ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC SCORED his eighth Champions League goal of the season as Paris Saint-Germain beat Olympiakos 2-1 to book their place in the last 16.
PSG only needed a draw to secure top spot in Group C and Ibrahimovic gave them a dream start, opening the scoring inside seven minutes.
The sending-off of Marco Verratti early in the second half left the hosts down to 10 men, and Olympiakos profited from their man advantage to draw level through Kostas Manolas with nine minutes remaining.
However, Edinson Cavani’s 90th-minute strike handed PSG the win as they progress while Olympiakos are left to fight it out with Benfica for the second qualifying berth in the last round of games next month after the Portuguese outfit won 3-2 away to Anderlecht.
In an encounter in which both sides were in a position to seal qualification, it was Ibrahimovic and PSG who struck first just seven minutes in.
It was a textbook PSG goal, with Gregory Van der Wiel surging forward down the right and crossing low for Ibrahimovic to score from close range.
The goal was his eighth of the campaign, equalling the record shared by Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Filippo Inzaghi and Hernan Crespo for the most in a Champions League group stage.
The Ligue 1 leaders were in control at the interval, but they were dealt a serious blow less than 30 seconds after the restart.
Many spectators had not yet retaken their seats when Scottish referee Craig Thomson sent off Verratti, the young Italian – who had been cautioned for handball in the first half – picking up a second yellow for pulling back David Fuster on the halfway line.
With a man advantage, Olympiakos grew into the game and went on to equalise in controversial fashion.
Manolas turned the ball in after Sirigu had denied substitute Alejandro Dominguez at a corner, but Dominguez was in an offside position when he connected with the initial knockdown by Manolas, and PSG will feel justice was done after Cavani burst through to make it 2-1 at the death.
