Trickovski rescues AEK Larnaca
UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE - 3RD QUALIF. ROUND (LEG 1)
An 88th minute goal from Ivan Trickovski salvages a 1:1 draw for AEK Larnaca against Gent in Thursday’s UEFA Europa League third qualifying round action.
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Last week, Ivan Trickovski put his side through with a memorable four-goal performance. Tonight in Larnaca, the AEK Larnaca Captain saved his side from a loss and rescued some hope in this UEFA Europa League tie against Belgian side Gent. The Belgian visitors drew first blood through Roman Yaremchuk in the 26th minute, and that tally nearly stood up for the entire match.
However, AEK mounted a lot of pressure in the second half and in the 88th minute, Trickovski finally broke through to salvage a 1:1 draw for the hosts and hope ahead of next week’s return leg in Belgium.
THE MATCH
AEK Larnaca hosted Gent at the Giorgos Karapatakis AEK Arena in Larnaca. The early going was tentative, the first chance fell to Acoran, but he shanked the attempt wide. Yuya Kubo had a go, and Tono Ramirez was alert to make the save.
However, a free kick off the boot of Brecht Dejaegere broke the ice, as it was redirected past Ramirez by Roman Yaremchuk, and the 26th minute goal gave Gent exactly the start they were looking for.
Apostolos Giannou looked to answer, but instead he skied it over the net. Then Ivan Trickovski came knocking, but in the end, only found the woodwork in the host’s best chance of the half. AEK played much better after conceding, but still trailed 0:1 at the half-time break.
In the second half, AEK improved upon their aim, and Hector Hevel had their first shot on target, but Thomas Kaminski made the save. Jonathan David looked to double the Gent advantage, Tono Ramirez made the save, the rebound came right back to David, and Ramirez made the second save as well to keep his side in it. Hevel came knocking again, and again Kaminski turned him away. With less than five minutes to go, AEK grew more desperate, and Trickovski failed to hit the target.
Just a minute later, however, he had another opportunity, and he turned a cross from substitute Raul past Kaminski, and all was level in the 88th minute. AEK pressed for a winner, but a last second corner produced nothing and the end result, a 1:1 draw, is one that both sides will feel they can work with.
LINEUPS
AEK LARNACA(Imanol Idiakez): 25. Tono Ramirez(GK), 4. Truyols(‘48 27. Raul), 5. Daniel Mojsov, 8. Acoran(‘82 23. Florian Taulemesse), 10. Ivan Trickovski(Captain), 11. Tete(‘71 12. Jean-Luc Assoubre), 13. Hector Hevel, 18. Mikel Gonzalez, 22. Lluis Sastre, 41. Nacho Cases, 99. Apostolos Giannou
Gent(Jess Thorup): 1. Thomas Kaminski(GK), 5. Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui, 6. Elisha Owusu, 7. Roman Yaremchuk(‘62 29. Laurent Depoitre), 8. Vadis Odjidja(Captain), 16. Jonathan David, 19. Brecht Dejaegere(‘57 33. Louis Verstraete), 21. Nana Asare, 23. Mikael Lustig, 31. Yuya Kubo(‘78 14. Alessio Castro-Montes), 32. Igor Plastun
HIGHLIGHTS
