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Villarreal wasted a handful of chances before a second-half penalty snatched a 1-1 draw at home to Panathinaikos in their Champions League last 16 first-leg match.

The Spaniards were in control from the start, but fell 1-0 behind after the Greeks scored in the 59th minute through a thundering drive from the edge of the box by Giorgos Karagounis.

Villarreal levelled eight minutes later when Giuseppe Rossi calmly converted a penalty, awarded after substitute Robert Pires was brought down in the box by Jakub Wawrzyniak.

Panathinaikos coach Henk Ten Cate fielded an ambitious 3-6-1 formation in an effort to contain Villarreal's frantic pace and for the most part kept the Spaniards at bay.

Villarreal surged forward from the start, coming close through Joseba Llorente after four minutes who did well to chase down a ball on the right but failed to beat Panathinaikos keeper Mario Galinovic.

Rossi was ready to score in the 21st only to see Loukas Vintra tackle him at the last moment.

The hosts had another chance through Sebastian Eguren when Galinovic failed to clear a cross but his header from three metres flew wide while Ariel Ibagaza's left-footer in the 32nd minute scraped the post.

Villarreal went on the attack in the second half, coming close again through Santi Cazorla but it was the visitors who grabbed the lead when Karagounis picked up the ball some 20 metres out and gave Villarreal keeper Diego Lopez no chance.

Vangelis Mantzios could have scored a second for the Greeks minutes later but Lopez was well positioned to block his close-range effort.

Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini brought on Nihat Kahveci and Robert Pires and was rewarded in the 67th when the Frenchman was brought down in the box.

Rossi sent Galinovic the wrong way to level. The hosts piled on the pressure in search of a winner but their efforts through Rossi, Kahveci and Bruno were saved by Galinovic.

Reuters