Chris Wood's penalty levelled the tie and looked to have secured a vital the Clarets a vital away goal to take back to Turf Moor before second half collapse
BURNLEY went down in Athens and stand on the brink of being dumped out of Europe after their own Greek tragedy.
Sean Dyche’s boys bagged an invaluable away goal but must now summon the spirit of Turf Moor to keep their fairytale alive.
The Clarets’ last continental adventure saw them beat the likes of Napoli on the way to the quarter-finals of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1967.
And 51 years later they stood on the verge of reaching the group stages of the Europa League.
But if they are to carry on their European odyssey they will be relying on Greek giants Olympiakos fluffing their lines in Lancashire next week.
Things were going swimmingly after Chris Wood equalised following Kostas Fortounis’ free-kick — but disaster soon struck.
Andreas Bouchalakis’ made it two before Ben Gibson was sent off and Fortounis made them pay from the penalty spot.
On a sub-standard pitch, the Clarets went behind after 19 minutes when the impressive Fortounis bent in a free-kick from 25-yards.
Tom Heaton —Burnley’s FOURTH keeper already this season— was livid at the wall and couldn’t get near it despite not going into the corner.
Olympiakos were rampant after the opener and Burnley were clinging on for dear life.
But Dyche’s plucky underdogs were soon level after Chris Wood fired home from the penalty spot — the first awarded to them in 45 games.
The Kiwi, 26, won it after being nudged in the back and stepped up to fire low and left past Andreas Gianniotis for an invaluable away goal.
And with the wind in their sails, Wood almost doubled the lead just before the break but nodded just wide after a pinpoint cross by Jóhann Guðmundsson.
But it was a nightmare start to the second half as the Greeks doubled their lead.
After a devilish free-kick from Fortounis, midfielder Bouchalakis evaded Jack Cork and glanced a header past the hapless Heaton.
And things only got worse for Burnley after that.
Ben Gibson was given his marching orders for a second yellow after a handball in the area, and Fortounis, 25, converted from the spot to put Burnley on the brink.
A man down and two behind, Dyche was between a rock and a hard place.
They dug in with two banks of four, praying on holding out without anymore damage to the scoreline.
It was nervy and Olympiakos had chances to make it four and put the tie to bed.
But they hung on and almost grabbed themselves the all-important second goal after Sam Vokes prodded home, only for James Tarkwoski to be given offside.
