UEFA Cup Review

by Alex Abnos, Poul-Henrik Worm & Greg Seltzer - September 20, 2007

 
 

Michael Bradley scored twice in another 5-star Heerenveen victory, Danny Califf's AaB posted a draw in Italy and Oguchi Onyewu's Standard dropped a bad decision in Russia.

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AALBORG POST AWAY DRAW
Danny Califf and Aalborg BK delivered a big surprise when they held Sampdoria, whose roster did not include Gabriel Ferrari, to a 2-2 draw at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Thursday evening.

After 18 minutes, it looked like the expected home win when a free kick from the right found Gennaro Delvecchio at the far post to make it 1-0.

Two minutes later, however, Aalborg's Swedish ace Rade Prica fired a free kick from 40 yards straight into the bottom right corner for the equalizer.

Eight minutes into the second half, it looked like a complete disaster for the home side when Andreas Johansson fired from the edge of the box. His shot took a deflection in defense and beat keeper Castellazzi.

This lead only lasted four minutes before Vincenzo Montella sent in a cross for Claudio Bellucci, who nodded it in for the equalizer.

Michael Bradley Heerenveen
Bradley opened and closed the scoring for the victors.
(photo: SC Heerenveen)
 
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Despite opportunities for both sides, the 2-2 scoreline held and Aalborg have the away goal advantage when the host Sampdoria in two weeks.

Scoring
UCS - Claudio Delvecchio 1 (Daniele Franceschini) 18'
AaB - Rade Prica 1 20'
AaB - Andreas Johansson 1 55'
UCS - Claudio Bellucci 1 (Vincenzo Montella) 60'

Line-ups
SAMP - Luca Castellazzi; Daniele Gastaldello, Angelo Palombo, Alessandro Bastrini (Mirko Pieri 82'), Cristian Zenoni (Sergio Volpi 66'), Paolo Sammarco, Daniele Franceschini, Reto Ziegler, Gennaro Delvecchio (Vincenzo Montella 57'), Claudio Bellucci, Andrea Caracciolo

AAB - Karim Zaza; Allan Olesen, Danny Califf, Michael Jacobsen, Martin Pedersen, Kasper Risgaard, Andreas Johansson, Thomas Augustinussen, Thomas Enevoldsen, Jeppe Curth, Rade Prica

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LATE GOALS HURT STANDARD
Standard Liege will have considerable home work to do after allowing a pair of late goals in a 3-0 loss at Zenit St. Petersburg.

Oguchi Onyewu went the distance for Les Rouches, going into the book for an angry tête-à-tête with Andrei Arshavin at the hour.

Standard carried early play, with Axel Witsel having a 19th minute blast punched away by Zenit keeper Kamil Čontofalský.

Dieumerci Mbokani had a penalty gripe ignored in the 31st minute, and the hosts broke in front seconds later on the counter. Arshavin capped the break with a splendid 25-meter effort inside the post.

A minute out of intermission, Mbokani capped a one-two with Igor De Camargo with a shot that beat Čontofalský, but was spectacularly cleared from the line by Alexander Anyukov.

Five minutes later, Witsel broke in alone, but somehow managed to fire wide of frame. The wastefulness was punished in the 68th minute as Arshavin claimed his second by rolling under Oliver Renard with his left boot.

Onyewu nearly brought Standard within one in the 74th minute, but his header from Salim Toama's free kick missed just high.

Once again, Zenit profited from a quick breakout as Kim Dong Jin was in the right place to tap home an Arshavin rebound with five minutes to play.

Scoring
ZSP - Andrei Arshavin 1 32'
ZSP - Andrei Arshavin 2 68'
ZSP - Kim Dong Jin 1 (Andrei Arshavin) 85'

Line-ups
SL - Olivier Renard; Marcos Camozzato, Costa Santos Bonfim Dante, Oguchi Onyewu, Mohamed  Sarr, Steven Defour, Marouane Fellaini, Salim Toama, Axel Witsel (Grégory Dufer 82'), Igor De Camargo, Dieumerci Mbokani (Ali Lukunku 79')

ZSP - Kamil Čontofalský; Alexander Anyukov, Kim Dong Jin, Erik Hagen, Nicolas Lombaerts, Alejandro Dominguez, Radek Šírl, Anatoliy Tymoschuk, Kostantin Zyrianov, Andrei Arshavin, Pavel Pogrebnyak

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FRISIANS HIT FOR 5 IN WIN
Heerenveen carried their goal scoring ways over to UEFA Cup play, topping visitors Helsingborgs 5-3 on Thursday night.

Michael Bradley worked the opening 72 minutes and bagged the first two European goals of his career, as well as a yellow card.

The US international took advantage of an HIF backline stretched to the flanks to convert a Gianni Zuiverloon entry feed after 20 minutes.

