Rubin Kazan held Panathinaikos to a 0-0 draw in the Champions League on Wednesday, with the Russian team coming closest to breaking the deadlock.
The visitors started off the match with a cautious lineup and heavy tackles to stifle the game, but steadily took control in the Group D match, the only scoreless result of the night.
Sergei Kornilenko had a shot cleared just off the line by defender Loukas Vyntra in the 27th minute, while Panathinaikos goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas dived to block a powerful shot from Alan Kasaev 10 minutes later.
Kasaev had another shot on goal blocked by Tzorvas in the 63rd minute.
In the 76th, Panathinaikos striker Djibril Cisse beat goalkeeper Sergei Rykhikov with a header, but German referee Manuel Graefe ruled the effort offside.
Rubin winger Obafemi Martins, who came on as a substitute in the 65th minute, said he was happy with the result.
"We came here to win, but we got a draw and I think that point will be very important to us," the Nigerian said. "I hope things will be different when they come to play us at home (on Nov. 2) and that we can get the three points."
The Greeks - desperate for a home win after two previous defeats - took more chances toward the end of the match at Athens' Olympic stadium, bringing on 16-year-old Charis Mavrias as a substitute in the 78th.
In a late burst of activity, the Greeks pressed to snatch the win and almost pulled it off with a diving header from Vyntra, which was hastily cleared by the Russian defense in injury time.
"We had a very strong finish and could have come away with a win. ... But I think a draw is a fair result," Panathinaikos coach Nikos Nioplias said. "There are no hard feelings because they also came to win, and there was a spell where we lost control of the game. It's football, and that's the way it goes."
Kurban Berdyev, the Rubin Kazan coach, was less philosophical.
"We had certain plans for this game that were not followed by the players," Berdyev said. "Our attacks should have been more effective, but things didn't work out. Anyway, our options are still open in this competition."
