Panathinaikos, Kazan chasing shadows after draw

Russia’s Rubin Kazan and Panathinaikos missed a chance to creep up on the shoulders of Champions League Group D rivals FC Copenhagen on Wednesday after they fought out a goalless stalemate in Greece.

With Copenhagen – who started out by posting two straight wins – going down to a Leo Messi double at group favourites Barcelona – the race was on to close the gap and keep a live a slender chance of making it through to the knockout phase.

But the draw left both the Russians and the Greeks without a win between then as Kazan moved onto two points from three games – four behind the Danes – while Panathinaikos had to be satisfied with a first point.

Sergei Kornilenko set off on a run that saw him bear down on goal in the tenth minute but he was pulled up after straying offside.

Earlier, Stergos Marinos had forced Sergei Ryzhikov into a smart save as the Greeks went in search of an early goal.

Giorgos Karagounis then called the visiting keeper into action once more with a freekick on 16 minutes.

At the other end, Aleksandr Ryazantsev drew a fine stop from Alexandros Tzorvas before the opening period petered out.

Luis Garcia tried to spark a Panathinaikos triumph thereafter but was unable to unlock a stout defence.