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NEC still alive after sensational win
in Moscow
Wednesday 03 December 2008
NEC may keep on hoping to play
in Europe after the winter break after they scored two
goals in the last five minutes of the game against Spartak
Moscow after they had been 1-0 down since the fourth
minute.
All will depend on NEC's last group
game against Udinese but a win will secure the team
from Nijmegen a place in the third round.
Jhonny van Beukering and Lasse
Schöne prevented NEC's European adventure to be
over after three group games.
The team of coach Mario Been earlier
lost to Dynamo Zagreb (3-2) and Tottenham Hotspur (1-0).
NEC face Udinese at home on 18
December.
The Italians beat Zagreb 2-1 tonight.
Just like they did in their two
previous games NEC fell behind early in the game when
Sergei Kovaltshuk could head it home unhindered from
a Nikita Bazjenov corner in the fourth minute.
NEC seemed surprised by the tactics
of the Russians as their coach Michael Laudrup fielded
a different team than was expected and had trouble coping
in the first quarter of the match.
Shortly after their opening goal
Bazjenov had another excellent opportunity, but he aimed
his long shot just wide.
In the second half Been put on
the strong center forward Jhon van Beukering and with
him up front NEC were able to keep possession a bit
longer and give the defense a break.
On top the visitors started threatening
the Russian goal from time to time but it didn't lead
to much more than a header from Ramon Zomer.
Been knew that defeat would be
the end of his team in Europe and so he decided to take
all necessary risks.
He put on Colins John, the striker
who plays for NEC on loan from Fulham since this summer,
but who hasn't been able to play due to a lack of fitness.
Five minutes from time John laid
on NEC's equalizer hen he headed a high Youssef El-Akchaoui
cross to the unmarked Van Beukering: 1-1.
Just before Spartak had missed
two sitters, but Ivan Sajenko hit the post and Gabor
Babos saved Aleksandr Proednikov's effort.
In a bizarre final minutes Schöne
then scored NEC's second and gave them the three points.
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