Thursday, February 18, 2016

UEFA Europa League, round of 32, first leg

Stade Vélodrome, Marseille

 Olympique de Marseille  0 - 1  Athletic Club Bilbao

Marseille have it all to do after their home woes continued in a 1-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao at the Stade Vélodrome.

The veteran striker Aritz Aduriz conjured the only goal of the game with a truly stunning volley in the 54th minute to leave the Basques, runners-up in 2012 when Marcelo Bielsa was their coach, very much in control of the tie.

A long kick downfield by goalkeeper Iago Herrerín was headed down by Sabin Merino for Aduriz, who caught out Steve Mandanda with a brilliant dipping volley from 30 yards for his 26th goal of the campaign in all competitions, his seventh in the Europa League.

Míchel had sent out a strong team for the occasion but his side could not break down the Athletic defence, despite the best efforts of Steven Fletcher, who started in attack. The Spanish coach sent on Michy Batshuayi as well as Florian Thauvin and Bouna Sarr after Aduriz put the away side ahead, but those changes could not swing the contest Marseille's way and they have it all to do when they go to San Mamés next week.

Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne

 AS Saint-Etienne  3 - 2  FC Basel

Jean-Christophe Bahebeck was the match-winner for Saint-Etienne against Basel as he outpaced Marek Suchý and finished low past Tomáš Vaclík in the 77th minute following a long clearance downfield by Moustapha Sall to give Les Verts a narrow advantage ahead of next week's return in Switzerland.

Christophe Galtier's side had earlier got off to a superb start, taking the lead nine minutes in when Sall outmuscled Suchý at the back post to head in after an Oussama Tannane free-kick delivery from the right flank.

Things got better for Saint-Etienne on 39 minutes when a Renaud Cohade corner from the left was headed home by Kévin Monnet-Paquet, but Basel grabbed a goal back a minute prior to the interval. A Luca Zuffi free-kick from the right was helped on Breel Embolo and Walter Samuel fired home low.

Basel then equalised, and got a precious second away goal, from the penalty spot in the 56th minute. Florentin Pogba was penalised by the Greek referee when a Birkir Bjarnason cross struck his arm in the box and giant Austrian striker Marc Janko stepped up to beat Stéphane Ruffier from the spot, but Bahebeck's strike means Saint-Etienne go to the St Jakob Park with a lead to defend.