Ranieri loses in UEFA Cup debut
Sevilla win but Parma lose away from home on Ranieri’s first game in charge.
Perfection in defence
Sevilla’s well-organised defence was in resolute form against a Steaua side rusty after a two-month break in their domestic championship which resumes later this month.
Denmark midfielder Christian Poulsen swept the ball home after 41 minutes before Kanoute gave the Spaniards a two-goal cushion for the return when he fired home a penalty after Dorin Goian’s foul on Russian striker Alexander Kerzhakov.
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| Dynamite: Kieron Dyer scores during Newcastle’s 3-1 win in Ghent [AFP] |
Juande Ramos, the Sevilla coach said: “Our defence was perfect this evening.”
Comfortable win
Newcastle, who have not won a major trophy since lifting the Fairs Cup, the forerunner to the UEFA Cup, in 1969, secured a 3-1 victory over Belgian Cup winners Zulte Waregem.
Zulte defender Frederic Dindeleux gifted the Premiership side the lead when he turned in Kieron Dyer’s cross 90 seconds after half-time.
Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins stroked in a penalty to make it 2-0 just before the hour and although Karel D’Haene’s glancing header gave the Belgians hope, Antoine Sibierski jinked his way into the area and rounded keeper Pieter Merlier to score Newcastle‘s third.
Newcastle manager, Glenn Roeder, said: “Overall, it was a relatively comfortable win.”
“It’s nice to be going back to St James’ Park 3-1 in front but we have to be thoroughly professional next Thursday and put on a good performance in front of our own fans.”
Forgettable start
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| Down and out: Parma take a 1-0 loss home to Italy [AFP] |
Parma, twice UEFA Cup winners, held out until the 81st minute when Brazilian forward Ze Carlos scored with a powerful shot.
Parma will host the return leg next week at their Tardini stadium after the Italian government gave the green light on Thursday for the ground to reopen for Sunday’s Serie A match against Sampdoria.
The Tardini is the fifth Serie A stadium to come into line with new security regulations imposed after a policeman was killed during rioting at a match between Catania and Palermo.
Tunisia forward Issam Jemaa scored twice in the second half and Ivorian Aruna Dindane added a last minute penalty for Racing Lens in a 3-1 home win over Greece‘s Panathinaikos.
Ukraine midfielder Maxim Kalinichenko’s deflected freekick midway through the second half earned Spartak Moscow a 1-1 draw at home to Celta Vigo.
The Spaniards led at a freezing Luzhniki stadium when Antonio Nunez controlled a low cross from Gustavo Lopez to fire home four minutes before halftime.