Group Stage: Match Day 1

By: Dan | September 17th, 2009

After two days of eminently predictable action in ‘the world’s premier club competition,’ the Europa League group stages kicked off. I have to say, given that it’s only the first match day out of six, and way too early to overreact to results, it was not bad for a day’s work.

I definitely need to start off with an apology to FC Basel. Granted it’s difficult to keep tabs on in depth information from the Swiss league, so my pessimistic assessment of Basel was based primarily on their exploits in last season’s Champions League. Needless to say, I was way off. Basel defeated a very middling Roma with an energetic, at times scrappy, attacking display. Stocker and Streller were particularly good for Basel. Roma’s scoring opportunities were mainly limited to set pieces. Even during periods when they controlled possession, they created very little from open play. Overall, a fully deserved 2-0 victory for an impressive Basel.

Another surprise took place in group C; Rapid Vienna comprehensively took down Hamburg, 3-0. After they knocked out Aston Villa, the days of underestimating them were over, but defeating a Hamburg team that has been looking very good in the Bundesliga, should make any remaining stragglers fully aware of their presence. In related good news for Rapid, Celtic started off their campaign with a loss in Israel.

Everton, Athletic Bilbao, Galatasaray, Shakhtar Donetsk, Genoa, Cluj, and Benfica all started off their group stage campaigns with comfortable victories. Anderlecht won 2-0 in Croatia despite their opponents, Dinamo Zagreb controlling most of the game.

Some of the day’s victories were closer affairs. Despite putting fourteen shots on target, Dinamo Bucharest had to wait until the 80th minute for the only goal of the game, courtesy of Gabriel Tamas. Sporting Lisbon emerged victorious from a back and forth contest with Heerenveen thanks to a Liedson hat trick. Toulouse downed Partizan Belgrade by the same scoreline. Claudio Pizarro grabbed a late winner for Werder Bremen against CD Nacional. Werder would probably be happier with the result if they hadn’t blown a two goal lead. Villarreal only needed a Nilmar goal to see off Levski Sofia. Twente fought back from a goal down against Fenerbahce for a 2-1 win in Turkey. Marc Janko scored in extra time (as I was typing) to take all three points for Salzburg against Lazio.

There were a few draws that will leave a lot of the participants unsatisfied. Sparta Prague took an 87th lead against PSV only to concede a 90th minute penalty that Jonathan Reis equalized from. Lille and Valencia exchanged late goals in a 1-1 draw. Hertha Berlin continue their quest to usurp the ‘Germany’s Most Disturbing Home Videos’ crown from ‘trouser gallery.’ They drew 1-1 with Ventspils. Fulham reserves held CSKA Sofia, 1-1. Ajax and Steaua Bucharest began their group stage campaigns with scoreless draws against Timisoara and Sheriff.

For the record, the extra officials made no discernable contribution to either of the televised games.

Group A
Ajax Amsterdam 0 – Timisoara 0
Dinamo Zagbreb 0 – Anderlecht 2

Group B
Lille OSC 1 – Valenica 1
Genoa 2 – Slavia Prague 0

Group C
Hapoel Tel Aviv 2 – Celtic 1
Rapid Vienna 3 – Hamburg SV 0

Group D
Hertha Berlin 1 – Ventspils 1
Heerenveen 2 – Sporting CP 3

Group E
CSKA Sofia 1 – Fulham 1
FC Basel 2 – AS Roma 0

Group F
Panathinaikos 1 – Galatasaray 3
Sturm Graz 0 – Dinamo Bucharest 1

Group G
Villarreal 1 - Levski Sofia 0
SS Lazio 1 – Red Bull Salzburg 2

Group H
Steaua Bucharest 0 – Sheriff 0
Fenerbahce 1 – FC Twente 2

Group I
Benfica 2 – BATE 0
Everton 4 – AEK Athens 0

Group J
Club Brugge 1 – Shakhtar Donetsk 4
Partizan Belgrade 2 – Toulouse 3

Group K
CFR Cluj 2 - FC Copenhagen 0
Sparta Prague 2 – PSV Eindhoven 2