Europa Conference League: Lazio edge past Cluj, AEK Larnaca earn historic win
AEK Larnaca 1 Dnipro-1 0
Angel Garcia’s late goal earned AEK Larnaca a vital first-leg victory in their UEFA Europa Conference League knock-out play-off against Dnipro-1. The defender was on hand to nod home at the back post to give his side a 1-0 lead ahead of the return game in Ukraine next week.
The hosts made a rapid start, with Ivan Trickovski their main protagonist as he had a couple of shots blocked before forcing an excellent save from Max Walef. Rafael Lopes then went within a whisker of opening the scoring, rattling the bar after possession fortuitously fell his way in the box.
Dnipro-1, on the other hand, felt their way into the game, which was hardly a surprise given they were playing their first competitive game since November.
They clearly grew in confidence as proceedings wore on, and saw a couple of half-chances go begging. Artem Dovbyk was guilty of wasting one, as his heavy touch when through on goal allowed Larnaca goalkeeper Kenan Piric to end the threat.
The second half was much more open, with Walef producing another expert save as he dived high to his left to keep out Imad Faraj’s thumping 20-yard drive before Dovbyk produced the visitors’ first shot on target from a clever corner routine.
Oleksiy Hutsulyak forced a second stop out of Piric shortly afterwards, which was followed by García hitting the outside of the post at the other end.
Dnipro-1 should have taken the lead late on as Oleksandr Pikhalyonok spurned a pair of chances, and he was made to pay when Garcia rose highest to head home the winner from inside the six-yard box.
Things nearly got even better for the hosts, too, but Walef’s long out-stretched leg denied Nemanja Nikolic, as Larnaca had to settle for a 1-0 lead.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Angel Garcia (AEK Larnaca)
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Lazio 1 CFR Cluj 0
Lazio ended a run of four games without a win by overcoming CFR Cluj 1-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference knockout playoff, despite spending the majority of the game with 10 men.
Lazio and CFR Cluj were hoping to bounce back from league defeats over the weekend to get their UEFA Europa Conference League knockout journeys off to the perfect start. After gaining entry to the UECL by finishing third in Group F of the UEFA Europa League, Lazio were firm favourites to overcome the last Romanian side left in European competition.
This prediction looked likely due to the fast start made by the hosts, almost taking the lead inside ten minutes when an Elseid Hysaj cross was brought down by Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and fired straight at Simone Scuffet.
Lazio's fast start was halted when Ermal Krasniq appeared to be through on goal only to be brought down by Patric, leaving referee Craig Pawson no choice but to brandish a straight red card with 15 minutes gone.
Lazio didn’t let going down to 10 men faze them and continued to dominate the rest of the first-half. I Biancocelesti deservedly took the lead when Felipe Anderson’s free-kick made its way to Ciro Immobile who fired a ferocious volley into the top corner to make it 1-0 at the break.
Lazio continued to have the lion's share of the chances after the restart and the ever dangerous Milinkovic-Savic should have extended his side lead when he was found brilliantly inside the area by Mattia Zaccagni but once again the Serbian international fired his effort straight at the grateful Scuffet.
The hosts should have been travelling to Romania with a greater advantage after efforts by Matías Vecino and Manuel Lazzari were cleared off the line.
Despite having the man advantage it took Cluj over 70 minutes to have their first effort on target through a tame Cephas Malele strike.
The Railwaymen appeared happy to take on the one-goal disadvantage in the reverse fixture as the game finished as a relatively easy 1-0 win for the ten-man I Biancocelesti.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio)
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Ludogorets 1 Anderlecht 0
The Huvepharma Arena witnessed Ludogorets extend their unbeaten run to eight straight matches and take a slender lead into the UEFA Europa Conference League playoff second leg, as Igor Thiago’s first-half header sealed his side a 1-0 victory over Anderlecht.
Having made a winning return following the winter break with a 2-1 win over Spartak Varna, a confident Ludogorets side cruised into the lead in under 10 minutes.
Centre-forward Thiago etched his name on the scoresheet with a brilliant guided header into the right corner to immediately threaten Anderlecht’s four-match unbeaten streak.
Brian Riemer’s men didn’t sit back though, as they gradually inched their way back into proceedings, with Yari Verschaeren spurning a great opportunity wide of the left post.
Their enthusiasm left them vulnerable to the counter however, and the hosts almost doubled their tally via Bernhard Tekpetey’s low drive that was well saved by keeper Bart Verbruggen.
Shortly after, Anderlecht couldn’t have been any unluckier, coming agonsingly close to an equaliser on the verge of half time via Anders Dreyer’s effort that struck the post.
Having just conceded only their second first-half goal since the World Cup, the visitors knew any chance of a comeback would largely depend on a cohesive backline.
They forced the issue up top too, ensuring it was Ante Simundza’s outfit who were made to defend in the second period.
Anderlecht were seeking to avoid just a second away European defeat this term and they hit the hosts with waves of attacks in the final stages, though they struggled for the killer touch in front of goal.
On a frustrating night in the face of a stern Ludogorets outfit, the visitors succumbed to a first defeat in five competitive away games, but not before Benito Raman missed a one-on-one opportunity in the final minutes.
Having already lost to Real Betis and Dinamo Zagreb at home this term, the hosts will pat themselves on the back for standing up to a dominant second-half display from the visitors and inflicting their first-ever defeat on Bulgarian opposition.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Kiril Despodov (Ludogorets)
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Sheriff Tiraspol 0 Partizan Belgrade 1
Partizan secured a narrow first-leg advantage over Sheriff Tiraspol in their UEFA Europa Conference League knockout play-off round, as the visitors secured a fourth consecutive victory against Moldovan opposition.
Without any competitive action since the first phase of the Moldovan Super Liga ended in November, the hosts looked desperate to shake off any ring rust during the early exchanges.
Amine Talal and Abdoul Tapsoba both saw efforts thwarted by Aleksandar Popović during a one-sided opening 20 minutes, as Sheriff threatened a breakthrough in just their second ever European knockout tie.
Despite the match taking place behind-closed-doors, the hosts continued to dominate proceedings and came within inches of taking the lead, when the dangerous Tapsoba directed a close-range header against the post.
Partizan gradually grew into the contest towards the end of the first half, and punished Sheriff for their profligacy in front as goal, as Ricardo Gomes struck a deflected effort beyond Maksym Koval to give the Serbian side a fortunate lead.
The hosts emerged after the restart eager to find a quick response, but Popović came to Partizan's rescue with a superb save to deny Tapsoba.
Despite this missed opportunity, Sheriff were handed a major boost shortly afterwards, as Igor Vujacic received a straight red card for a reckless aerial challenge - leaving Partizan a player short with just under 40 minutes left to play.
Armed with the numerical advantage, Sheriff looked to up the ante in the final half-hour, however wasteful finishing continued to prove problematic, with Abdoul Moumouni and Cedric Badolo both failing to hit the target from promising positions.
Having kept a clean sheet in all three of their previous meetings against Moldovan opposition, the resolute Partizan rearguard again held firm despite the best efforts of the hosts, to secure a slender lead going into next week’s return leg in Serbia.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Aleksandar Popovic (Partizan)