UEFA Cup, 2nd round (R)

First game already played:

Legia Warsaw vs Schalke 2-3
0-1 Varela (50. Oude Kamphuis)
0-2 Varela (54. Sand)
1-2 Dudek (58.)
2-2 Svitlica (63.pk)
2-3 Sand (90. Varela)

 

First half was really bad. In the second I only watched until Warsaw equalised, which must have been the best part of the game. Definitely Varela's best game for Schalke so far, both Uruguayans are very solid so far.

 

Apoel Nikosia vs Hertha BSC Berlin 0-1
0-1 Karwan (90'+2 Hartmann)

Not as bad as it sounds. Surely lucky to score that late, but already before Hertha had chances for five games. At the end a header after a 40m pass cared for a relaxing result.

 

Ferencvaros Budapest vs VfB Stuttgart 0-0

As dull as the result tells...

 

Vitesse Arnheim vs Werder Bremen 2-1

1-0 Amoah (37')
1-1 Verlaat (43' Lisztes)
2-1 Verlaat (64' own goal)

Bremen started strong and should have scored at least two before Arnheim scored the lead. Arnheim seldom looked dangerous, but they took their chances against Werder that got weaker and weaker towards the end of the game.

 

Hertha BSC Berlin vs Apoel Nikosia 4-0 (agg 5-0)
1:0 Preetz (8)
2:0 Marcelinho (13)
3:0 Beinlich (61)
4:0 Luizao (67)

Easy victory for Berlin in an early second round game.
Positive: they didn't allow any scoring chance; Marcelinho (goal + 3 assists); Luizao scored his first goal for Hertha; first game for 18 year old Nando Rafael (sad story: is from Angola, both parents were killed in civil war, went to Ajax youth school but stay permit expired; former star referee Walther Eschweiler - today German ambassador - got to know about it, reached a special permit to stay in Germany and sent him to Hertha).
Negative: Luizao and Alves met after the game in the hospital - Alves injured his shoulder again and Luizao has a deep wound at the ankle; again it was proved that no other team depends on a single player as much as Hertha does on Marcelinho

 

Stuttgart vs Ferencvaros 2-0 (2-0 agg)
1:0 Amanatidis (65' Seitz)
2:0 Meira (90' pk, Amanatidis or Kuranyi)

No nice soccer game. Ferencvaros tried to defend the 0 cost what it takes. They allowed hardly any chance, but also were unable to create chances themselves. A nice assist by Seitz was converted by Amanatidis to eliminate Budapest. At the end the ref either whistled holding against Amanatidis or Kuranyi to reward Stuttgart with a pk, which wouldn't have been needed to advance.

 

Schalke vs Legia Warsaw 0-0 (agg 3-2)

Boring game with just a few chances. Schalke controlled the game and tried, but were unable to achieve something in the offence. Warsaw was too weak to really endanger Schalke.

 

Bremen vs Arnheim 3-3 (agg 4-5)

A tactical horror performance and a bad goalie threw Werder out of the competition. It went pretty perfect at the beginning and the 1-0 HT lead (Baumann 25') was flattering Arnheim. When Kristajic scored the 2-0 (49') everything seemed to be clear, but a stupid foul and the resulting pk tied the game (51'). Then Werder's horror tactics started: somehow they wanted to make sure to not get a further goal against and didn't do anything for the offence - until Arnheim equalised in the 73rd after a capital goalie mistake. Then finally Werder woke up again and had 11 shots on goal in the last 17 minutes, and also they returned to the game with Charisteas' first ball contact after his substitution seconds before in the 77th. Werder continued attacking for the game winning goal, but after a Kristajic mistake they got the equaliser in the 93rd in a one on one situation. Though Werder still denies, I think with a better goalie they could have some points more and also would still be in the cup - after all they dominated most of both games against Arnheim.