez. The midfielder takes both free kicks just outside the box but he is unable to test Roberto with either attempt as they sail wide of the target.
Suarez raids down the middle and has all the time and space in the world to launch an effort at goal, he opts to curl his shot with the inside of his foot towards the top corner but his effort sails over the bar.
Anderlecht have had a staggering 17 attempts at goal this evening and haven't found the net with a single one. Van den Brom will be furious with his side's finishing in front of goal, but will be pleased with the amount of chances they've created. Funny game, football sometimes.
The game is slowly ebbing to an end. The home side have kept going but their finishing is still poor as this time Tielmans fires a free kick well over the bar from distance.
There will be three minutes of added time.
FULL-TIME: Anderlecht 0-3 Olympiacos
Olympiacos have picked up their first win of their Champions League campaign and have some fine finishing from Kostas Mitroglou to thank. The striker was in outstanding form and put away three of the chances that came his way into the net with an outstanding hat-trick.
Where Mitroglou's finishing was good, Anderlecht's entire team were guilty of being poor in front of goal. It seemed every single attacking player for the home side had a decent chance to score none more so than Mitrovic, who missed a first-half penalty.
Olympiacos will join Benfica on three points, as Paris Saint-Germain moved to the top of Group C with a commanding performance against the Portuguese side, while Anderlecht will move to the foot of the table with zero points. John van den Brom has a lot of work to do to get his side going in this competition.
For the reports of tonight's Group C games, click here for our own game from Brussels and to read about PSG's hammering of Benfica click here.
Thanks for joining our commentary tonight. We'll be back with action from the Europa League tomorrow, until then goodbye.
Written by
Simon Sinclair
Simon Sinclair
