ATHENS - Olympiacos produced a battling display to earn a share of the spoils against Real Madrid as their Champions League Group C clash at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium ended in a goalless stalemate.
Bernd Schuster's side were twice denied by the woodwork and created a plethora of chances, but the Greek hosts held firm to earn a result which leaves qualification from the group wide open with all four teams still able to reach the knockout stage.
Madrid enjoyed the better of an entertaining first half, hitting the woodwork twice and stretching their vulnerable-looking hosts with Wesley Sneijder particularly impressive in midfield.
Olympiacos boss Panagiotis Lemonis had urged his players to show character and his goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis did just that on 13 minutes with an excellent save from Robinho after the Brazilian was put through by Sneijder's pass.
Next it was Michal Zewlakow who saved his team with a brilliant last-ditch tackle on Ruud van Nistelrooy six minutes later as Madrid began to impose themselves.
As fragile as Olympiacos looked, Darko Kovacevic may have given them the lead if he had managed to connect with Predrag Djordjevic's cross after 21 minutes.
But in what was turning out to be an absorbing clash, Madrid hit the woodwork minutes later when Ieroklis Stoltidis deflected Sneijder's corner onto the post.
Next it was Olympiacos' turn to attack and on the half-hour mark Lomana LuaLua incurred the wrath of Djordjevic when he fired wide when a simple through ball to his on-rushing captain seemed the better option.
Madrid were denied by the frame of the goal again on 35 minutes when Van Nistelrooy's lob cannoned off the crossbar.
Raul Bravo then had the home fans on their feet with a rasping long-range drive which flew narrowly wide of Iker Casillas' goal.
The tempo of the game slowed considerably in the second half but proceedings were brought to life when LuaLua saw a shot blocked and Luciano Galletti miskicked the rebound with Casillas exposed.
Madrid awoke from their second-half slumber on the hour mark when Van Nistelrooy narrowly failed to connect with a Sneijder free-kick.
While the visitors enjoyed most of the possession after the break, the hosts were guilty of squandering a good chance after 67 minutes when LuaLua volleyed over the bar from a good position.
Madrid continued to control possession though and Robinho drilled a low shot wide when he should have tested Nikopolidis.
The Olympiacos keeper then thwarted Sneijder with a smart low save before gathering another Robinho effort as Madrid continued to probe.
Schuster then sent on Javier Saviola and Javier Angel Balboa to replace Raul and Robinho with eight minutes left in an effort to break the deadlock, but the hosts held firm to earn a crucial point.
