Metalist out for Austria Wien win
Friday, November 4, 2011
Article summary
FC Metalist Kharkiv will look to confirm their place in the UEFA Europa League round of 32 as they take on FK Austria Wien; the visitors will be out if they lose and AZ Alkmaar win at Malmö FF in Group G's other game.
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Article body
A defeat in Ukraine, and victory for AZ Alkmaar at Malmö FF, will see FK Austria Wien out of the UEFA Europa League, while victory will put FC Metalist Kharkiv into the round of 32.
Previous meetings
• A Cleiton Xavier penalty completed a Metalist comeback when the Ukrainian team won 2-1 in the sides' first meeting on matchday one. Tomáš Jun put Austria ahead on seven minutes, but defender Papa Gueye headed the visitors level (56) and Xavier sealed all three points with a coolly-taken spot kick 11 minutes from the end.
• In Metalist's only previous meeting with Austrian opponents, they fell foul of SK Sturm Graz in the 2009/10 UEFA Cup play-offs. Their drew 1-1 in Austria but lost 1-0 in the home return.
• Austria midfielder Peter Hlinka played for Sturm in both of those games.
• Austria's record in 12 games against Ukrainian sides reads W3 D3 L6 (W0 D3 L3 in Ukraine)
Match background
• Unbeaten in six European games this season (four wins and two draws), Metalist seem to have saved their best performances for away games - recording three successive victories - while their 3-1 win at home against Malmö FF on matchday four ended a three-game wait for a European success in Kharkiv.
• Austria have picked up four of their five Group G points away from home. Only one of their last five continental away fixtures has ended in defeat - 1-0 at CS Gaz Metan Mediaş in this season's UEFA Europa League play-off round.
Team facts
• Metalist have scored eight of their ten Group G goals after half-time, four of them within 15 minutes of the restart.
• Three more goals will see Metalist take their UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League total to 50; this will be their 33rd game in the two competitions.
• Austria Wien need two more goals to take their total to 300 in UEFA club competition. This will be their 216th UEFA game.
• Austria's Dutch attacking midfielder Nacer Barazite was the top scorer in UEFA Europa League qualifying this season, scoring eight goals in six appearances. The former Arsenal FC trainee joined Austria in January following loan spells with Derby County FC and Vitesse. He has scored ten times in as many games in UEFA club competition.
• Metalist boss Myron Markevich is a keen student of coaching - he has made trips to study Fabio Capello, Christoph Daum and Carlo Ancelotti - and is also an able pianist. He was named Ukraine coach on his 59th birthday, but stepped down in August 2010 to focus on Metalist.
• Former Austrian international midfielder Karl Daxbacher racked up almost 400 league appearances as a player for Austria Wien, winning seven titles and four Austrian Cups, as well as playing in the 1978 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final, which his side lost 4-0 to RSC Anderlecht. He has coached his old club since 2008, winning the Austrian Cup in his first full season in charge.