On the half hour, Gerald Sibon grabbed his first of the evening by nodding in a Roy Beerens service. Five minutes later, the striker earned a rapid fire brace after being played a cutback by partner Miralem Sulejmani.

Helsingborgs regrouped at the break, and former Sweden star Henrik Larsson was able to tap home a Razak Omotoyossi feed in the 53rd minute. Moments later, the provider turned scorer to cut the lead to one after Frisians keeper Brian Vandenbussche had a miscommunication with Kristian Bak-Nielsen.

The defender made amends just before the hour by burying a Geert Arend Roorda restart. Seconds later, Bradley restored the three-goal edge from a mazy Beerens drive-and-dish.

Helsingborgs were able to carve out a small bit of hope for the second leg after Bal-Nielsen mishandled an Omotoyossi cross and Bradley slid in on Ólafur Ingi Skúlason inside the area. Larsson dispatched the resulting spot kick to reduce the arrears with 20 minutes remaining.

Scoring
HEER - Michael Bradley 1 (Gianni Zuiverloon) 20'
HEER - Gerald Sibon 1 (Roy Beerens) 30'
HEER - Gerald Sibon 2 (Miralem Sulejmani) 35'
HIF - Henrik Larsson 1 (Razak Omotoyossi) 53'
HIF - Razak Omotoyossi 1 57'
HEER - Kristian Bak-Nielsen 1 (Geert Arend Roorda) 59'
HEER - Michael Bradley 2 (Roy Beerens) 60'
HIF - Henrik Larsson 2 (PK) 70'

Line-ups
HIF - Daniel Andersson; Adama Tamboura, Samir Beloufa (Leandro Casten 46'), Christoffer Andersson, Andreas Jakobsson, Marcus Lantz (Erik Wahlstedt 46'), Ólafur Ingi Skúlason, Martin Kolar (Mathias Unkuri 67'), Andreas Dahl, Henrik Larsson, Razak Omotoyossi

HEER - Brian Vandenbussche; Gianni Zuiverloon, Kristian Bak-Nielsen, Michael Dingsdag, Michel Breuer, Roy Beerens, Michael Bradley (Thomas Prager 72'), Geert Arend Roorda, Danijel Pranjic, Gerald Sibon (Radoslaw Matusiak 66'), Miralem Sulejmani


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ROVERS DROP AWAY DECISION
Blackburn's UEFA Cup journey got off to the worst possible start on Thursday as the English side succumbed to a 2-0 away loss to Greek Cup champions AE Larissa.

There was little that Brad Friedel could do about either of the goals, which came in the span of two minutes midway through the first half.

The first, a long range blast from former Everton striker Ibrahima Bakayoko, took a deflection off of Ryan Nelsen on the way to goal, causing the ball to rise over Friedel and into the back of the net.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Rovers would shoot themselves in the foot again before the Larissa faithful had even stopped celebrating.

Winger Brett Emerton, who received the ball at the halfway line straight off the kickoff, then hit a terrible back pass which was easily picked off by Bakayoko, streaking in on goal with only one defender to beat. The ensuing goalmouth melee saw Bakayoko's initial shot blocked, though Cleyton was there to provide the finishing touch.

From then on, Blackburn struggled to create any chances, though Roque Santa Cruz really should have put them ahead in the 54th minute in a one-on-one situation with Larissa keeper Stefanos Kotsolis, but headed wide.

The result gets even worse for Blackburn with the news that defender Ryan Nelsen, who left the game through injury in the 57th minute, will be out at least a month with a hamstring injury.

Scoring
AEL - Ibrahima Bakayoko 1 33'
AEL - Cleyton 1 35'

Line-ups
AEL - Stefanos Kotosolis; Marco Foerster, Panagiotis Katsiaros, Niklos Dabizas, Giorgos Galitsios, Elias Kiriakidis, Cleyton (Christos Kalantzis 86'), Marcelo Sarmiento, Giorgos Fotakis, Nektarios Alexandrou (Dimitris Gikas 77'), Ibrahima Bakayoko (Tassos Venetis 90')

BLA - Brad Friedel; Andre Ooijer, Stephen Warnock, Ryan Nelsen (Zurab Khizanishvili 57'), Brett Emerton, Robbie Savage, David Bentley, Morten Gamst Pedersen (Matt Derbyshire 62'), David Dunn, Roque Santa Cruz, Benedict McCarthy (Tugay Kerimoglu 79')


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ON THE SIDELINE
Tim Howard sat out Everton's agonizing 1-1 home draw with Metalist Kharkiv with a hand injury.

Johann Smith was not suited up as Bolton fought back for a 1-1 share at Rabotnicki.

Petter Anderssen's double lifted Hammarby to a 2-1 victory over visiting Braga without the suspended Charlie Davies.

Ramiro Corrales watched from the bench as Brann fell 1-0 at home to Club Brugge.

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