Metalist v Lokeren background
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Article summary
FC Metalist Kharkiv and KSC Lokeren OV will look to sign off from Group L on a positive note as their UEFA Europa League campaigns come to an end on matchday six.
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FC Metalist Kharkiv will strive to avoid finishing their UEFA Europa League Group L bid without a point to their name as they play host to KSC Lokeren OV.
• Metalist will finish fourth in Group L; Lokeren can finish no higher than third.
Form guide
• Nill De Pauw scored the only goal as Lokeren beat Metalist 1-0 in Belgium on matchday two.
• Metalist have won only one of their last five European home games (W1 D1 L3).
• Metalist and ŠK Slovan Bratislava are both looking to avoid sixth consecutive group stage defeats on matchday six.
• Lokeren have lost their last four European away fixtures.
Trivia and links
• Lokeren goalkeeper Jugoslav Lazić turns 34 the day after the Metalist game.
• Metalist can perhaps lay claim to the most spectacular goal in the history of the UEFA Europa League group stage: Taison's remarkable volley against Rosenborg BK on 8 November 2012.
• Metalist forward Jajá played in Belgium for KVC Westerlo and KRC Genk; he and Lokeren goalkeeper Davino Verhulst were briefly team-mates at Genk in the spring of 2007.
The coaches
• Ihor Rakhaiev represented Metalist as a midfielder in the 1990s and returned to the club in 2006 after a couple of spells as FC Arsenal Kharkiv coach. Born in Kharkiv, he was a youth coach and assistant to Myron Markevych at Metalist before taking sole command following his boss's departure in February 2014.
• Lokeren coach since 2010, Peter Maes spent a big chunk of the 1990s as a back-up goalkeeper for RSC Anderlecht, later becoming No1 at KSK Beveren and R. Standard de Liège. He made his name as a coach by leading KV Mechelen back into the top division in 2006/07.
