Kostas Mitroglou narrowly missed a hat-trick as Greece beat Romania 3-1 in the first leg of a World Cup qualifying playoff tie at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in Athens on Friday.

The Olympiakos Piraeus striker volleyed Greece in front after 14 minutes but the visitors hit back four minutes later via Bogdan Stancu's header from a clever Gabriel Torje free-kick.

The Greeks retook the lead immediately with a Dimitris Salpingidis close-range finish, while Mitroglou added a third in the 66th to increase the advantage. Romania's Costin Lazar was then sent off in stoppage time.

At the double: Kostas Mitroglou scored two goals to hand Greece the advantage in qualifying

Shoe in: Greece's Kostas Mitroglou (right) celebrates his goal with teammates

Fernando Santos' team were well worth the victory that gave them every chance of securing a place in Brazil next year after the return leg against Victor Piturca's Romania in Bucharest next Tuesday.
After a frantic opening spell full of errors and niggly fouls, it was Greece who settled first.

Mitroglou, who has scored 19 goals for club and country this season, beat the offside trap to latch on to a superb lofted through ball from Salpingidis and volley home past Romania's veteran keeper Bogdan Lobont.

It was the start of a frantic six minutes, with Torje's whipped free-kick nodded in by Stancu at the back post and Greece then going ahead again with the Romanian celebrations barely over.

Some slack marking from the visitors allowed Celtic's Giorgos Samaras to pick out right back Vassilis Torosidis and his first-time cross was slid home from close range by Salpingidis.

Samaras had the chance to put Greece 3-1 up when he burst into the box in a counter-attacked started by defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos, but the tall striker shot straight at Lobont.

First blood: Kostas Mitroglou (centre) scores the opening goal for Greece in their World Cup qualifier

Leveller: Bogdan Stancu celebrates after equalising with a close range effort

Short-lived: Dimitris Salpingidis (centre) gives Greece back the lead within a matter of minutes

On fire! Greece's goalscorer Kostas Mitroglou (left) and Dimitris Siovas (R) react after the third goal

 
By Giorgos! Greece striker Samaras played an important role in holding up the ball from forward positions

Torje presented Romania's main attacking threat with penetrating runs down the right channel but it was Razvan Cocis who missed a good chance when he blazed just over the bar after finding space inside the area.

Neither side could maintain the tempo of the first half after the break but it was the irrepressible Mitroglou who provided the cutting edge, rifling home Kostas Katsouranis' flick-on from a Samaras free-kick after 66 minutes.

Captain Katsouranis, who was booked and will now miss the second leg, and Mitroglou both missed further chances with the latter having a goal-bound effort blocked by Lobont to deny him what would have been a fifth hat-trick of the season.

Congested: Greece's Alexandros Tziolis (centre) goes up for a late header surrounded by Romanian players

Fire starters: Romania's fans cheer with flares during their ultimately unsuccessful World Cup play-off tie

Heads up: Greece's Giannis Maniatis (centre) has an aerial duel with Romania's Andrei Gabriel Torje (right)

Sweet feet: Greece's Kostas Katsouranis (right) challenges for the ball with Romania's Alexandru Bourceanou

Tall order: Greece's Giorgos Samaras (right) keeps the ball from Romania's Alexandru Matel (centre) and Gabriel Andrei Torje

Eyes wide shut: Greece's Dmitris Siovas (left) attempts to win the ball from Romania's Sorin Stancu

Down and almost out: Romania's Ciprian Marica reacts after the final whistle