Italian sides UEFA Cup wrap..Livorno win first ever game in Europe

[Jager]

Mlada Boleslav 0-1 Palermo
Jankovic 90
Mestsky Stadion


Palermo grabbed a last-gasp Bosko Jankovic winner at Mlada Boleslav’s tiny Mestsky Stadion in Stefano Colantuono’s European debut.

Bolselav can count themselves unlucky after they had the better of the game looking for a scalp to add to their victory over Marseille last term.

Colantuono decided to start Uruguayan striking starlet Edison Cavani alongside Franco Brienza, with Serie A starters Fabrizio Miccoli and Amauri on the bench.

The Sicilians took time to play their way into the game against a side sitting ninth in the Czech Gambrinius Liga.

Neither side provided much momentum, but the Czechs enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and Palermo goalkeeper Federico Agliardi had to be alert to gather ahead of the advancing Jan Kysela on 18 minutes.

Alexander Mendy gave the Aquile back line some headaches before Cavani’s long pass was intercepted by Boleslav ‘keeper Miroslav Miller.

Just before the break Serbian starlet Jankovic swung over an inch-perfect cross only for Giovanni Tedesco to miss the target with his header.

With just seconds left before the interval, Mlada nearly took the lead when the dangerous Mendy broke clear, but the Frenchman fired wide.

The hosts looked more positive at the start of the second period and were nearly ahead within minutes as Giulio Migliaccio was dispossesed on the edge of his own box, but Ivo Taborsky's shot was lacking.

Jankovic wasted a half-chance from a Brienza ball and Boleslav nearly pounced on the break through Taborsky, but his ball was too well hit for Kysela.

The Czechs continued to look confident in their first ever game against Italian opposition and Cristian Zaccardo did well to shut down Mendy in the 64th minute.

As the pace of the game dropped, Colantuono sent on Brazilian hitman Amauri in place of the quiet Mark Bresciano.

However, it was the Czechs who nearly broke the deadlock when Kysela grazed the post with a header.

Spurred into action, the newly arrived Amauri had Palermo's first shot on target after 78 minutes, but it was easily caught by Miller.

However, it was short-lived and the Italians stayed pinned back until the 89th minute when substitute Fabio Caserta was left one-on-one with Miller, but his fierce effort was straight at the Boleslav custodian

Just as a draw seemed certain, Palermo got the crucial goal as Caserta redeemed himself with a dazzling run down the left-wing and crossed for Jankovic to net at the back post.

Palermo are in control of the tie, but they made very hard work of it.


Mlada Boleslav: Miller; Vorisek, Rolko, Kopic, Hrdlicka; Mendy, Matejovsky, Rajnoc, Sediacek; Taborsky, Kysela

Palermo: Agliardi; Diana, Rinaudo, Barzagli, Zaccardo; Bresciano (Amauri 67), Tedesco (Simplicio 87), Migliaccio, Jankovic; Brienza (Caserta 57), Cavani

Ref: Kinhöfer (Ger)

UEFA Cup, Rd 1, 1st leg - 20/9/07
Groningen 1-1 Fiorentina
Lovre 26 (G), Semioli 65 (F)
Euroborg


Fiorentina were held 1-1 by Dutch side Groningen in an entertaining tie at a rain-swept Euroborg.

Coach Cesare Prandelli made a last-minute change to his starting 11 when he opted to start veteran hitman Christian Vieri alongside Adrian Mutu and Franco Semioli.

The Dutch side showed their potential threat in the fifth minute when Serbian midfielder Goran Lovre nearly played in ex-Manchester United flop Erik Nevland, but his ball was slightly overhit.

Groningen saw more of the ball and were happy to slow the game down as they looked to avoid their first defeat in Europe since 1991.

The first shot of the game came from Fiorentina as Mutu fired from distance, but the Romanian star saw his effort whistle over the bar.

However, just two minutes later the hosts should have been ahead when a Luciano Da Silva cross was just put behind by Alessandro Gamberini and Nyland’s header was miraculously stopped by Sebastian Frey from the resulting corner.

Riccardo Montolivo hit a wayward effort, but the Gigliati were under pressure as Martijn Meerdink wasn’t far away from 25 yards.

Groningen deservedly went ahead after 26 minutes through Lovre who headed home a precise Nyland cross.

Vieri looked the Italians' best hope and his cross turned shot nearly caught the 'keeper out after half an hour before a shot that stung 'keeper Brian Van Loo's gloves.

The second half started more brightly for Prandelli's side as Fabio Liverani's powerful shot was tipped wide by Van Loo.

Giampaolo Pazzini was brought on for a tiring Vieri on 57 minutes, but it was Semioli who made the difference

Montolivo found Pazzini who laid the ball on to the ex-Chievo man and Semioli cooly slotted for 1-1.

The momentum was moving towards the Viola and just minutes later a rasping Mutu drive was tipped over by Van Loo.

Fiorentina looked the more likely to find a winner, but in the end the draw seemed welcome for both sides.

The Viola return home with the advantage of an away goal, but will feel they should have done better and paid the price for a nightmare start.


Groningen: Van Loo; Silva, Sankoh, Kruiswijk, Stenman; Meerdink, Lindgren, Lovre, Lewlsjenko; Nevland (Kolder 90), Nijland (Van de Laak 75)

Fiorentina: Frey; Ujfalusi, Gamberini, Kroldrup, Pasqual; Liverani, Pazienza (Kuzmanovic 46), Montolivo; Mutu, Vieri (Pazzini 57), Semioli

Ref: Batista (Por)

CH4

[Jager]

UEFA Cup, Rd 1, 1st leg - 20/9/07
Sampdoria 2-2 Aalborg
Delvecchio 18 (S), Prica 19 (A), Johannson 54 (A), Bellucci 59 (S)
Stadio Ferraris


Sampdoria are in trouble after a breathtaking first leg against Aalborg finished 2-2 at Marassi.

