Showing posts with label Europa League. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Europa League. Show all posts

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Strictly Spurs Dancing: Lamela wows crowd with rabona

Erik Lamela has given us an early contender for goal of the season with a stunning rabona in Tottenham’s 5-1 win over Asteras Tripoli in the Europa League.

The Argentine, who has previous with such a move having scored a similar goal during his time at River Plate, reckons it’s the best strike of his career.

“Yes, I think so. I think so,” he said. “I’ve scored like that before when I was playing in the junior sides at River Plate. It just happened in a flash.

“I wasn’t thinking about doing something like that, I just wanted to score and it was the most effective, comfortable way of making it happen. It’s something I’ll always remember because it’s something different from the other goals I’ve scored.”
Friday, 24 October 2014 12:00

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Bela Guttman's curse strikes Benfica AGAIN

Benfica fell to a penalty shoot-out defeat to Sevilla in the Europa League final on Wednesday night, making it eight straight defeats in European finals.

Hungarian boss Bela Guttman cursed the club after they refused to give the two-time European Cup-winning manager a new and improved contact in 1962, saying they would be destined to not win in Europe for another 100 years.

An extra-time defeat to Chelsea in 2012-13 was the most recent failure, before Jorge Jesus's side failed to find a way past a dogged Sevilla side in the Juventus Stadium.

Goalkeeper Beto then went on to make two saves in the shoot-out to hand the Andalusian side their third European trophy and ensure the drought at Benfica continues.
Thursday, 15 May 2014 13:32

Friday, April 11, 2014

Valencia stage stunning Europa League revival

Valencia staged a remarkable comeback against Basel to set up a Europa League semi-final clash with Sevilla.

Juan Antonio Pizzi's men headed into the second leg after a 3-0 defeat in Switzerland last Thursday but despite a semi-final place looking well out of reach, the Spanish club managed to score three goals in 90 minutes before Paco Alcacer completed his hat-trick in extra time, while Juan Bernat rounded off the 5-0 win with a late effort.
Friday, April 11, 2014 12:00

Friday, February 21, 2014

SoldaD'oh! Spurs striker skies his sitter

It has been a difficult adaptation period for Roberto Soldado. The Spain striker signed for Tottenham for £26 million last summer but has struggled to find the back of the net this season.

He has scored just five goals from 21 Premier League matches, but with five in three the Europa League had provided him with a happier hunting ground. Until last night.

The striker looked set to put Tim Sherwood's men a goal up against Dnipro in the competition's last 32, but blazed well over with the goal wide open. The Ukranians went on to win the match 1-0. D'Oh!
Friday, February 21, 2014 12:00

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Swans take flight in Europe


Swansea City's start to their Europa League group campaign could not have fared any better at the Mestalla on Thursday.

Michael Laudrup's side were given a boost in the 10th minute as Valencia saw Adil Rami sent off, while Wilfried Bony's opening goal four minutes later was added to by Michu and Jonathan De Guzman in the second half.

Friday, September 20, 2013 12:00


Friday, May 17, 2013

Benitez bolsters CV as Chelsea celebrate Europa League glory

Chelsea secured their second European title in two seasons on Wednesday, seeing off Benfica in Amsterdam to win the Europa League final.

Fernando Torres opened the scoring for the Blues and although Oscar Cardozo equalised for Jorge Jesus’s men, Branislav Ivanovic’s late header won the title for Rafael Benitez’s men.

The win follows last season’s Champions League triumph and means Rafael Benitez has now become just the fourth manager to win the Europa League (or Uefa Cup in its previous incarnation) more than once.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Rafa hits the jackpot as Luiz sends Chelsea into Europa League final

David Luiz was the toast of Stamford Bridge on Thursday night as he completed the scoring to help Chelsea beat Basel 3-1 in the Europa League semi-final second leg.

The Brazilian has developed something of a reputation for a stunning goal, and his latest - a thunderous curling strike into the top corner - was no exception.

The victory saw Chelsea secure a 5-2 aggregate victory, giving Rafa Benitez the chance to contest a Europa League final and finish his interim stay at Stamford Bridge with a piece of silverware. 

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Fore! Adebayor's Europa penalty reaches Tiger

Emmanuel Adebayor's languid penalty was the final nail in Tottenham's Europa League coffin as Andre Villas-Boas' side crashed out of the competition to Basel on Thursday evening.

The Togo striker's disjointed run-up in the penalty shoot-out was followed with an even poorer finish as the ball blazed over Basel's bar. 

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Tottenham tumble over San Siro finish line


They made tough work of it, but Tottenham stumbled over the Europa League last-16 finishing line after sneaking an away goal past Inter in extra time on Thursday evening.

Andrea Stramaccioni's side had battled back from a 3-0 first-leg defeat to even the aggregate score at San Siro and take the tie to extra time. But Emmanuel Adebayor had the final say as his goal fired Spurs through to a quarter-final clash Swiss side FC Basel. 

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Taxi for Inter! Bale & Spurs march on in Europe

Fans of Inter must be sick of the sight of Gareth Bale.

The Tottenham star was on target against the Serie A side again in a 3-0 win on Thursday night, almost two-and-a-half years after announcing himself on the European stage with a hat-trick at San Siro.

It was a case of 'Taxi for Maicon' during 2010-11 season, but this time the entire Inter side were powerless to stop Bale and Spurs, who put one foot firmly in the Europa League quarter-finals. 

Friday, February 22, 2013

Hulk ruins Liverpool's Mission Impossible

Brendan Rodgers' side faced a difficult task in attempting to overcome a 2-0 deficit from the first leg of their Europa League tie against Zenit St Petersburg.

And that became all the more improbable when Brazilian striker Hulk popped up to latch onto a poor backpass from Jamie Carragher and slot past Pepe Reina to give them a 3-0 aggregate lead.

But to their credit, Liverpool fought back in astonishing style, and were tantalisingly close to an improbable result. However, they had left themselves just too much to do in the end, with the Russian side advancing to the next stage. 

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Atletico losing grip on Europa League crown

Current Europa League champions Atletico Madrid are in danger of heading out of the competiton following a 2-0 defeat at home by Rubin Kazan.

Diego Simeone's side fell behind after just six minutes following Gokdeniz Kardeniz's strike, and while the Russian club had Roman Sharonov sent off on the stroke of half time, the visitors were able to secure a second away goal through Pablo Orbaiz's 90th-minute effort. 

Friday, September 21, 2012

Rodgers' babes overcome Young Boys

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers gambled on youth in the Europa League clash with Young Boys on Thursday night.

The Anfield boss handed debuts to Andre Wisdom, Suso and summer signing Oussama Assaidi, while Dani Pacheco was handed a rare start.

It took two goals from Jonjo Shelvey - just 20 years of age himself - but Liverpool managed to seal a topsy-turvy 5-3 battle in Berne as Rodgers' youthful side managed to finally get the better of Young Boys.