Trabzonspor v Metalist background
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Article summary
Trabzonspor AŞ have their sights on a place in the UEFA Europa League round of 32 as they welcome FC Metalist Kharkiv, who are still without a point in Group L.
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Trabzonspor AŞ will stride on towards the UEFA Europa League round of 32 with a win against Group L backmarkers FC Metalist Kharkiv on matchday five.
Form guide
• Trabzonspor beat Metalist 2-1 in Ukraine on matchday one, but Trabzonspor lost their most recent home game against Ukrainian opponents, and Metalist won their last match in Turkey.
• Metalist and ŠK Slovan Bratislava are the only sides to have lost all four of their group stage fixtures this season.
Trivia and links
• Óscar Cardozo's cameo as an added-time substitute in Trabzonspor's 1-1 draw at KSC Lokeren OV on matchday four was his 40th UEFA Europa League outing, drawing him level with former SL Benfica team-mate Eduardo Salvio at the top of the competition's all-time appearance rankings.
• Trabzonspor have been the most fouled side in the group stage so far, with their opponents penalised 75 times.
• Metalist's Brazilian striker Jajá left the club for Trabzonspor in 2010, scoring 12 goals in 29 league games for the Black Sea outfit before moving on in 2011. He rejoined Metalist in 2013.
• 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.
The coaches
• Former Yugoslavia striker Vahid Halilhodžić stepped down as Trabzonspor coach by mutual consent in the wake of matchday four, following a disappointing run of domestic results. He had taken charge at the club for a second stint in summer 2014, fresh from guiding Algeria to the 2014 FIFA World Cup round of 16.
• The famously attack-minded Ersun Yanal replaced Halilhodžić, to embark on his second spell as Trabzonspor coach. Coach of Turkey from 2004-05, the former MKE Ankaragüçü and Gençlerbirliği SK boss was first in charge of the Black Sea club from 2007-09, and more recently led Fenerbahçe SK to the 2013/14 Turkish title, only to resign in the summer.
• 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.
