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Thursdays Soccer – By Chris.
UEFA Cup games - second legs
Braga - Werder
Bremen 3.40 - 2.30
Down 0-3 from the first leg there is no realistic hope
for Braga to reach the quarter final. They definitely
could not afford to miss two first half penalties in
Bremen. You never know, but if
Braga had scored with their penalties, Werder would
probably have upped their game in the second half
anyway. Diego, the Werder play maker, will not travel to
Portugal but Naldo, Sanogo, Borowski and Owomoyela could
all be available. A Hunt was supposed to replace Diego,
but he has also joined the injury list so now D Jensen
will probably be in the starting line up.
Braga
lost their home game with V Setubal at the weekend, 2-3.
Another poor result. B Tiago and Jorginho are on their
injury list. The outcome? Why shouldn’tt Werder allow
Braga to win by the odd goal? (3.40).
Braga 0 Werder Bremen 1
Helsingborg - P S V 3.80 - 2.10
It is not even cold in Sweden at the moment, so no help
from the weather gods for
Helsingborg.
E Wahlstedt was back in training the other day for the home
side and he could be back for this match. Maybe
Makondele will play in a more forward position this
time. PSV are 2-0 up and I do not expect the Dutch
league leaders to be too ambitious tomorrow. Still I
expect them to score one goal, and this one PSV goal
will make it virtually impossible for HIF to advance.
Although it is warm it is still winter in
Sweden and no domestic season of course. The PSV season
is in full fling and I would love to back the away win,
if the Dutch were 100% committed for this second leg. I
guess that they are not and I will skip this bet!
Helsingborg 1 PSV 2
Bordeaux -
Anderlecht
1.53 - 7.40
Obviously
Bordeaux had the opinion that they would be able
to handle
Anderlecht with their second string attackers last week.
Wrong move and they deservedly lost the match 1-2.
The overall
Bordeaux
form is quite outstanding, as displayed at the weekend
when they demolished Monaco 6-0 away from home. I take
it for granted that the home side will take no chances
tomorrow and that they will field a stronger starting
line up this time. Out are Diarra and Jussie.
Anderlecht will have both G Gillet and Hassam back for this
match, but they lose B Goor to a suspension. Likely home
win (1.53).
Bordeaux 1 Anderlecht 1
Everton - Brann 1.25 - 13.00
If I should say something positive on behalf of Brann it
would be something like this. They played some great
away games in their UEFA Cup group and thanks to their
away strength they reached this far. Hanstveit is a
major injury doubt for Brann with M Thwaite anxious to
replace him.
Everton were without a game at the weekend and maybe
coach Moyes will not make too many changes in his line
up. Too bad for the Norwegians that Everton do not have
a pressing schedule right now. A Gardner aside, Everton
have a fully fit squad to choose from. What can I say?
No need for Everton to make too much effort tomorrow.
They are 2-0 up and they are aware of their superiority.
Some negligence on their part and Brann will probably
find the Everton net. Away win? It is a long shot, but
what the heck! (13.00). Who needs 1.25?
Everton
6 Brann 1
Getafe - A E K Atens 1.65 - 6.20
Intensive schedule for
Getafe.
They play the big derby with Real Madrid this coming
weekend and next week their Copa del Rey semi final with
Racing Santander is awaiting. In Greece they drew 1-1
with AEK, but no doubt that
Getafe
were the better side. Gavilan and Signorino are out,
injured and Cata Diaz has been left out of the squad.
Granero is back and he will join P Hernandez, De la Red
and Celestini on the
Getafe midfield. Uche and Albin up front. In other
words expect a strong
Getafe
team tomorrow.
AEK seldom convince on their travels and I guess that
this energetic Getafe side deserve to be big favourites
tomorrow. However I cannot forget their pathetic show
against Hapoel in
Madrid (1-2). More at stake tomorrow? Yes,
definitely. Once again, a likely home win (1.65).
Getafe 3
AEK Athens 1
Villarreal - Zenit 1.45 - 9.50
The only out of season side that managed to win their
first leg was this side from Petersburg, Zenit (1-0
win). Maybe not completely unexpected as they won the
Russian league last season, managed by Advocaat. Anyway
Zenit were full value for their narrow win. They will
most likely field the same starting line up, including
internationals like Arshavin. Pogrebnyak. Malafeev,
Anyokov and Tymoschuk. It will be tougher tomorrow away
to the strong home team Villarreal, but their quest is
not impossible. Sometimes Villarreal fail in front of
goal, demonstrated at the weekend when they played out a
0-0 draw with Racing, squandering numerous scoring
chances. Key player M Senna will be back for the home
side. Likely home win, but the odds on the home win are
way too low (1.45).
Villarreal 2 Zenit 1
Basle - Sporting
Lisbon 2.50 - 2.80
The Sporting midfielder Vukcevic had a great game last
week scoring both the Sporting goals. Unfortunately he
will not be available tomorrow and also Izmailov is out
of this second leg. Although Basle are a decent
side they are really facing an uphill struggle, if they
still have the ambition of reaching the quarter final.
Sporting can be a bit disappointing in their away
fixtures and maybe
Basle will be"allowed" to win by the odd goal.
A 2-1 home win maybe (2.50).
Basle 0 Sporting Lisbon
3
Panathinaikos - Glasgow Rangers 1.91 - 4.20
Another close game again is what can be expected here.
The first match in Glasgow ended in a 0-0 draw. If you
listen to the Rangers boss W Smith he is stressing the
importance of not conceding a goal tomorrow. I would
say it is more important to score a goal, because then
the home side has to score three goals. McCulloch was
used as the lone striker in the first leg. Tomorrow K
Boyd or D Cousin will probably start the match.
