UEFA CUP
Tottenham and Everton, once proud members of the English Premier League’s original “big five” before turning into serial under-achievers, were struggling to salvage their UEFA Cup dreams on Thursday.
Spurs, rooted to the bottom of the Premier League, beat Poland’s Wisla Krakow 2-1 at White Hart Lane, while Everton twice came from behind to secure a 2-2 home draw with Belgian side Standard Liege in their first round, first-leg ties. Elsewhere, Manchester City and Aston Villa needed to battle back to clinch crucial away victories in Cyprus and Bulgaria respectively, while FA Cup winners Portsmouth marked their first European tie with a 2-0 home success over Guimaraes of Portugal.
PHOTO: AP
Darren Bent grabbed the winner for Tottenham Hotspur against Wisla Krakow in the 73rd minute to hand coach Juande Ramos his first win of the season. David Bentley had given the Londoners the lead in the first half, but Tomas Jirsak leveled within a minute to give the Poles a vital away goal.
“It will be a tough game in Poland and we have to make sure we do not lose there,” Spurs assistant manager Gus Poyet said.
At Goodison Park, Standard Liege, who lost narrowly to Liverpool in a Champions League qualifier last month, were in front against Everton after just nine minutes through Dieumerci Mbokani. Yakubu equalized, before Joseph Yobo’s own goal put the Belgians ahead again. Ecuador’s Segundo Castillo, making his home debut, leveled for Everton with a long-range drive seven minutes before the interval.
“Hopefully we will play better and defend better [in Belgium],” Everton manager David Moyes said.
Manchester City, now bankrolled by the petro-billions of a Middle East sheikh, fell behind to a 49th-minute goal from Klodian Duro at Cypriot minnows Omonia Nicosia. But they were rescued by Brazilian striker Jo who grabbed his first goals since his move from CSKA Moscow in the summer. Jo overshadowed his illustrious compatriot Robinho with crucial strikes in the 59th and 72nd minutes to secure a 2-1 win.
“They were two good finishes and he will settle down now,” City boss Mark Hughes said.
England international Gareth Barry scored on his 400th club appearance as Aston Villa came from behind to defeat Litex Lovech 3-1, before the Bulgarians went on to finish the tie with nine men. Ivelin Popov gave the home side a 10th-minute lead from a free-kick, before Nigel Reo-Coker leveled for Martin O’Neill’s team. Barry converted a 72nd-minute penalty to edge Villa in front, before Stiliyan Petrov added a 90th-minute third goal to give the English side a vital two-goal cushion.
At Fratton Park, Lassana Diarra opened the scoring against Guimaraes after 39 minutes, with Jermain Defoe adding the second for Portsmouth on the hour mark. In between, Defoe also missed a penalty, while Guimaraes also fluffed a spot kick when Fajardo hit the crossbar.
Struggling AC Milan, the seven-time European champions, earned their first victory of the season in a 3-1 success over FC Zurich at the San Siro.
Goals from Marek Jankulovski, Pato and Marco Borriello gave Milan a three-goal start, before Dusan Djuric pulled one back for the visitors.
Australian international Harry Kewell and fellow former Liverpool teammate Milan Baros (two) were on target as Turkey’s Galatasaray won a 4-3 thriller at Swiss side Bellinzona.
Former England manager Steve McClaren saw his Dutch side FC Twente lose 2-1 at French hosts Rennes, while former European champions Benfica went down 3-2 in Napoli.
Sevilla, champions in 2006 and last year, saw off Salzburg 2-0, while Scotland’s Motherwell lost 1-0 at AS Nancy.
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