[frizzie]

FC Groningen – Partizan Belgrade 1 - 0 (0 - 0)

Thursday night the 28th of September saw the return of European Cup football to Groningen for the first time in 14 years. Would FC Groningen be able to repeat the European successes of the past when the likes of Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid were sent home licking their wounds after a run in with FC Groningen before that (in)famously barmy ‘Green White Army’?
The home side welcomed back Koen van de Laak, who replaced Stefano Seedorf at the right side of midfield. Glen Salmon wasn’t ready yet to make a start, but was included in the squad. Groningen hitman Eric Nevland had recovered enough form a stomach muscle injury, aggravated during Sundays draw with RKC Waalwijk, to start up front with Suarez.
The away side could call again on Branimir Bajic who had been suspended during the first leg of this clash, he replaced Cirkovic in defence. Two players that had been highly impressive during the game in Belgrade, Marinkovic and Mirosavljevic, were replaced by Nadj and Boya. This showed Partizan’s intentions not to be the attacking side in this match, but to take a defensive approach.
The first ten minutes of the match were rather dull and boring with Partizan showing no intentions to attack and Groningen a bit hesitant to commit to many people to the attack, afraid for a Partizan counterattack. After that first period of the game Groningen players realised that this stalemate wouldn’t get them the two goals they needed to progress to the group stages of the UEFA Cup. Eric Nevland, like so many times before, was the first one to try and test Partizan ‘keeper Kralj with a shot from distance. In the 16th minute Levchenko was booked for a harmless collision between his hand and a Partizan player’s face, the Serv succeeding in trying to make it look worse than it actually was. Minutes later it was again Nevland involved in a Groningen attack when he got the ball to Kruiswijk. His high ball in the box was headed towards goal at point blank range by Van der Laak. Kralj saved the shot but that was more due to sheer luck than skill from the ex-PSV Eindhoven goaly.
After 30 minutes in the game it started raining and the game became a bit more unfriendly on both sides. Van der Linden fouled Lazic who broke on the left side of the field and was presented with a yellow card for that. Partizan’s Zajic too was booked for not keeping enough distance at a Groningen free-kick. The rest of the 1st half saw no more real chances and thus the score ate half time was scoreless.

In the second half Goran Lovre replaced the disappointing Levchenko for Groningen. Groningen tried to up the pressure, but it was to Partizan that the first opportunities of the 2nd half fell. Lomic put his diagonal shot just inches wide of the post, after a good pass from Odita. The second chance was for Odita himself who tried to lob Roorda, but the ball landed on top of the goal.
The best chances however were for the home side. A great header by Nevland - who was clearly hindered by his muscle injury – from a Lindgren free-kick almost beat Kralj. And Groningen kept the foot on the gas. This paid of in the 59th minute when Suarez was brought down in the box after a great cross from Van der Linden. A penalty kick was awarded by the Romanian referee, duly converted by Van de Laak. 1-0 to Groningen!!
Suarez was replaced by Glen Salmon, much to the chagrin of the Uruguayan. With Salmon Groningen decided to start looking for the 2-0, a score which would see the Northerners through. Groningen was taking a more opportunistic approach to the game in the last 30 minutes, even more than ever spurred on by the roars from the 20.000 green and white clad ‘Farmers’ who were going mental.
After a vintage Sankoh long ball from the back to Nevland the Norwegian missed another good opportunity to score the deciding goal on 69 minutes. Van de Laak, just back from injury, was spent after 77 minutes and was replaced by Cornelisse. Just two minutes later it was Nevland again who set up Fledderus with a clever through ball. Fledderus raced into the box and was fouled by a Partizan defender. Another penalty! Cornelisse –who is first man to take spot-kicks- stepped up……and saw his somewhat weak shot saved! What a glorious opportunity for 2-0 wasted.
Lesser teams would have been mentally broken by missing a penalty, but not Groningen. The heroes in green and white kept piling forward putting pressure on the Partizan defence. Nevland put a shot just over the bar followed by a great chance for Lovre. His header from a Fledderus cross was no more than an inch wide of the post. Groningen’s relentless attacking gave space to a last shooting opportunity for Partizan’s Zajic, but he missed. And thus ended a great match which saw Groningen come so close to the UEFA Cup group phase.
Well see each other again in Europe next season! The next step for that will be a win for Groningen this Sunday when Vitesse Arnhem visits the Euroborg. We are 4th in the Dutch Eredivisie and we have no time to mourn this early exit from Europe. We have to consolidate a high league position so we can look forward to another round of European football next season.


Line up FC Groningen
1C Roorda; 2 Silva, 3 Sankoh, 4 Kruiswijk, 17 Van der Linden; 21 Lindgren, 13 Van de Laak (77’ 11 Cornelisse), 8 Levchenko (46’ 7 Lovre), 22 Fledderus; 20 Suárez (61’ 9 Salmon), 10 Nevland.
Rest bench: 16 Van Loo, 5 Florén, 12 Svejdik, 15 Seedorf.
Injured: 6 Matthijs

Line up Partizan Belgrado
25 Kralj; 24 Rnic, 4 Djordjevic, 5 Bajic, 13 Lomic; 31 Smiljanic, 28 Nadj, 18 Lazic (66’ 21 Tomic), 6 Zajic; 8 Boya (90’ 16 Radosavljevic), 15 Odita (87’ 19 Vukelja).
Rest bench: 27 Pantic, 2 Cirkovic, 20 Marinkovic, 30 Mirosavljevic.

Attendance: 19.097 (sellout)
Scores: 60’ Van de Laak (penalty kick) 1-0


Referee: Balaj (Romania)
Ass.Referees: Savaniu and Popa
Fourth official: Bocaneala
Yellow Cards: 16’ Levchenko (Foul on Lazic), 40’ Zajic (time wasting), 45’ Van der Linden (Foul on Lazic), 59’ Lomic (Foul on Suárez), 73’ Smiljanic (Foul on Van der Linden), 77’ Rnic (Foul on Fledderus), 84’ Kralj (time wasting).
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Thanks to Eeijt