Helsingborg sink Śląsk with three away goals
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
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WKS Śląsk Wrocław 0-3 Helsingborgs IF
The Swedish champions finished the game strongly to put themselves in a dominant position in the tie with an impressive win in Poland.
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The UEFA Champions League play-offs are in sight for Helsingborgs IF after scoring three away goals without reply against WKS Śląsk Wrocław, who finished the game with ten men.
Alfred Finnbogason struck the opening goal on 36 minutes and the visitors never looked back, with Christoffer Andersson doubling the lead in the 72nd-minute and substitute Daniel Nordmark rounding off the scoring with five minutes to go. Śląsk's Rok Elsner, scorer in the previous round, received his marching orders on 90 minutes for a second yellow card.
Both goalkeepers were tested early on, although Helsingborg's Pär Hansson was arguably the busier of the two before the visitors took the lead. Ardian Gashi dummied past Amir Spahić in the box and his hard, low centre was met by Finnbogason's boot.
The hosts struggled to get a hold of the game, and Helsingborg were happy to sit back and play on the counterattack. They doubled their advantage through Andersson's superb top-corner strike from the edge of the area with 18 minutes left and put the game to bed when Finnbogason turned provider for substitute Nordmark on 85 minutes. The mire deepened for Śląsk as Elser was dismissed late on for an incident off the ball. They now have it all to do in the return meeting in Sweden next Wednesday.