Darcheville is once again suspended and S Whittaker is
out, injured. Chris Burke could also earn a starting
role this time. I have to say that I prefer the
Panathinakos strikers, Salpiggidis and Postiga, and no
doubt that the Greeks will be the more ambitious side in
this second leg. They did not even try a week ago,
always looking for the 0-0 result. At the end of the day
I prefer the home win alternative (1.91).
Panathinaikos 1 Rangers
1
Spartak Moscow - Marseille 2.20 - 3.35
I have just seen the Marseille squad that will travel to
a cold Moscow. Be, Cheyrou, Zubar, J Rodriguez, Akale
and Grandin will stay in France. Only Cheyrou is new on
their injury list.
Marseille are 3-0 up from the first leg and they played
the prestigious match with PSG only two days ago (2-1
win). Surely there is a risk that the Marseille players
will be slightly unmotivated and unfocused tomorrow.
They will not embarrass themselves, but it is quite
possible that they will come to lose this game. Bear in
mind that this game will be played on a synthetic pitch.
Home win (2.20).
Spartak
2 Marseille 0
Bayer
Leverkusen - Galatasaray 1.75 - 5.25
Incredibly enough Bayer did not have one single scoring
chance in the first leg (0-0). Even if they played for
the 0-0 draw it is a bit remarkable. They are the third
best scoring side in the Bundesliga. Tomorrow 0-0 will
not do and we will probably see the other side of
Leverkusen. One injury worry however and that is their
keeper Adler. He is touch and go and B Fernandez is
waiting to replace Adler.
Could be that
Lincoln
will play from the start for Galatasaray tomorrow. He
only played some 10 minutes in the first leg. Right back
Ucar is out, injured. Umit Karan from the start up
front, this time probably joined by Nonda instead of
Sukur. Home advantage for Bayer? Yes, but not 100%, as
there will probably be some 5.000 Turkish supporters in
the arena. I have Bayer as winners in this second leg
(1.75).
Bayern
Leverkusen 5 Galatasary 1
Atletico Madrid -
Bolton
1.55 - 8.10
Slowly Atletico are beginning to remind of the Atletico
from previous seasons, or are they just having some poor
weeks? This you never really know, but from what I saw
against A Bilbao at the weekend the first alternative is
the more likely one. They look good in patches and then
they suddenly fall apart, with players losing their
temper and so on. Aguero, Forlan's partner up front,
will be suspended tomorrow, Raul Garcia as well and I
guess that Mista (or Maxi Rodriguez) will replace Aguero.
Perea is back in defence and also Luis Garcia is
available again.
Full focus from
Bolton on this return leg. They are 1-0 up and they
were not disturbed by any league or cup game at the
weekend. There is no doubt about the level of commitment
you will see from the
Bolton players. The odds on the home win (1.55) are not
good enough, that much I know. No bet!
Atletico
Madrid 0 Bolton 0
Nurnberg - Benfica 2.50 - 2.90
According to unanimous reports
Nurnberg
were the stronger side in the first leg. A terrible
blunder from the Nurnberg keeper gifted Benfica their
winning goal. The new
Nurnberg
boss said after the match that his players thought that
they had played their best game of the season. The Greek
striker Charisteas will rejoin the Nurnberg squad and he
will line up with Koller and Saenko in the front line.
Also R Vittek is back in training and it is not out of
the question that he will play some part tomorrow.
Mintal and Misimovic are still out.
Benfica with their strong strikers must be expected to
offer more than they did in the first leg but tomorrow I
should think that the Portugese side will sit back and
play a very defensive game. I recall that Everton played
some similar football when they won at
Nurnberg last autumn, scoring two very late goals.
Nurnberg play a crucial game with bottom colleagues
Cottbus
in a few days and this fact makes me settle for the X2
alternative.
Nurnberg
2 Benfica 2
Tottenham - Slavia Prague 1.29 - 10.75
The Carling Cup final is awaiting Tottenham on Sunday
and I take it for granted that coach Ramos will be
anxious to rest one or two of his key players against
Slavia. Ledley King for instance will probably be rested
and M Dawson is definitely not available. There is
nothing great about Slavia but maybe you should
not include the Tottenham win on all your trebles
(1.29).
Tottenham 1 Slavia
Prague 1
Fiorentina - Rosenborg 1.33 - 10.50
The Norwegians will come with a 4-4-1-1 formation this
time using Kone as their lone striker, with
S Iversen on the bench. Their Swedish defender F
Stoor risks missing the match with C Basma his likely
replacement. Vieri will not play tomorrow and both
Liverani and keeper Frey are major doubts for the home
side. I trust Fiorentina to do their job, just as they
have done so efficiently so far in their European
fixtures (1.33).
Fiorentina 2 Rosenborg
1
Hamburg - FC Zurich 1.41 - 8.50
Once again the leading
Hamburg
player Van der Vaart will be missing. He left the first
leg after an half hour or so, when the score line was
still 0-0.
Hamburg
won the match 3-1 with their new scoring favourite
Jarolim once again on the score sheet. The contest is
certainly over.
Hamburg
the superior side, leading with 3-1, what more do you
need? If I have to make a choice I will back the home
win (1.41).
Hanburg 0 Zurich 0
Bayern Munich - Aberdeen 1.17 - 24.00
Bayern could defeat
Hannover away from home 3-0 at the weekend, but they
could not win against 8th placed Scottish side,
Aberdeen,
in the first leg (2-2). Toni scored the three goals vs.
Hannover.
Ribery was missing both at
Aberdeen
and at Hannover and he will not play tomorrow either.
Van Bommel and O Kahn are back to play. Aberdeen will be
without four players again. Home win (1.17).
Bayern Munich 5
Aberdeen 1
Chris. |
