Montpellier vs. Olympiakos: Final score 1-2, Poor defending late dooms Montpellier

Montpellier wasted multiple first half chances and blew a 1-0 lead late thanks to some shocking defending as Olympiakos left France with the full three points, winning 2-1.

The match was all Montpellier in the first half, at least in terms of effort and possession. The French champions all but set-up camp in the Olympiakos final third, but never looked dangerous. They only managed two shots on goal and only one of those really troubled goalkeeper Roy Carroll. It was an annoying combination of effective defending from the Greek side and a bunch of Montpellier players waiting around for someone to do something with the ridiculous amount of possession they had.

Whatever René Girard said or did at halftime clearly worked as four minutes in to the second half, Montpellier finally scored. Gaetan Charbonnier headed down a long ball to John Utaka in the box, which Utaka chipped right back out to Charbonnier who promptly launched a shot in to the net past Carroll to put the home side ahead 1-0.

Olympiakos had a fantastic chance to equalize minutes later when Farncois Modesto's cross was headed just wide of the post by David Fuster. With Laurent Pionnnier scrambling across the face of goal to cover the cross, Fuster had an open net but couldn't get the shot on target.

In the 72nd mintue, just three minutes after entering the match, Montpellier's Souleymane Camara committed a dumb foul, giving Olympiakos a free kick from roughly 40 yards out. Jose Holebas sent the ball in to the box where defender Vasilis Torosidis manged to get between defenders and get off a great shot as he fell to the ground that beat Pionnier to even the match at 1-1.

In stoppage time, Montpellier's miserable season continued to get even worse. Djamel Abdoun made a great run down the left, sending a cross in to the box that Konstantinos Mitroglou easily tapped-in past the diving Pionnier, for the match winner. How Mitroglou got that open right in front of the keeper will no doubt be a much discussed topic in the Montpellier locker room.

Olympiakos takes over third place in the group with the win, leaving Montpellier to languish in the cellar. Now we wait for the inevitable vulgar and hilarious reaction from their owner Louis "Loulou" Nicollin to this latest disappointment.