Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Live - Wednesday football

GOALFLASHES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS (all times GMT)

606: DEBATE

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By Caroline Cheese

1843: Sounds like my kind of game, Andy. Couple of minutes until half-time in Athens. Not much going on. Three substitutions, coupled with atrocious weather, have killed the game somewhat.

From Andy, bored at work in Aberdeen, via text on 81111: "Caroline, the game in Salzburg is mental! They're kicking, diving, elbowing! Nothing in front of goal though."

1840: Not a lot going on, so I'll tell you that if Everton win, and so do Benfica, the Toffees will qualify for the last 32. They could, however, still go through with as little as a draw from each of their last two games.

1837: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov escapes down the left - but his progress is halted by the offside flag. He looked level.

From Jack, Liverpool, via text on 81111: "If there's any more defensive injuries for the Blues, I think David Moyes is going to have to come on and roll back the years."

1832: Panagiotis Tachtsidis has AEK's first shot on target from distance. Tim Howard does well to palm it away from danger. Not a good night to be a keeper.

1827: An enforced change for AEK now as Grigoris Makos is replaced by Gustavo Manduca. Decent Everton build-up ends with Jose Baxter shooting well wide - Tim Cahill tries to head it goalwards but he's offside.

1824: There may not be many home fans around, but they're making their presence felt. Some tinker has been flashing one of those laser pens at the Everton players, and we've had a couple of terrifying explosions. European football eh? Love it.

1821: That Everton defence is now made up of Coleman, Duffy, Hibbert and Baines.

From peg_leg5125 on Twitter: "Can you put out an announcement for any defenders in among the Everton fans in Athens? We need them, we are a little short."

1818: Shane Duffy is the man to replace Distin, making his first-team debut. He joins fellow 17-year-old Jose Baxter on the pitch.

1815: An excellent start... were it not for the fact that they're going to have to make another injury replacement. Sylvain Distin, who was a doubt before the game with a hamstring problem, has pulled up and is being driven off on a motorised stretcher.

1814: The home side are starting to come into the game a bit more. They win a corner, but Jo wins the defensive header and Tim Cahill completes the clearance. An excellent start by Everton here.

1810: If it continues to rain like this, I will be amazed if this game finishes. There are puddles all down one side of the pitch - Everton's right. More injury worries for Everton now as Dan Gosling pulls up after getting his studs caught in the turf. He is stretchered off to be replaced by Jose Baxter.

Goooooooaaaaaaaaal
Everton goal: What a start. Tim Cahill heads on a long ball and Jo turns it round the corner for Diniyar Biliyaletdinov to lash the finish high into the net.

1806: GOAL AEK Athens 0-1 Everton

1802: The pitch is absolutely sodden. There's a puddle in the Athens half, which is holding up the ball, and Sylvain Distin has just slipped and almost let in the AEK forward. And it's still raining.

1800: Away we go.

1758: Did someone forget to publicise this game in Athens? Less than 15,000 of the 71,000 seats available have been taken at the Olympic Stadium. Looks very strange.

1755: Just as I was looking forward to seeing a horse called Jeremy running in the 5.55 from somewhere, it looks like I'll be forced to watch AEK Athens v Everton. The Toffees thrashed this lot 4-0 at Goodison back in September, but these are rather different circumstances for David Moyes's side.

From Lewis in Oxford, via text on 81111: "Looks like another depleted Everton line-up. Could go either way this one. AEK looked distinctly average at Goodison, yet they beat Benfica, who by all accounts have given us some free footballing lessons."

1749: Moving on, let's give a big live text shout-out to Tony Hibbert, who will equal Everton's European appearance record tonight. His 19th will put him level with Colin Harvey and Brian Labone. Looks like Hibbert will have to play alongside Sylvain Distin in central defence.

1745: Rather troubling, this... the TV channel that is meant to be showing me AEK Athens v Everton is instead bringing me live chariot racing. Apparently, it's called harness racing these days. But believe me, it's chariot racing.

1742: TEAM NEWS AEK Athens v Everton
Everton, without Joseph Yobo (hamstring), Lucas Neill, John Heitinga (both ineligible) and Leon Osman (foot) are, however, able to call upon Sylvain Distin after the defender shook off a hamstring strain. That sees Toffees boss David Moyes make just two changes to the side that lost to Liverpool at the weekend, with youngsters Dan Gosling and Seamus Coleman drafted in. AEK Athens boss Dusan Bajevic springs a bit of a surprise by leaving no fewer than four regular starters on the bench in striker Ismael Blanco, midfielders Nacho Scocco and Gustavo Manduca, and defender Carlos Araujoy. However, Sweden defender Daniel Majstorovic returns after injury.

1738: TEAMS AEK Athens v Everton
AEK Athens: Sebastian Saja, Georgeas, Geraldo, Majstorovic, Juanfran, Hersi, Kafes, Makos, Leonardo, Taxtsidis, Pavlis. Subs: Arampatzis, Araujo, Manduca, Koutroumanos, Karabelas, Blanco, Gentsoglou.
Everton: Howard, Gosling, Hibbert, Distin, Baines, Pienaar, Coleman, Fellaini, Bilyaletdinov, Cahill, Jo. Subs: Nash, Saha, Yakubu, Duffy, Agard, Baxter, Mustafi.

1736: As you may already have guessed from that brief opening, the deadly combination of an early kick-off (I'm looking at you, AEK Athens v Everton) and a busy afternoon of breaking news (I'm looking at you, Sepp Blatter) means I'm a little under the cosh. Kick-off in Athens in a little under half an hour. The referee has just give the game the go-ahead after heavy rain in the Greek capital, but any more rain and there could be trouble ahead...

1730: Hi.


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