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PSEUDO-SPARTAK
Spartak lost its last home game this season to the Dutch club NEC 1:2.
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Stipe Pletikosa (L) in the penalty area of
the opposing side Photo SPORT EXPRESS
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The NEC Nijmegen kept their UEFA Cup hopes alive in dramatic
fashion by scoring twice in the final six minutes to move into third place
that leaves Group D open for intrigue.
The Dutch team seemed to be heading out of the competition after a second-minute
header from Sergei Covalciuc put FC Spartak Moscow ahead in the Russian
capital.
With Dynamo Zagreb also losing to Udinese Calcio, Spartak had all the
chances to qualify for the Round of 32 until half-time substitute Jhon
van Beukering equalized with six minutes to go and Lasse Schoene completed
the attack three minutes later.
It had all started so well for Spartak, however, with Nikita Bazhenov's
cross leaving Covalciuc with quite a simple task of nodding the ball in
from close range.
Bazhenov then tried his luck from distance in an attempt to double the
lead, first forcing a save from NEC goalkeeper Gabor Babos, then sending
an effort wide.
Opportunities were created by either side and Bazhenov thought he had
made it 2-0, if it had not been for Babos to turn the strike away for
a corner. Despite the lack of a second goal it appeared that Spartak would
take the points.
Babos was continuing to excel, meanwhile, frustrating Aleksandr Prudnikov
and Roman Shishkin, saves which would prove decisive. First substitute
Collins John set up Van Beukering to head in and, with time ticking away,
Schoene rifled a left-footed shot low past Pletikosa.
So the farewell with the supporters turned to be matching to the whole
season. What should have happened as early as in the home game with Banik
was just extended for two more months.
The hope that was born after the away game with Dynamo in Zagreb and that
went for the first 85 minutes of the yesterday's game was after all buried.
But still not everything is lost yet. We have to hope that Udinese will
win NEC with bigger score that Tottenham would win Spartak in the last
ties of the UEFA Cup group stage. As it is very difficult to imagine that
our club is ready for a heroic deed on the White Hart Lane.
So maybe it is for the better if Spartak fails to get through to the play-offs.
In any case one should build the team again and it is more comfortable
for Laudrup to do this in a calm off-season without false European cup
hurry.
Sport
Express Daily, 04 Dec 2008
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