Olympiacos vs Manchester United MATCH ZONE
Click HERE for your ultimate stats package for the big game - including this heat map from Robin van Persie, showing how the Dutchman struggled to influence the game
Olympiacos. Not Bayern Munich or Barcelona. Olympiacos. Not master coach Pep Guardiola. Michel. Not Lionel Messi. Alejandro Dominguez.
And not down to 10 men either. Unlike Arsenal and Manchester City last week, Manchester United had their full complement on the field. It just didn’t look like it.
They contrived to lose, not to giants, but to one of the also-rans of the competition. Olympiacos are not potential winners.
Chances are they will be removed in the quarter-finals by the first good team they play, if they manage to survive the return leg at Old Trafford. The odds must favour them now.
United pulled the plum tie out of the Champions League draw — and then choked on it.
This may well be the worst performance of David Moyes’s brief time as United manager, the one that really will cause questions to be asked about his suitability.
Celebration: Alejandro Dominguez (centre) wheels away after scoring the opener in Greece
Arrival: Joel Campbell slides on his knees in celebration of his goal just after half-time
Outstretched: David De Gea is well beaten by Campbell's shot in the 55th minute to deflate United
Flat out: Robin van Persie lies on the floor after missing United's best chance of the game late on
Home comforts: Olympiacos became the first home side so far to win their first-leg in the last 16
No chance: De Gea sees the ball fly past him in the 37th minute to put the hosts 1-0 up
Down and out? David Moyes slumps back into his seat after Olympiacos score their second goal
Down: United's performance was ordinary in the heated atmosphere of the Karaiskakis Stadium
Match facts
Olympiacos: Roberto 7; Leandro Salino 6, Manolas 7, Marcano 6.5, Holebas 5; Maniatis 7, N'Dinga 6.5; Campbell 8 (Fuster 67, 6, Domínguez 7.5 (Machado 76, 6), Perez 5.5 (Valdez 86); Olaitan 6.5
Subs: Megyeri, Samaris, Papadopoulos, Bong
Bookings: None
Goals: Dominguez 38, Campbell 55
Man United: De Gea 6; Smalling 4.5, Ferdinand 5, Vidic 6.5, Evra 6.5; Valencia 5 (Welbeck 60, 6), Carrick 6, Cleverley 5.5 (Kagawa 61, 5.5), Young 5.5; Rooney 6, Van Persie 5.
Subs: Lindegaard, Büttner, Fellaini, Giggs, Hernandez.
Bookings: Ferdinand
*Ratings from Chris Wheeler at the Karaiskakis Stadium
There are some contenders, obviously. Yet United looked so ordinary, so lifeless, so devoid of ambition and desire against the Greek champions that there may well soon be a tipping point.
‘Can they score? They always score.’ Those were the words that summed up the old United. Here they did not even manage a shot on target, let alone a goal.
Until now, the performances in Europe have been the saving grace for Moyes. Emphatic against Bayer Leverkusen, gutsy in Donetsk.
This, however, was the kind of display that gets a manager the sack — one that brings into dispute matters of selection, direction and inspiration.
Until Tuesday night, Manchester United were the only team in the tournament who had not trailed in any match. Hard to believe on this evidence.
The defensive reaction for both goals revealed a lethargy that would have mystified heroes past. Maybe television analyst Roy Keane should have delivered the half-time team talk. Or played.
Not happy: Wayne Rooney reacts to the referee early on after not being given a free-kick
Clueless: United players look frustrated as Dominguez runs away in celebration at the first goal
Golazo: Campbell wheels away with his team-mates as Olympiacos took an unprecedented 2-0 lead
Desperate: Moyes' last hope of silverware this season is in Europe, but they have an uphill task
50/50: Olympiacos' Leadro Salino (left) fights with United's Ashley Young
Not happy: Rooney discusses another matter with referee Gianluca Rocchi after the second goal
Nowhere to be seen: United were outplayed in every area in Greece on Tuesday night
Elated: The win means Olympiacos should be favourites to win the tie going into the second-leg
Contribution: Olympiacos' Giannis Maniatis had the original shot for the first goal
This was a United seldom seen. Timid, inadequate, uninspired. They were not unfortunate or hard done by.
THEY'VE DONE IT BEFORE...
Manchester United last overturned a two goal deficit from a first leg in 1984, versus Barcelona in the Cup Winners’ Cup.
There were no excuses left by the end. Moyes picked what he considered a team to get a result and watched lamely as it was undone by supposed inferiors.
The goals came from Dominguez, an Argentine without a senior cap to his name, and Joel Campbell, an Arsenal loanee whom Arsene Wenger has shown scant inclination to take back.
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