Europa Conference League: Fiorentina run riot, Trabzonspor beat Basel
Bodo/Glimt 0 Lech Poznan 0
After a game of two halves, Lech Poznan will return to Poland for the second leg next week with all to play for after a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Bodo/Glimt, ending the home side's perfect nine game home record in the UEFA Europa Conference League in the process.
Temperatures were an unusually tropical 4C in Bodo, perhaps ensuring the home side were not to be caught cold having not played a competitive match since November.
Danish midfielder Albert Gronbaek warmed the souls of the home crowd early on, bursting forward from deep only to be seemingly fouled clumsily inside the box.
Confusion ensued as Glimt thought they had won a penalty, only to be fooled as referee Harold Lechner pointed instead for a goal kick.
The Kolejorz were feeding off scraps during a one-sided first half, but could have gone ahead on the stroke of half time when a ball across the face of the goal went agonisingly beyond Mikael Ishak’s reach.
John Van Der Brom rolled the dice at the break, bringing on creative midfielder Filip Marchwiński to stem the tide.
Usually the architect, he was rueing a missed chance moments later, blazing over from close range as the ball fell at his feet.
The Railwaymen were the better of the two sides during the second half, but both sides lacked a cutting edge with neither being able to muster a shot on goal.
Ex-Ajax Champions League winner Van Der Brom will be satisfied with the result however, giving Lech a fighting chance of a last-16 European tie for the first time since 1993/94.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Brede Moe (Bodo/Glimt)
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Braga 0 Fiorentina 4
Fiorentina claimed their first away win of 2023 with a fantastic 4-0 victory over Braga at the Estadio Municipal de Braga. Os Arcebispos are now without a win in their last six matches when facing Italian opposition in UEFA competition (D2, L4), and face an uphill task in the second-leg next Thursday.
Braga had kept an impressive three consecutive clean sheets in European home knockout games prior to this game, and that streak almost came to an abrupt end when Luka Jovic got on the end of a cross to try an audacious overhead kick, only to be denied by a simple save by Matheus.
Os Arcebispos grew into the game though, and almost took the lead from a cleverly executed corner routine, but Sikou Niakaté saw his header saved by Pietro Terracciano.
La Viola have had a torrid time on the road in 2023, but their hopes of ending their three match winless away run got a boost in added time of the first-half, as Fiorentina’s top goalscorer Jovic got on the end of a superb cross from Cristiano Biraghi to send his glancing header into the far corner.
The hosts had won their last seven home games in all competitions prior to the game, but that run looked to be coming to an end, as their job got much harder when they were reduced to 10 men.
Tormena was the man to be dismissed as he saw his yellow card upgraded to a red following a VAR review. Jovic saw this as an opportunity to add to his and Fiorentina’s goal tally, as the Serbian doubled the lead by prodding home from close range just five minutes later.
The visitors added a third as the game entered the closing 10 minutes. This time the goal came courtesy of Jovic’s replacement as Arthur Cabral scored a fantastic goal by flicking the ball over a defenders head and rifling the ball beyond Matheus.
Cabral wasn’t done yet though, as he rounded the game off with his second and La Viola’s fourth to complete an emphatic victory.
Fiorentina saw the game out comfortably as they took a huge step towards the next round, with a four-goal advantage heading back to Italy with them for their second-leg at the Artemio Franchi Stadium.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Luka Jovic (Fiorentina)
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Qarabag 1 Gent 0
It’s advantage Qarabag in their UEFA Europa Conference League knockout play-off round match-up with Gent, as a late strike earned them a 1-0 home victory in the first leg. The Belgian side’s winless UECL away run was extended to six games as a result.
Despite being so formidable on home soil in Europe, as demonstrated by a seven-match unbeaten run, the early stages hinted that Qarabag had met their match in Gent.
In fact, the Azerbaijani side were lucky not to have fallen behind inside the opening ten minutes, with a last-ditch Marko Vesovic block preventing Hyunseok Hong laying on what would’ve been a certain goal for Hugo Cuypers.
Besides that sole incident, you’d be clutching at straws to label anything else as meaningful goalmouth action in what certainly wasn’t a half for the football purist.
The second period couldn’t possibly have been worse than the first, and so it proved inside the opening five minutes after the break.
Musa Qurbanli unleashed a fierce effort from the edge of the area, and despite Jordan Torunarigha’s block looking heroic at first, it later transpired it was blocked with his arm.
Gent argued the decision with referee Mohammed Al-Hakim and they may feel justice was done as an overly confident Ramil Sheydayev saw his effort from 12 yards comfortably stopped by Davy Roef.
Clear-cut opportunities were certainly at a premium throughout this encounter, but there was one flash of brilliance that decided the outcome.
Marko Jankovic did the heavy legwork down the left, standing up an inviting ball to the back post for Leandro Andrade to attack, and the Qarabag forward arrived late to slam home the winner and send the Azerbaijani outfit to Belgium with a goal advantage.
However, the tie is by no means over for Gent, who host the reverse fixture knowing Qarabağ will have a potential maiden triumph in a European knockout fixture on their minds.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Marko Jankovic (Qarabag)
Trabzonspor 1 Basel 0
Trabzonspor gave their supporters and Turkey an emotional win as they claimed the first leg in their knockout round play-off, defeating Basel 1-0 at the Akyazi Stadium for their fourth win from five home matches in UEFA competitions.
Following a poignant minute’s silence after the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, the match was the first social occasion since the tragedy. The atmosphere was mixed with sporadic chanting by supporters shouting the names of the cities involved, but it was mostly silent while the game was played.
Basel’s Wouter Burger had the first opportunity, but his header was easily dealt with by Trabzonspor goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir. The visitors looked dangerous on the counter and should have taken the lead when Anton Kade raced through, only to miss the target.
That opportunity appeared to wake up the home side who forced a chance of their own when Basel goalkeeper Marwin Hitz saved at his near post from Eren Elamli.
Both sides continued to have half-chances as the first half wore on, but it was the home side that grew more into the game as Hitz was again called upon to palm away a fierce drive by Anastasios Bakasetas.
Trabzonspor coach Abdullah Avci removed left-back Elamli to be replaced by the more attacking Jens Stryger Larsen for the start of the second half in a bid to exploit Basel’s right-hand side.
The game initially continued its scrappy pattern into the second period with neither side managing to stamp their authority on the fixture.
However, midway through the half, Trabzonspor broke the deadlock as Trezeguet’s initial shot was saved by Hitz, with Stryger Larsen following up to score.
Ten minutes later, Trabzonspor thought they had doubled their lead through Maxi Gomez, but there was an offside given in the build-up.
The hosts continued to look the more likely to grab a second goal as Hitz was forced into action on numerous occasions as the game drew to a conclusion.
His interventions mean Trabzonspor's advantage remains narrow heading to Switzerland next week, as the Turkish outfit looks to reach the last 16 for the first time in their history.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jens Stryger Larsen (Trabzonspor)
