Both teams, eager to secure a win to try and secure progress to the knockout stages of the tournament, were lively from the opening stages.
Gervinho and Didier Drogba combined well to trouble the opposition goalkeeper on in the ninth minute, but Konstantinos Manolas was able to thwart the former Arsenal man.
The Euro 2004 champions suffered several early setbacks, however, when Panagiotis Kone had to be substituted in the 12th minute, and midway through the first half, goalkeeper Orestis Karneis also had to leave the pitch after suffering a back injury.
However, Greece struck the crossbar on the half-hour mark thanks to Jose Holebas's thundering strike, and went on to score the first goal.
Cheik Tiote's error towards the end of the first half allowed Andreas Samaris to play a one-two with Samaras before slotting the ball into the net.
In the second half, both sides picked up from where they left off, but Greece had the best of the early chances, Georgios Karagounis striking a free-kick from 25 yards into the Ivory Coast wall, before Vasileios Torosidis volleyed the loose ball wide.
Veteran striker Georgios Karagounis was next to trouble the Ivory Coast goal when he struck the frame of the goal from long distance.
Elephants manager Sabri Lamouchi brought on Wilfred Bony for Cheik Tiote on the hour mark, and this would prove a crucial substitution as the Swansea City man, assisted by Gervinho, struck from close range in the 74th minute to put his side level.
However, Greece were awarded a late penalty after Samaras was brought down in the area, and he made no mistake from the spot to send his teammates and fans into a frenzy.
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