Standard Liege ignited their Champions League campaign with victory over Olympiacos.

Goals in either half from Dieudonne Mbokani and Milan Jovanovic earned the home side their first win in Group B and moved them two points behind their second-placed opponents in the standings.

The Belgians showed intent from an early stage and Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez saw his third-minute shot from distance swept clear by defender Michal Zewlakow.

Olympiacos looked a different side from the one which beat Standard 2-1 two weeks ago and were struggling to create anything of note at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne.

Home goalkeeper Sinan Bolat was not tested until the 26th minute when he got two safe hands to a speculative strike by Enzo Maresca.

Jovanovic had Standard's next chance with a right-footed drive which flew high of the mark, but they had better luck on the half hour when they scored the opener on a counter-attack.

Eliaquim Mangala began the move with a pass from his own half which was picked up by Mbokani. The striker then ran past a handful of Olympiacos players before firing right-footed from the edge of the area into the bottom left corner.

The goal sparked a flurry of chances for Standard as they looked to put some distance between themselves and their opponents.

Igor De Camargo rose to meet a corner from Carcela-Gonzalez six minutes later but saw his header cleared off the line by Avraam Papadopoulos.

And Carcela-Gonzalez was unfortunate not to add his name to the scoresheet after 39 minutes when he struck a sweet left-footed volley from 22 yards which smashed the crossbar.

Jovanovic also came close moments later with a 25-yard drive which swerved just past the right post as Olympiacos struggled to cope under the onslaught.

However, the Greek side managed to calm the nerves with two chances before the interval as first Oscar Gonzalez volleyed over the crossbar before Bolat punched clear a threatening corner from Ioannis Fetfatzidis.

The visitors looked stronger at the start of the second half and Bolat made another smart save to keep out a strike by Maresca.

Dudu then sent a header over the crossbar for Olympiacos while Swedish defender Olof Mellberg got behind a powerful shot from near the penalty spot which was taken at the second time of asking by Bolat.

Dudu had another chance after 68 minutes but his attempt from 20 yards was turned out for a corner by defender Felipe, much to the relief of an under-pressure Standard side.

The home side finally had their first opening of the half five minutes later and it almost resulted in a second goal as Mangala headed a corner from Carcela-Gonzalez just wide of the left post.

But Olympiacos quickly reasserted their authority and Oscar forced a low save from Bolat with his right-footed drive from just outside of the area.

Yet for all their possession and pressure, an equaliser would not come for the visitors and they were punished three minutes from time by Jovanovic.

Ricardo Rocha slipped a pass to Mbokani, whose shot was parried by keeper Antonis Nikopolidis but into the path of Rocha, who headed into an empty net.

Teams:

Standard Liege Bolat, Camozzato, Sarr (Ramos 46), Felipe, Rocha, Carcela-Gonzalez (Goreux 86), Mangala, Witsel, De Camargo, Mbokani, Jovanovic (Angeli 90).

Subs Not Used: Van Hout, Dufer, Gershon, Yagan.

Booked: Rocha, Camozzato, Mangala.

Goals: Mbokani 30, Jovanovic 88.

Olympiacos Nikopolidis, Galitsios, Zewlakow,Avraam Papadopoulos (Giannis Papadopoulos 77), Mellberg, Raul Bravo, Galletti (Ioannnis 42), Dudu, Maresca, Oscar (Stoltidis 78), Mitroglou.

Subs Not Used: Pardo, Domi, Ledesma, Pantos.

Booked: Dudu, Oscar.

Att: 28,925

Ref: Nicola Rizzoli (Italy).