Thursday, October 22, 2009

Live text - Europa League

GOALFLASHES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS (all times BST)

606: DEBATE

To get involved use 606 or text us your views & comments on 81111. (Not all contributions can be used)

By Chris Bevan

From geordiescot1989 on 606: "One TV with the Everton game on, one TV with the Lazio game on, one laptop with BBC live text on."

1844: Everton take a short corner and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov rides a challenge to run into the box. He's at a tight angle but tries to curl his shot into the opposite corner of the net. As it is, he sees the ball fly a mile wide... he forgot to put any curl on it, you see.

1842: About five minutes to go until half-time at the Estadio de Luz and Everton will have to improve a lot if they are going to turn this one round. Still, they are only one goal down at the moment...

1840: Ramires lets fly from 30 yards for Benfica but his effort is high and wide. Seconds later, Javier Saviola works space for a cross in the Everton area but it just eludes Oscar Cardoza. The home side don't seem short of ideas coming forward do they?

1838: In the other game in Group I, Ismael Blanco has just put AEK Athens 1-0 up against BATE Borisov.


1837: Here's news from Euro John, or Jean (as he will now be known): "Police say they have arrested dozens of football hooligans in Amsterdam after fighting broke out in the city's red light district ahead of a Europa League match between Ajax and Dinamo Zagreb. Amsterdam Police spokesman Nabil Ou-Aissa says most of the hooligans arrested are Ajax supporters and they were detained for public order offenses. He could not give the exact number of people detained."

1835: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov flashes a volley over from the edge of the box for Everton. Now that would have been spectacular, if it had gone in of course...

1833: Angel Di Maria is still looking lively and crosses again from the left for Ramires to head wide. Soon afterwards, Dan Gosling goes into referee Nikolai Ivanov's book for a fierce challenge on Cesar Peixoto.

1832: A few juicy challenges are flying in now, with Everton's Marouane Fellaini particularly eager to get involved. In terms of trying to get an equaliser, the visitors' best bet seems to be from set-pieces and Tim Cahill wastes one chance when he heads wide from a corner.

1830: Thanks to myerla on 606 for an update from the Lazio-Villarreal game, where former Birmingham City striker Mauro Zárate has slotted the Italian side ahead.

From ninjanoz on 606: "Unfortunately, I can see this being a tough night for Everton."

1827: More good work by Argentina international Angel Di Maria, who gets forward down the left before sending in a low cross that is heading for Oscar Cardozo at the far post until Sylvain Distin sticks out a leg to clear. Tim Howard is relieved to see the ball fly just wide.

1825: Everton have another chance to test Julio Cesar but Diniyar Bilyaletdinov's poor free-kick is easily cleared, before about six Toffees players are caught offside when the ball is played back in to the box.

1823: Another good spell by Everton, but you know what happened last time I wrote that. The final ball is what is letting down David Moyes' side at present, with an example of that being Jo's inability to find a team-mate when he crosses from the left... although he has no trouble finding touch.

1820: Another Angel Di Maria cross, deep to the back-post, but this time Seamus Coleman is equal to it and hustles a mistake out of Javier Saviola.

1818: First bit of action of the night for Benfica goalkeeper Julio Cesar, who comes running out to beat Marouane Fellaini to a hoisted cross and punch clear.

Goooooooaaaaaaaaal
Oh dear, what was I saying? Angel Di Maria's deep cross from the left eludes Seamus Coleman at the far post and drops for Javier Saviola, who volleys down into the ground and sends the ball bouncing past Tim Howard and into the opposite corner of the net.

1814: GOALFLASH Benfica 1-0 Everton (Saviola)

1813: Better from Everton, who link up well with some neat passing... until Jo's poor cross from the left. Still, the visitors have found their feet now and seem a lot happier.

From Kenny, via text on 81111: "Re 1755. Windows wide open: EVERTON TO WIN 2-1!"

1810: A solid start for Everton debutant Seamus Coleman. He has coped well with everything thrown at him in a frenetic first 10 minutes and looks comfortable enough on the ball too.

1808: Everton are still settling down, and can't really keep hold of the ball at the moment. They just need to take the sting out of this one, I think.

