Salzburg set sights on Valencia
Wednesday, August 2, 2006
Article summary
FC Salzburg 2-0 FC Zürich (agg: 3-2)
Two German scorers set the Austrian side up for a tie against 2000 and 2001 runners-up Valencia CF.
Article body
FC Salzburg have set up a glamour UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie with Valencia CF after wiping out their first-leg deficit in fine style against FC Zürich.
Tiffert opener
Giovanni Trapattoni's men had lost the first leg 2-1 in Switzerland but held their nerve to turn things around. The Italian coach replaced René Aufhauser and Johan Vonlanthen with Ezequiel Carboni and Vladimír Janočko, while his opposite number Lucien Favre kept faith with the eleven that started a week ago. Zürich started brightly but were always in trouble once Christian Tiffert had pounced on Patrik Jezek's cross before the interval.
Zickler decider
With the tie level, the momentum swung firmly in Salzburg's favour. It was no surprise, therefore, when striker Alexander Zickler converted with a penalty just before the hour mark, becoming the second German goalscorer on the night and putting the Austrian hosts in front. Thereafter they never looked back as the Swiss side failed to respond to the setback. Zürich have thus seen their European hopes dashed, while Salzburg can dream of that meeting with the 2000 and 2001 finalists Valencia, for the right to enter the lucrative group stage.
