Vaslui on course for joy in Zürich
Friday, December 2, 2011
Article summary
FC Vaslui have everything to play for as they head for Switzerland to take on FC Zürich in their final UEFA Europa League Group D game with a place in the round of 32 in their grasp.
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Article body
FC Vaslui have everything to play for in UEFA Europa League Group D as they travel to eliminated FC Zürich on matchday six looking to claim a round of 32 place.
• The Romanian outfit are second in the table going into their game, and will go through provided they match or better the result S.S. Lazio manage at home against section winners Sporting Clube de Portugal.
Previous meetings
• Alexandre Alphonse's header (32) gave Zürich the lead when the sides met on matchday two but they were reduced to ten men when Raphael Koch was dismissed before Wesley levelled the scores from the resulting penalty (62). Mike Temwanjera put the hosts ahead 13 minutes from time but substitute Admir Mehmedi earned Zürich a 2-2 draw two minutes later.
• It was both sides' first game against a team from their opponents' nation.
• In 20 UEFA matches between Romanian and Swiss clubs the Swiss sides' record is W10 D6 L4.
Match background
• Zürich have gone seven games without a European win (two scoring draws and five defeats in which they failed to register) since beating R. Standard de Liège in this season's UEFA Champions League third qualifying round second leg.
• Vaslui are yet to lose a home game in UEFA competition, winning six and drawing five, but have not won in eight games on their continental travels (three draws and five defeats) since beating SK Liepājas Metalurgs 2-0 in the UEFA Cup second qualifying round on 14 August 2008.
Team facts
• Wesley played in Switzerland with Zürich's local rivals Grasshopper-Club in the spring of 2007 while on loan from Deportivo Alavés. He played in two Zurich derbies, a 0-0 draw at home and a 2-0 away loss.
• Zürich coach Urs Fischer joined the club in their youth team in the early 1970s, played for them as a defender in two spells (1984-87 and 1996-2003) and took charge of the first team in 2010, following a spell as assistant to Bernard Challandes in 2007/08.
• Vaslui coach Viorel Hizo twice took both FC Rapid Bucureşti and FC Ceahlăul Piatra Neamţ into Europe. Now 64, he has coached Vaslui and Ceahlăul three times and had five separate spells in charge of Rapid.
