AEK Athens and BATE Borisov are both still in with a chance of progressing to the next stage of the Europa League after a hard-fought Group I draw.

Ismael Blanco had AEK in front in under 30 seconds of a hectic first half, which also featured a Vitaly Rodionov equaliser, a second BATE goal from Alexander Volodko and finally a second too for the hosts - from Gustavo Manduca.

With leaders Benfica winning at Everton to make the second-placed Toffees suddenly vulnerable, all is still to play for - with two matches remaining.

Athens were in front when Blanco beat Sergey Veremko with a right-foot shot from inside the area, after a pass was threaded through by Krisztian Nemeth.

Pantelis Kafes' header on the end of Gustavo Manduca's corner flew just wide as Athens threatened again in only the fourth minute.

Kafes tried his luck again but missed from the edge of the area - and with chances continuing to flow at either end, it was no surprise when BATE got the equaliser in the 17th minute.

Skavysh's pass found Rodionov, who scored right-footed from the edge of the area.

Eight minutes later, BATE were in front - in dramatic fashion too, Volodko beating Diego Saja in the bottom right corner with a searing shot from 35 yards.

Alexander Yurevich almost extended the lead with a right-foot shot from 20 yards, which hit the post, and Volodko shot over from similar range.

Yet in the 38th minute, it was Yurevich who committed the foul on Ignacio Scocco which conceded the free-kick for AEK's leveller.

Scocco floated the ball in, and Manduca easily beat Veremko with his header into the top corner.

AEK were within inches of regaining the lead when Manduca hit the bar with his left-foot shot from inside the area eight minutes after the break - and Nemeth brought a useful save out of Veremko before the hour.

Nemeth kept threatening from dangerous positions, and BATE looked up against it after defender Igor Shitov was sent off for a second yellow card - but a Scocco shot from distance which hit the post in the 79th minute and then a corner from the same player which needed a save from Veremko were the closest anyone came to a winner.

Teams:

AEK Athens Sebastian Saja, Georgeas, Jahic, Nsaliwa (Yahaya 67), Karabelas, Manduca (Hersi 68), Kafes (Leonardo 83), Gentsoglou, Scocco, Nemeth, Blanco.

Subs Not Used: Arampatzis, Juanfran, Pavlis, Taxtsidis.

Booked: Gentsoglou, Yahaya, Nemeth.

Goals: Blanco 1, Manduca 39.

BATE Veremko, Yurevich, Shitov, Sosnovskiy, Bordachov, Alexander Volodko, Likhtarovich, Krivets (Alumona 67), Rodionov, Nekhaychik (Pavlov 84), Skavysh (Radkov 78).

Subs Not Used: Hutar, Maksim Volodko, Baga, Rzhevskiy.

Sent Off: Shitov (77).

Booked: Yurevich, Nekhaychik, Shitov, Radkov, Pavlov.

Goals: Rodionov 17, Alexander Volodko 26.

Att: 9,716

Ref: Alon Yefet (Israel).