2Slick
04-12-2006, 21:27
From famine to a feast - having not won in the UEFA Champions League for 21 games, AEK Athens FC have put together back-to-back victories and are well placed to take the second qualifying place in Group H behind AC Milan. A point better off than LOSC Lille Métropole, AEK visit RSC Anderlecht knowing they need only match the French team's result in Italy to continue while the Belgian champions can still qualify for the UEFA Cup.
• To achieve their goal Anderlecht need to beat AEK and hope that Milan win - a scenario which would leave them and Lille level on six points with Franky Vercauteren's team boasting the better head-to-head record. If AEK lose and Lille draw those teams will finish level on seven points and the French club would advance because of superior head-to-head results. Anderlecht's departure from the competition at the group stage for the fourth season in a row was confirmed two weeks ago despite two fine Mbo Mpenza equalisers at the Stade Félix-Bollaert to peg back a Lille side given the advantage through first Peter Odemwingie and then Nicolas Fauvergue.
Matchday 2 draw
• Anderlecht were left disappointed after the game between these teams on Matchday 2 having led in the Greek capital through a Nicolas Frutos goal in the 25th minute. It took Lorenzo Serra Ferrer's men only three minutes to draw level through Júlio César and the visitors held on for their second successive 1-1 draw.
• The 1-0 home victory against Milan two weeks ago was a wonderful fillip for AEK's qualifying hopes. Again they had Júlio César to thank for the goal, a splendid 32nd-minute free-kick, but they were also indebted to the excellent goalkeeping of Stefano Sorrentino. It was Milan's first defeat in the section and their first away from home in the competition in seven games - although the Rossoneri still booked their qualifying place as Group H winners.
• AEK could progress with seven points if Milan beat Lille and would join a select bunch taking the minimal route to the next phase. The first to do it were Legia Warszawa in 1995/96 before Bayer 04 Leverkusen managed it in 1999/00 and Liverpool FC in 2001/02. FC Lokomotiv Moskva and eventual finalists Juventus both progressed with seven points in 2002/03, a feat most recently achieved by Rangers FC and Werder Bremen last term.
Historical connections
• These teams had not met prior to their 26 September fixture. In three previous home European games with Greek opponents, Anderlecht had only conceded one goal, while scoring seven. Their first such match came in the 1974/75 European Champion Clubs' Cup second round against Olympiacos CFP with the Brussels team winning 5-1 at home, which proved just enough insurance for a 3–0 away defeat.
• They then had two ties against Panathinaikos FC: in the 1991/92 European Cup both Group 1 games ended goalless while eleven years later in the UEFA Cup fourth round, Anderlecht lost 3-0 away with a 2-0 home win not quite enough.
• Three of AEK's games with Belgian opponents have ended in draws. In the 1977/78 UEFA Cup second round they followed a 2-2 home draw with R. Standard de Liège with a 4-1 away defeat. In the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League they fought out a goalless game at KRC Genk with the Greek side then coming from behind to force a 1-1 draw in the return, current midfielder Vassilios Lakis scoring the equaliser.
http://www.uefa.com/Competitions/UCL/FixturesResults/Round=2357/match=1116408/index.html
• To achieve their goal Anderlecht need to beat AEK and hope that Milan win - a scenario which would leave them and Lille level on six points with Franky Vercauteren's team boasting the better head-to-head record. If AEK lose and Lille draw those teams will finish level on seven points and the French club would advance because of superior head-to-head results. Anderlecht's departure from the competition at the group stage for the fourth season in a row was confirmed two weeks ago despite two fine Mbo Mpenza equalisers at the Stade Félix-Bollaert to peg back a Lille side given the advantage through first Peter Odemwingie and then Nicolas Fauvergue.
Matchday 2 draw
• Anderlecht were left disappointed after the game between these teams on Matchday 2 having led in the Greek capital through a Nicolas Frutos goal in the 25th minute. It took Lorenzo Serra Ferrer's men only three minutes to draw level through Júlio César and the visitors held on for their second successive 1-1 draw.
• The 1-0 home victory against Milan two weeks ago was a wonderful fillip for AEK's qualifying hopes. Again they had Júlio César to thank for the goal, a splendid 32nd-minute free-kick, but they were also indebted to the excellent goalkeeping of Stefano Sorrentino. It was Milan's first defeat in the section and their first away from home in the competition in seven games - although the Rossoneri still booked their qualifying place as Group H winners.
• AEK could progress with seven points if Milan beat Lille and would join a select bunch taking the minimal route to the next phase. The first to do it were Legia Warszawa in 1995/96 before Bayer 04 Leverkusen managed it in 1999/00 and Liverpool FC in 2001/02. FC Lokomotiv Moskva and eventual finalists Juventus both progressed with seven points in 2002/03, a feat most recently achieved by Rangers FC and Werder Bremen last term.
Historical connections
• These teams had not met prior to their 26 September fixture. In three previous home European games with Greek opponents, Anderlecht had only conceded one goal, while scoring seven. Their first such match came in the 1974/75 European Champion Clubs' Cup second round against Olympiacos CFP with the Brussels team winning 5-1 at home, which proved just enough insurance for a 3–0 away defeat.
• They then had two ties against Panathinaikos FC: in the 1991/92 European Cup both Group 1 games ended goalless while eleven years later in the UEFA Cup fourth round, Anderlecht lost 3-0 away with a 2-0 home win not quite enough.
• Three of AEK's games with Belgian opponents have ended in draws. In the 1977/78 UEFA Cup second round they followed a 2-2 home draw with R. Standard de Liège with a 4-1 away defeat. In the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League they fought out a goalless game at KRC Genk with the Greek side then coming from behind to force a 1-1 draw in the return, current midfielder Vassilios Lakis scoring the equaliser.
http://www.uefa.com/Competitions/UCL/FixturesResults/Round=2357/match=1116408/index.html