APOEL and Plzeň victorious, Twente held
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Article summary
Wins for two recent UEFA Champions League participants, an eight-goal draw and an eye-catching score at FC Twente were among the 40 second qualifying round first-leg results.
Article top media content
Article body
APOEL FC, FC Anzhi Makhachkala and FC Viktoria Plzeň were among the teams to register first-leg successes as the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round started, although FC Twente and Rosenborg BK have work to do going into next week's deciders.
UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists last season, APOEL overcame Slovakia's FK Senica 2-0 thanks to first-half strikes from Aílton and Nektarios Alexandrou. Plzeň, who drew 2-2 with AC Milan in the group stage of Europe's premier club competition in 2011/12, won 3-1 at FC Metalurgi Rustavi, captain Pavel Horváth scoring twice.
Twente's position is not so authoritative, however. Despite the Tukkers dominating their home match against FC Inter Turku, the visitors managed a vital away goal from one of only two efforts they had on target. Dušan Tadić hit a 66th-minute equaliser, but Steve McClaren's side could not find another goal and head to Finland next week with their UEFA Europa League future uncertain.
It was a slightly better night for Twente's Eredivisie rivals Vitesse, making a return to the continental stage after a decade away, at PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 1936. An added-time equaliser may have denied the Dutch side a win in a match they led on four occasions, but there was no shortage of entertainment as the teams shared eight goals.
FK Crvena zvezda, the 1991 European champions, did not allow such a fate to befall them, seeing out a nervous last 14 minutes to win 4-3 at FC Naftan Novopolotsk. Anzhi, playing in only their second European fixture, clung stubbornly onto Jucilei's 22nd-minute strike to defeat Budapest Honvéd FC 1-0.
FC Metalurh Donetsk and NK Slaven Koprivnica, who beat FK Čelik Nikšić 7-0 and Portadown FC 6-0 respectively, were responsible for the biggest wins of the night. Elsewhere, Rosenborg squandered a two-goal lead in drawing 2-2 with Kazakh debutants FC Ordabasy Shymkent, while Swedish Allsvenskan leaders IF Elfsborg lost 1-0 at FC Dacia Chişinău.
A preview of Friday's third qualifying round draw is available here.
