Northern Ireland's midfielder Kyle Lafferty celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Euro 2016 group F qualifying gootball match between Greece and Northern Ireland at the Karaiskaki stadium in Piraeus, near Athens, on October 14, 20 © Getty Images

The visitors took the lead in the ninth minute through Jamie Ward, who guided the ball into the net after Oliver Norwood's corner had fallen kindly to him inside the box.

Greece looked for an immediate response, but Stefanos Athanasiadis fired their first shot of the evening wide of the target.

The hosts worked another opening just past the half-hour mark when Nikolaos Karelis was played through on goal by Georgios Samaras, but his clipped effort over Roy Carroll headed wide of the post.

On the stroke of half time Ireland almost doubled their lead, but after a powerful run into the box, Kyle Lafferty saw his strike from a tight angle come crashing off the bar.

Northern Ireland's forward James Ward celebrates after scoring a goal during UEFA Euro 2016 group F qualifying gootball match between Greece and Northern Ireland at the Karaiskaki stadium in Piraeus, near Athens, on October 14, 2014 © Getty Images

Six minutes after the break Lafferty did manage to find the scoresheet, as he collected Ward's pass and burst through on goal, before slotting a composed effort into the bottom corner past Orestis Karnezis.

The Greeks increased the pressure in their search for a goal and Carroll had to get down low to turn Panagiotis Tachtsidis's shot past the post.

Tachtsidis had another chance for the Greeks minutes later, but his free kick from just outside the box went over the bar.

It proved to be as close as the home side would come to finding the net, as Ireland held on to claim the three points and maintain their lead at the top of their qualifying group.