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EUROPA LEAGUE MATCHES REVIEW
Results from Thursday's Europa League matches
were not kind to Russian sides as they were winless in three matches,
Sport Express correspondent John Davies reports.
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CSKA Sofia vs. Dynamo Photo
SPORT EXPRESS
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Despite the result, Dynamo, Zenit and Amkar can each advance
to the next stage of the tournament with top-shelf performances as the
return legs of the ties head to their respective home grounds next Thursday.
The day commenced with the most positive result for Russian clubs as Dynamo
Moskva's held CSKA Sofia to in a nil draw in Bulgaria. Based upon the
fallout in the Champions League, in which many discussed Dynamo's lack
of experience on the European stage, the result is certainly a marked
improvement for Andrey Kobelev's men. Behind their very vocal supporters,
Sofia made it very clear early that early loose ball would be challenged
and match referee Robert Schorgenhofer did well and keeping emotions in
check. As tensions escalated just before the break Orlin Orlinov and Kirill
Kombarov earned yellow-cards as the match looked close to boiling over.
With Dynamo's advances bottled up and clearly content at not risking be
exposed at the back, Sofia coach Luboslav Penev initiated a more aggressive
tactical approach. Summoning their highly promising attackers Spas Delev
and Atanas Zehirov into the match near the hour, the young attackers are
high on the watch list of club across Europe. Their impact in the match
was notable and with eight minutes remaining CSKA Sofia had a perfect
chance to score the go-ahead goal on the quick counter but Spas Delev's
final touch skipped off target. The match concluded with further incident
as Dynamo's composed defending discipline kept Sofia under wraps. Dynamo
faces Rubin Kazan in league play before CSKA Sofia visits Moscow next
Thursday in the deciding leg of their tie.
Amkar Perm's visit to London against Fulham ended in an unsavoury 3-1
defeat. Dimitar Dimitrov adjusted Sunday's starting eleven with Mitar
Novakovic and Miklos Gaal taking the place of Vitaliy Grishin and Aleksey
Pomerko. The hosts grabbed the lead three minutes into the match as Clint
Dempsey linked the ball to Bobby Zamora, who then provided Andrew Johnson,
resulting in the textbook finish for the quick 1-0 lead. Perm continued
to attack throughout the balance of the half but were unable to find the
final touch and were in-fact lucky to keep Fulham off the score sheet.
After the restart Perm was showing promise going forward but hopes of
leveling were snuffed out at the fifty-first minute when Clint Dempsey
found the back of net with a fine volley from just outside the area. With
fifteen minutes remaining in regulation Damien Duff, newly signed from
Newcastle United, linked with Erik Nevland, who then provided the ball
to Bobby Zamora to give Fulham the 1-0 lead. Two minutes later though
Vitaliy Grishin got Amkar off the mark with an efficient volley to bring
the match to a 3-1 conclusion and add the all-important away goal. Amkar
is certainly in a more advantageous position than Fulham with the return
leg as it relates to overall scheduling. Though that might be the case
of looking for a reason to be optimistic, Amkar's scheduling is certainly
easier as while they face Kuban Krasnodar on Sunday, next on Fulham's
schedule is a London derby against powerhouse Chelsea, followed up with
a crucial test against Aston Villa.
In one of the day's great goal-scoring fests Zenit Saint Petersburg visit
of the Madeira Islands resulted in a 4-3 to Nacional da Madeira. With
Tomas Hubocan in for Radek Sirl from Aleksandr Dyukov's starting eleven
on Sunday, Zenit staked the hosts to a two goal lead before getting on
the score sheet. Luis Alberto gave Nacional the 1-0 lead at the half hour
mark with Joao Aurelio doubling the margin seven minutes later. Down by
two veteran Igor Semshov once again came up with the timely goal at the
forty-third minute bringing Zenit to within one. The see-saw flow of the
match continued as Rodrigo Silva restored the hosts two goal margin at
the fifty-third minute only to see Igor Semshov's heroic narrow the deficit
again moments later. With seventeen minutes left on the clock Ruben Micael
gave the hosts a two goal advantage but in what could prove to be a deciding
factor of the tie, Fatih Tekke found the mark in the third minute of added-time
to bring the match to a 4-3 conclusion in Nacional's favour. Zenit face
Lokomotiv on Sunday in league play before the return leg of their Europa
League tie heads to Petrovskiy Stadium next Thursday.
Prepared by John Davies
Sport
Express Daily, 21 Aug 2009
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