Marseille's Japanese defender Hiroki Sakai (left) fights for the ball with Olympiakos' Greek defender Jose Holebas during the UEFA Champions League Group C first-leg football match between Olympiakos and Olympique de Marseille (OM), at the Stadio Karaiskaki stadium, in Piraeus, on the outskirts of Athens, on Oct 21, 2020. (LOUISA GOULIAMAKI / AFP)

ATHENS - A stoppage time goal by late substitute Ahmed Hassan gave Olympiakos Piraeus a 1-0 win over 1993 European Cup winners Olympique Marseille in their Champions League Group C match on Wednesday.

Olympiakos Piraeus had a goal scrapped for offside after a VAR check in the 52nd minute

Hassan, who came on for Giorgos Masouras in the 84th minute, headed home an inch-perfect cross by former Marseille forward Mathieu Valbuena after a dominant Olympiakos had missed a string of chances.

In a dour first half, Yann M’Vila volleyed over the bar and Youssef El-Arabi had a close-range shot blocked for the home side while Florian Thauvin fired just wide at the other end.

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Olympiakos had a goal scrapped for offside after a VAR check in the 52nd minute, with Masouras sweeping in a rebound after Marseille keeper Steve Mandanda parried Valbuena’s stinging low shot.

Lazar Randjelovic hit the post for Olympiakos in the 69th minute before the outstanding Mandanda palmed away a Valbuena volley from seven metres.

When the game seemed to be heading for a goalless stalemate, Hassan stepped up and beat Mandanda with an unstoppable downward header into the bottom left corner to give the Greek side a well-deserved win.