Stoke qualified for the Europa League’s round of 32 tonight at the Britannia thanks to a late header by Kenwyne Jones, helping the Potters draw with Dynamo Kiev, 1-1. They were joined by Schalke, and Lokomotiv Moscow while Athletic Bilabo ensured that they would win their group.
Stoke became the first British team to qualify for the next stage in an otherwise grim week for sides from the Isles. Fulham’s late loss to Twente tonight means they go to last-place Odense in round six with all to play for, while yesterday saw Tottenham, Birmingham and Celtic all pushed to the brink. Shamrock Rovers are already out.
Tonight, Dynamo Kiev looked the better of the sides all night long, with Olexandr Aliyev the creator and Andriy Yarmolenko looking difficult to contain. Aliyev’s runs down the flank led to the first goal, an own goal from Matthew Upson after the fragile defender poked the ball into his own net while attempting to clear it.
But over time, Stoke’s aerial attack began to wear down the Ukrainian side, and it was only just when Jones and Jermaine Pennant combined to head home the goal that gave Stoke a share of the honors and a place in the knockout round. The hero of the night, however, was Stoke `keeper Asmir Begovic. While he couldn’t keep out Upson’s error, he stopped a point-blank shot from Yarmolenko to preserve the tie and the Potters’ place in Europe.
In the other match in Group E, Ricardo Quaresma scored two magisterial goals to give Besiktas a 3-2 win in Israel over Maccabi Tel-Aviv after the Turks had let a two-goal lead vanish. Quaresma had scored a brilliant volley to give Besitkas a lead at the break, and Ibrahim Toraman’s header doubled the advantage. But the Israelis battled back, getting a bit of luck as first Sheran Yeini’s flick eluded an absent-minded Cenk Gonen in the net, then Moshe Logasi blasted a 20-yarder in to beat Gonen well. But Quaresma rescued matters when he dribbled around a troop of defenders to single-handedly collect the win deep into stoppage time.
Matters in Group F were largely academic as Athletic seemed certain of qualifying, but two fine goals created by Oscar de Marcos gave them a 2-1 win over Slovan. De Marcos pounced on a loose ball to score the first then fed Markel Susaeta for a sublime header back across the face of goal to the far post. The other game in the group was surprisingly well won by Red Bull Salzburg, who torched PSG 2-0 in Austria to seize control of their own destiny. Jakob Jantscher and Dusan Svento were the scorers on a night when the Parisians seemed to forget to show up.
Nicolas Douchez had a rocky evening in goal for PSG, nearly gifting Jantscher a second, though he can hardly be blamed for conceding late to Svento. That was a powerful volley off a corner that capped a night that will have Salzburg traveling to Slovan on Match Day Six with a Round of 32 spot in the balance.
In Group D, Vaslui and Lazio played a dismal 0-0 draw that did neither side any favors. Sporting Lisbon had already qualified, and they continued their run in the other game of the group, eliminating Zurich behind goals from Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Valeri Bozhinov. Vaslui and Lazio are level on points and face what are effectively must-win games on the final day.
Schalke wrapped up its spot in the Round of 32, but AEK Larnaca's home win over Maccabi Haifa means that three teams will battle for the final Group J place on the last match day. It wasn't easy for Jermaine Jones' Bundesliga team, but a typical goal from the veteran Spanish striker Raul Gonzalez gave Schalke a 2-1 victory over Steaua Bucharest. AEK's 2-1 win over Maccabi left the Israeli team on six points, one clear of Steaua and AEK heading to the sixth match day. Steaua hosts AEK but it won't be a straight winner take all, since Maccabi will qualify ahead of either of them if they can defeat Schalke in Haifa.
A fine header from Kyriakos Papadopoulos had Schalke ahead in the 26th minute, but Raul Andrei Rusescu quieted the crowd when he levelled matters eight minutes later. Raul's winner came in the 57th minute, a neat touch six yards from goal after Klaas Jan Huntelaar had somehow snaked the ball between defenders to reach the lurking striker.
Gonzalo Garcia and Gorka Pintado, the latter with a high quality drive to the near post from a wide right angle, gave AEK Larnaca a two-goal advantage in the first 51 minutes, enough for them to hold off a late Maccabi Haifa charge. Jurica Buljat scored for Maccabi with 15 minutes left, but the Cypriots played smartly down the final stretch.
In Group K, FC Twente used a late Marc Janko goal to keep Fulham on pins and needles to the final night. The Dutch had much the better of play on a night when Fulham spent far too little time attacking, but it appeared the Premiership team had secured a 0-0 draw until the final minute. Janko, on as a late sub, was left entirely alone to tap in a Roberto Rosales cross after Emir Bajrami's pass unlocked the Prem club's defense.
Because goals from Dudu Biton and Patryk Malecki were enough to give Wisla Krakow a 2-1 victory over Odense in Denmark, Fulham realistically need to win their finale against Odense. They will have to do it without Andy Johnson, who was sent off late. Wisla, a point back of the Cottagers, finishes home to Twente. The Dutch side have already clinched first place in the group.
There never was any doubt that Lokomotiv Moscow would accompany Anderlecht forward out of Group L, although Sturm Graz did have a brief moment of equality in Russia. Maicon headed Lokomotiv in front in the 62nd minute, but the Russians relaxed while Roman Kienast tied the game two minutes later. A Dmitry Sychev penalty preceded a stoppage time Denis Glushakov goal as the Russians ran out easy 3-1 winners.
In Greece, Guillaume Gillet scored both Anderlecht goals in a 2-1 win as the Belgians remained a perfect 5-0 in the group and kept AEK Athens without a point.