From peg_leg5125 on Twitter: "Having seen the Everton team I am a little worried. Would be pleased with a point from tonight."

1806: A great early chance for the Portuguese side. A corner is flighted over from the left and Luisao rises above the Toffees defence only to see his poweful header fly wide.

1805: A mis-hit volley from Angel di Maria falls for Javier Saviola, but he is flagged offside. His header was off-target in any case. Benfica have started well.

1803: An early free-kick in a dangerous position for Benfica, after Angel Di Maria goes down under a challenge by Sylvain Distin on the right of the area. The ball is played in low towards Pablo Aimar but the Toffees clear their lines.

1801: Benfica get us under way.

1758: A few of you are asking about Everton debutant Seamus Coleman, who has only ever played for the first team in pre-season friendlies before now. He's a Republic of Ireland Under-21 international left-back who joined the Toffees for £150,000 from Sligo Rovers in July.


1756: Benfica's eagle mascot Vitoria swoops around the Estadio de Luz... it's a real eagle by the way. We're about four minutes away from kick-off.

1755: There are four ways to get in touch tonight. You can use 606, text me via 81111 or tweet away to your heart's content at Twitter. The fourth way? Open your window and shout - but I can't guarantee I'll hear you.

From Nick, via text on 81111: "If anymore Everton players had been injured I might've made the bench myself. Win tonight with the players available and it will be their best result for a decade."

1750: Benfica beat FC BATE Borisov at the Stadium of Light (their ground, not Sunderland's) in their first Group E match, but lost at AEK Athens in their next outing. Domestically, they are in good form with six wins and a draw from their first seven SuperLiga games.

1746: Everton boss David Moyes on his injury-hit side's hopes of moving closer to qualifying for the knock-out stages tonight: "Getting the job done is part of what we do at Everton. At the moment we have done our job by winning the first two games. We will certainly have to win at least another one to make sure we qualify. We go into all games trying to win but it is fair to suggest we might be happy coming to Benfica and taking a point."

1745: TEAM NEWS Benfica v Everton
Leighton Baines joins a lengthy list of Everton absentees, with the left-back one of 11 injured players. Seamus Coleman, 21, makes his debut in place of Baines while Jo starts up front ahead of Louis Saha.

1742: The visit of Hamburg is hardly an easy game for Celtic either, especially considering Celtic Park is not the fortress of old in Europe this season - Tony Mowbray's side have lost two and drawn one of their three games. Tonight is not make or break for them, but they can't afford many more slip ups.

From gunner-zp - Rosický Returns! Believe in Bendtner on 606: "Hard games for the English teams tonight, and I think they'll both take a point."

1740: Everton are first up tonight, at 1800 BST, with Celtic and Fulham both kicking off at 2005 BST.

1738: TEAMS Benfica v Everton
Benfica: Julio Cesar, Ruben Amorim, Luisao, David Luiz, Cesar Peixoto, Ramires, Javi Garcia, Di Maria, Saviola, Aimar, Cardozo. Subs: Quim, Maxi Pereira, Carlos Martins, Fabio Coentrao, Weldon, Nuno Gomes, Sidnei.
Everton: Howard, Gosling, Hibbert, Distin, Coleman, Fellaini, Cahill, Rodwell, Bilyaletdinov, Jo, Yakubu. Subs: Nash, Saha, Duffy, Agard, Baxter, Wallace, Akpan.
Referee: Nikolai Ivanov (Russia)

1734: Everton and Celtic are also in action tonight, with the Toffees looking to continue their 100% record in Group I as they travel to Benfica, and Celtic looking to salvage their Group C campaign at home to Hamburg.

1732: Tonight's game is a chance for Claudio Ranieri to renew acquaintances with Fulham boss Roy Hodgson, who he knows well from the Englishman's time in Italy. The bad news for Fulham fans is that Hodgson has never got the better of Ranieri, and the Italian never lost to the Cottagers. when he was in charge at Chelsea. Still, there's a first time for everything Roy.

1730 BST: It's more than five years since Claudio Ranieri was sacked as Chelsea boss and the Premier League has certainly been a poorer place for his absence (especially post-match press conferences). Tonight, however, the Tinkerman is back in west London as Fulham host his Roma side in Group E of the Europa League.


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