Category — UEFA Euro
End of the road for Zenit St. Petersburg in UEFA Cup
Defending champions Zenit St. Petersburg were knocked out of the UEFA Cup on Thursday as Udinese kept Italy’s European hopes alive.
Zenit beat Udinese 1-0 in the second leg of their last 16 tie, but the Serie A side made sure of their place in Friday’s quarter-final draw courtesy of their 2-0 lead from the first leg.
Anatoliy Tymoshchuk gave Zenit the lead in the 34th minute when he headed in an Ivica Krizanac cross past Udinese goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.
In the end, Udinese, the only Italian side left in European competition this season, were on top and only a string of fine saves by Vyacheslav Malafeev kept Zenit in the tie.
Dynamo Kiev and Shakhtar Donetsk became the first Ukrainian sides to reach the last eight.
Dynamo lost 3-2 to fellow Ukrainians Metalist Kharkiv on the night but progressed on away goals having won the opening leg 1-0.
Metalist were ahead on the half-hour through Valentyn Sliusar with Jaja making it 2-0 on the night after 56 minutes.
Goran Sabljic found the net on 68 minutes for Kiev to edge his side ahead on the away goals rule before Walter Anibal Acevedo, two minutes later, swiftly made it 3-1 on the night for Metalist.
But an own goal from Andriy Berezovchuk eleven minutes from time broke Metalist hearts and sent Kiev into the quarter-finals.
Shakhtar saw off 2005 champions CSKA Moscow 2-0 on the night after trailing 1-0 from the first meeting and they were indebted to their Brazilian imports for victory with Fernandinho levelling the tie from the penalty spot in the 54th minute and Luiz Adriano adding the second after 70 minutes.
Related Posts:
March 20, 2009 No Comments
Tyrone Mears help Marseille through to next round of UEFA Cup
An Englishman came to the rescue of French giants Marseille’s UEFA Cup campaign on Wednesday as the journeyman defender Tyrone Mears scored a goal in extra-time to see them to a 2-2 draw on the night but a 4-3 aggregate success over Dutch side Ajax and a place in the quarter-finals.
Mears, the only Englishman playing in the top flight of French football, headed in in the second-half of extra-time to raise French morale after St Etienne had also foced a 2-2 draw at home to Werder Bremen but they went out 3-2 on aggregate.
The Ajax and Marseille clash got off to a tense start as the stadium announcer had to order a Dutch fan to stop shining a laser in the eyes of former Dutch international Boudewijn Zenden – who played for PSV Eindhoven during his time in the domestic league – which forced the referee to stop the match for around a minute.
Marseille surrendered their overall advantage in the tie when Ajax took the lead on the night and on away goals when Eyong Enoh scored in the 32nd minute after the French side’s defence opened up beautifully for him and he made them pay as he tucked the ball away.
However the former European Cup winners were back on level terms and ahead overall just two minutes later as Baky Kone created a chance for Senegalese international Mamadou Niang, who slipped the ball between the legs of young ‘keeper Kenneth Vermeer to make it 1-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate to Marseille.
It was justice for the club and Niang, who had had an earlier goal disallowed when Kone was adjudged rather harshly to be offside whilst Nigerian international Taye Taiwo had seen a vicious effort turned away for a corner by Vermeer.
The French side lost concentration early in the second-half which nearly cost them in the 53rd minute only for France ‘keeper Steve Mandanda to pull off a miraculous save from Luis Suarez.
However, it was a brilliant piece of individual skill from Suarez that created the second goal as he turned on a sixpence in the box completely outwitting the defender and his cross was headed home by Miralem Sulejmani to force extra-time.
Mears was the unlikely hero as he restored Marseille’s overall hold on the match when he made it 2-2 on the night in time added on of the first period of extra time heading past Vermeer.
Related Posts:
March 19, 2009 No Comments
Udinese came back with win over FC Zenit St. Petersburg
After Serie A involvement in the UEFA Champions League was ended this week, Udinese Calcio eased some of the anguish for Italian football with a 2-0 victory against holders FC Zenit St. Petersburg in the first leg of their UEFA Cup Round of 16 tie at the Stadio Friuli.
Udinese coach Pasquale Marino, who was sent to the stands with 12 minutes remaining, was full of praise for the performance of his players at both ends of the pitch, saying: “We played very well, risking almost nothing in defence and creating a few chances in attack. It was the right way to approach this game and I would not have complained to my players even if the final score finished 0-0.”
“However, we will have to play with the same intensity in Russia and try to score a goal to kill the game. It would be a huge mistake to think that the tie is decided. We made that mistake against Borussia Dortmund in the first round when we won the first leg 2-0 in Germany and then we qualified only on penalties.” How AS Roma could have done with such spot-kick poise against Arsenal FC on Wednesday, as they followed FC Internazionale Milano and Juventus out of the UEFA Champions League at the last-16 stage. Udinese ensured it is not all doom and gloom in Italy, however.
Udinese’s vibrant performance was rewarded in the closing stages when Fabio Quagliarella and Antonio Di Natale struck to put the hosts in command, although nobody in the Zebrette camp is counting on a quarter-final place just yet. “We are in a good position now but we are aware that the atmosphere will be hot in Russia,” Di Natale said. “We will have to go there and try to score because defending would be dangerous.”
The 31-year-old forward, who missed a penalty in Italy’s quarter-final shoot-out defeat by Spain at UEFA EURO 2008TM, kept his nerve from the spot after Quagliarella had opened the scoring for the Serie A team with five minutes remaining. “Before taking the penalty many things crossed my mind, even the one I missed against Spain at EURO, but fortunately I managed to score this time around,” he said. “We played beautifully and it was good that we pushed until the final whistle. I think the 2-0 scoreline is fully deserved.”
Related Posts:
March 13, 2009 No Comments
Fulham’s fair play could lead to Europa League
Fulham’s good behaviour on the pitch could lead to a place in the Europa League next season.
Related Posts:
March 11, 2009 No Comments
Top clubs back Platini under 18 transfer limit
The top clubs and leagues have backed UEFA chief Michel Platini’s proposal to scrap international transfers in Europe for players under 18, European soccer’s governing body said on Monday.
Related Posts:
March 11, 2009 No Comments