Alkmaar 3, Sporting 2 in a gripping UEFA Cup semi-final
Tiny Alkmaar bravely battle Portuguese side
Sporting for two hours, but are edged out on away goals in a thrilling match
that sends Sporting to the UEFA Cup final in their own stadium.
I wasn't even going to tape this one, but I
wanted to see Sporting and they're not on TV very often. Boy am I glad I did,
since this was an unbelievable game. Alkmaar are a small provincial Dutch side
that last won the domestic Eredivisie in 1981. Sporting are a well-supported
Lisbon club that are always in the top four finishers in that country's top
flight league. Sporting won the first leg at home 2-1, but must perform well
away to advance to the final.
Alkmaar show immediately that they are a force to be reckoned with. Kenneth Perez is on fire from the opening moment. He threatens in the fifth and then a minute later is back to score. He heads from 6-yards out off a cross, and Alkmaar are tied on aggregate and would advance on the away goals rule. The home crowd, packed into the tiny stadium that holds only 9,000, goes wild. Alkmaar are up 1-0, and 2-2 on aggregate. In the 11th minute, a free kick just outside the box, and Perez hits the upright with a curling kick. Who is this guy? Now Sporting are coming at Alkmaar. In the 15th Douala walks the ball to the end line and crosses back dangerously.
Sektioui is working the ball well for Alkmaar, earning them a corner in the 27th that is wasted. Sporting's 29th minute free kick is just barely headed behind. Douala in the 31st gets in behind the defense, shoots hard only to have it saved by the goalie's foot. The rebound falls to his teammate, who is taken out, although the ball was running a little ahead of him and it seems to me it could have been a penalty, but is not called. In the 33rd, a wide open Moutinho shoots completely off target. In the 41st, Garcia got to the end of a nice cross, but the shot is deflected just over the bar. Alkmaar is looking a bit tired and Sporting is the better side, but the Portuguese team can't make that final pass. Douala does it again when he crosses to nowhere in the 45th. In the second minute of first-half injury time, Liedson has his shot tipped over the bar. One minute later, a cross from Polga finds him and he slots in with the inside of his right foot to tie it up. 1-1, Sporting up 3-2 on aggregate.
In the second half, both sides come forward, pressing. Sporting relies more on counter-attacks now. The frustration level is rising, and the game is getting more physical and less attractive to watch. Stein Huysegems, a substitute to give Alkmaar more attack, misses a good chance in the 79th. But then, in the 80th, a counter-attack from midfield falls to Ali Elkhattabi, who shoots, and the rebound goes to an unmarked Huysegems, who scores. Alkmaar are up 2-1, leaving the game headed to overtime. Both teams have chances as the half ends, but are unable to score.
Unfortunately this is where my recording of the game ends, but I discerned this from other match reports: Jaliens scored for Alkmaar late in the second overtime period, but Miguel Garcia brought Sporting back from the abyss with a desperate header off a corner in injury time to end the game 3-2. Although tied in aggregate 4-4, Sporting advances to the UEFA Cup final on the away goals rule. A great semi-final, can't wait for the final.
Alkmaar show immediately that they are a force to be reckoned with. Kenneth Perez is on fire from the opening moment. He threatens in the fifth and then a minute later is back to score. He heads from 6-yards out off a cross, and Alkmaar are tied on aggregate and would advance on the away goals rule. The home crowd, packed into the tiny stadium that holds only 9,000, goes wild. Alkmaar are up 1-0, and 2-2 on aggregate. In the 11th minute, a free kick just outside the box, and Perez hits the upright with a curling kick. Who is this guy? Now Sporting are coming at Alkmaar. In the 15th Douala walks the ball to the end line and crosses back dangerously.
Sektioui is working the ball well for Alkmaar, earning them a corner in the 27th that is wasted. Sporting's 29th minute free kick is just barely headed behind. Douala in the 31st gets in behind the defense, shoots hard only to have it saved by the goalie's foot. The rebound falls to his teammate, who is taken out, although the ball was running a little ahead of him and it seems to me it could have been a penalty, but is not called. In the 33rd, a wide open Moutinho shoots completely off target. In the 41st, Garcia got to the end of a nice cross, but the shot is deflected just over the bar. Alkmaar is looking a bit tired and Sporting is the better side, but the Portuguese team can't make that final pass. Douala does it again when he crosses to nowhere in the 45th. In the second minute of first-half injury time, Liedson has his shot tipped over the bar. One minute later, a cross from Polga finds him and he slots in with the inside of his right foot to tie it up. 1-1, Sporting up 3-2 on aggregate.
In the second half, both sides come forward, pressing. Sporting relies more on counter-attacks now. The frustration level is rising, and the game is getting more physical and less attractive to watch. Stein Huysegems, a substitute to give Alkmaar more attack, misses a good chance in the 79th. But then, in the 80th, a counter-attack from midfield falls to Ali Elkhattabi, who shoots, and the rebound goes to an unmarked Huysegems, who scores. Alkmaar are up 2-1, leaving the game headed to overtime. Both teams have chances as the half ends, but are unable to score.
Unfortunately this is where my recording of the game ends, but I discerned this from other match reports: Jaliens scored for Alkmaar late in the second overtime period, but Miguel Garcia brought Sporting back from the abyss with a desperate header off a corner in injury time to end the game 3-2. Although tied in aggregate 4-4, Sporting advances to the UEFA Cup final on the away goals rule. A great semi-final, can't wait for the final.
Posted: Fri - May 6, 2005 at 09:50 AM
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Published On: Jun 13, 2006 12:00 AM
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Published On: Jun 13, 2006 12:00 AM