Olympiakos beat Arsenal but fail to qualify

Olympiakos beat Group F winners Arsenal 3-1 here on Tuesday but failed to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League following Marseille's victory over Dortmund. It was a heartbreaking evening for the Greek side who, having scored their third goal with a minute left, heard that Marseille, who netted in the 85th and 87th minutes, had overturned a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 in Germany.
First-half goals from Rafik Djebbour and David Fuster gave Olympiakos a 2-0 lead at the break before Yossi Benayoun pulled one back for the Gunners. But in the 89th minute Olympiakos sealed victory when, from a corner, former Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg's header hit the post and Francois Modesto followed up to score. Arsenal kicked off knowing they alone among English clubs had already qualified for the last 16, regardless of the result of their final group stage clash.
Gunners' boss Arsene Wenger selected a second string side in what was the Frenchman's 200th European tie as a manager. Lukasz Fabianski came into goal, behind a back four of Johan Djourou, Thomas Vermaelen, Sebastien Squillaci and Andre Santos. Emmanuel Frimpong, 19, and Francis Coquelin, 20, also started, as did England Under-21 international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, with experienced Israel international Benayoun playing just behind Andrey Arshavin and Marouane Chamakh. "We must give credit to Olympiakos tonight because they played a very physical game and in the first half it was very difficult for us," Wenger told Sky Sports 2.
"And I don't think we had the right tactical approach. "In the second half at 2-1 we looked like we might come back, but they were dangerous and probably deserved it. Olympiakos welcomed back Mellberg from injury, with in-form striker Djebbour up front. The hosts made a terrific start but Arsenal broke on the counter-attack only for Arshavin to shoot straight at Hungarian 'keeper Balazs Megyeri.
It was Olympiakos, though, who took a 16th-minute lead when Arshavin failed to respond to Fabianski's throw and the hosts regained possession, with Djebbour rounding the keeper and scoring from a tight angle. Arsenal's defence were always the more vulnerable early on and a low cross from the left caused panic in the Londoners' penalty area, with Fabianski injuring his knee in the ensuing melee.