Athens - Anorthosis Famagusta can extend their unexpected European Champions League adventure into the knockout stages if they do well against a Greek side again on Tuesday.

Anorthosis became the first team from Cyprus to qualify for the group stage of the elite event when they knocked out Olympiakos Piraeus in the third qualifying round.

Now a victory at Panathinaikos Athens is required to join Inter Milan in the round of 16 from group B.

Anorthosis defeated Panathinaikos 3-1 in the first meeting in Cyprus, but made life difficult for themselves when they threw away a 2-0 lead in a 2-2 draw with Werder Bremen two weeks ago.

Had they won they would have only required a draw in the Greek capital. The draw also means that Anorthosis could come up empty-handed as a worst-case scenario, eliminated from Europe if they lose and Bremen beat Inter in Tuesday's other match.

Anorthosis have lost only one of their five matches, 1-0 at Inter, but also have just one win, against Panathinaikos.

Panathinaikos seemed down and out after losing in Cyprus and at home against Inter, and being held by Bremen. But unlikely wins in Germany and Italy lifted them to second place and they now have fate in their own hands.

"It is a game of enormous importance for Greek football," said Panathinaikos' Dutch coach Henk Ten Kate.

For Anorthosis, continuing in the Champions League, or even in the UEFA Cup as the third-place finisher, would be a bonus in their fairy tale run.

The club has been in exile in Larnaca ever since Famagusta became a ghost town in the wake of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. They played their Champions League home games in Nicosia, like Larnaca in the Greek part of the island which adds to excitement around Tuesday's game.

Famagusta were considered surprise entries into the group stage along with Belarus club BATE Borisov, Romania's Cluj and Swiss side Basel, effectively preceeding plans of UEFA boss Michel Platini to make it easier for small clubs to qualify.

However, the buildup to the big match in Athens has not been perfect for the multinational team coached by Cypriot-Georgian Temuri Ketsbaia.

Former club president Andreas Panteli is under investigation for alleged embezzlement and Ketsbaia is also confronted with an injury list highlighted by influential midfielder Savio.

Ketsbaia rued the missed opportunities against Bremen but also insisted that his team deserves praise.

"If we want to achieve something we have to go to Athens and get a result ... We made Europe talk about our team and the lads deserve congratulations," he said. (dpa)