Panathinaikos ... 1 Barcelona ... 0:Champions League Quarter-Finals First Leg: Panthinkaikos earned a vital one-goal win over Barcelona last night thanks to a late penalty after a tight and defensive opening game in their Champions League quarter-final first leg in Athens.

Finnish international Joonas Kolkka was felled by Abelardo with 13 minutes remaining and Angelos Basinas made no mistake from the spot.

The hosts put Barcelona under immediate pressure but the Catalans, fielding a highly defensive formation, quickly settled to silence the home support. The visitors' game plan consisted of feeding the ball quickly to Marc Overmars who gave full back Daniel Saric a nightmare evening.

For the first 45 minutes it looked likely to bear fruit as the Dutch winger linked well with compatriot Patrick Kluivert in the centre but the pair failed to create chances. The home side instead forced the more dangerous openings with Michalis Konstantinou a muscular threat and Kolkka causing problems on the left side of the Panathinaikos attack.

Both sides looked tired from the relentless pressing in the second half with Barcelona slowly risking more in attack as the lone striker Kluivert looked for support. The Dutchman burst through one on one with Antonis Nikopolidis in the 54th minute but the Greek goalkeeper saved. Nikopolidis was called on twice more to make outstanding saves, first from Kluivert and then from substitute Rivaldo.

The Brazilian's entrance for the final quarter hour signalled the Catalan's most dangerous spell but it left holes in their defence.

It was Kolkka's pace that earned the hosts the lead as he was felled in the area. Midfield anchorman Basinas made no mistake with the ensuing penalty. The hosts nearly earned an unlikely two-goal lead with only minutes remaining as Emmanuel Olisadebe caused panic inside the Barcelona six-yard box.

PANATHINAIKOS: Nikopolidis, Henriksen, Basinas, Goumas, Fissas, Kyrgiakos, Saric, Vlaovic (Olisadebe 74), Kolkka, Konstantinou (Vokolos 90), Liberopoulos (Boateng 60). Subs Not Used: Kotsolis, Galetto, Pitsos, Jarni. Booked: Kyrgiakos, Saric. Goals: Basinas 78 pen.

BARCELONA: Bonano, Puyol, Coco (Reiziger 68), de Boer, Abelardo, Cocu (Xavi 54), Overmars, Rochemback (Rivaldo 72), Gabri, Motta, Kluivert. Subs Not Used: Reina, Saviola, Christanval, Geovanni. Booked: Coco, Bonano, de Boer.

Referee: T Hauge (Norway).