Without Antonio Cassano, Walter Mazzarri opted to start with ex-Bologna hitman Claudio Bellucci alongside Andrea Caracciolo

Without Antonio Cassano, Walter Mazzarri opted to start with ex-Bologna hitman Claudio Bellucci alongside Andrea Caracciolo.

A defensive crisis led to Angelo Palombo playing as a sweeper in a three-man defence with Daniele Gastaldello and Alessandro Bastrini.

Samp started in lively fashion as Paolo Sammarco shot from range and saw his ambitious drive fly just wide of the mark after deflecting off a defender.

The Blucerchiati took the lead after 18 minutes when Gennaro Delvecchio pounced on hesitant defending to slot home from close range.

However, Mazzarri’s frustration was evident as the visitors struck back straight from the restart courtesy of a blasted free-kick from Swede Rade Prica.

Rather than dispirited, Doria nearly regained the lead on 24 minutes when Rito Ziegler's excellent cross was turned towards Caracciolo by Delvecchio, but Daniel Califf did just enough to intercept.

Mazzarri's men kept piling forward and Bellucci's shot was blocked for a corner on the half-hour mark.

The hosts continued to press, but it stayed level at 45 minutes.

Clearly chasing the win, the home side were quickly into action from the restart as Cristian Zenoni's cross was miscontrolled by Caracciolo.

Bellucci was kicking himself seven minutes into the second half when he fluffed a golden chance from a measured Zenoni cross, but the men from Genoa were clearly controlling the pace.

Cruelly, it was Aalborg who struck next in fortunate circumstances as an Andreas Johansson shot deflected off Palombo past the despairing Castellazzi.

Vincenzo Montella - the hero of the preliminary win over Hajduk Split - replaced Delvecchio after 55 minutes.

The arrival of L'Aeroplannin made an immediate impact as his cross was headed home from close range to give Aalborg a taste of their own medicine and level the game at 2-2.

A revitalised Sampdoria smelt blood and Bellucci's shot was well saved by Aalborg 'keeper Zaza.

The Danes responded with Vibeke Olesen feeding Prica, but he couldn't double his tally from close range.

Montella and Bellucci looked increasingly comfortable up front and Bellucci blazed over as they found another gap in the Aalborg defensive line.

The chances came thick and fast in the closing stages as Caracciolo was inches away before Castellazzi was called upon to make an extraordinary reflex save from Johansson.

With eight minutes left, Castellazzi was the hero again with a decent stop from a Thomas Enevoldsen blast.

Sadly Samp ran out of steam as they were forced to play the last few minutes with 10 men as substitute Sergio Volpi's right ankle injury recurred.

As Mazzarri had no more changes left, he had to watch his depleted side secure a draw in a game that could easily have gone either way.


Sampdoria: Castellazzi; Gastaldello, Palombo, Bastrini; Zenoni (Volpi 65), Sammarco, Delvecchio (Montella 55), Franceschini, Ziegler; Bellucci, Caracciolo

Aalborg: Zaza; Olesen, Califf, Jakobsen, Olfers; Enevoldsen, Augustinussen, Johansson, Lindstrom; Curth, Prica

Ref: Einwaller (Aut)

UEFA Cup, Rd 1, 1st leg - 20/9/07
Empoli 2-1 FC Zurich
Piccolo 41 (E), Antonini pen 48 (E), Alphonse 75 (Z)
Stadio Castellani


Gigi Cagni's Empoli won their first ever UEFA Cup tie against FC Zurich 2-1 at the Stadio Castellani.

Azzurri boss Gigi Cagni picked an almost unrecognisable side from the 11 that faced Lazio last week, but the second string delivered in style.

Juventus-owned defender Felice Piccolo nearly put the Tuscans ahead after just three minutes with a powerful header from a corner.

Rej Volpato's magnificent ball to Nicola Pozzi nearly provided the breakthrough after 10 minutes, but he was unable to keep the shot under control.

Cagni's men certainly should have been ahead after 17 minutes when Ignazio Abete slid the ball to Luca Antonini only for the Milan native to miss an open goal.

Davide Bassi's only save of the first period was a routine stop from Tunisian Youssaine Chikhauoi.

On the stroke of half-time Empoli took a thoroughly deserved lead through Piccolo as he reacted first to head home a corner.

Things got even better for the home side as Antonino redeemed his earlier miss by converting a penalty after he was brought down.

Volpato brought an excellent save out of Johnny Leoni, but the pace of the game slowed as the game reached the hour mark.

Just as the fans started to believe their side could get away without an away goal, Alexandre Alphonse pulled one back for Zurich.

While Cagni can be proud of delivering a winning European debut, his men could be made to pay for not keeping a clean sheet.


FC Zurich: Leoni; Konde', Okonkwo, Stahel, Raffael; Chikhaoui, Rocaht, Barmettler, Abdi; Schneider, Hassli

Empoli: Bassi; Piccolo, Rincon, Abate, Pozzi, Marzoratti; Marchisio, Iacoponi, Volpato; Antonini, Prevete

Ref: Yefet (Isr)

CH4

[D-Kin]

All four teams should go through, Empoli will have it tough though.

[Jager]

They play away, but the away goal will hurt.

[D-Kin]

Yeah, exactly.

Fiorentina and Palermo are as good as through to be honest.