UEFA Cup: Paris seems to pick and choose when to win, but they do it well

By: Sam | February 16th, 2007

First of all, I’d like to apologize for my recent impromptu vanishing act, this computer isn’t one of them hot high-tech ones, and it suddenly got sick so off to the computer doctor it went for a few days. But now I’m back! And good crap, why don’t you create four new blogs while I’m gone? Great job Gianfranco, Clint, Sabin, Jeff and Ivan, great to have you amongst us!

Like I mentionned in the title of this article, Paris Saint-Germain just can’t seem to string together a few good games. Luckily for them, they know how to win when it’s litterally essential. Sitting in 16th of Ligue 1, they’re still in the middle of the things in Coupe de France, and now in the UEFA Cup. This week’s travel to AEK Athens in the city which will host the Champions League Final later on in the year, was one of those happy games.

Kicking it off (call me Pun-happy Sam) with both teams exchanging “Argh”s when they hit the post in the first half, the teams went into halftime scoreless. Scoreless, did I say? Oh, I’m dreadfully sorry, Sammy Traoré was a good kilometer over the Greek feller to head home the opening goal in the last minute of the first frame. Solid, consistent and textbook play from the Parisians was finally rewarded. The second half was of the less exciting variety, with a few chances going into the final strech, but holy smokes did Bernard Mendy whale that ball into the corner on 88 minutes to secure PSG’s crucial win. Check out the video. Tell me, which one is better, this one or Jemaa’s one for Lens against Panathinaïkos? (Beloooooow)

Jemaa’s Racing Club de Lens were playing hosts to the other founders of democracy, Panathinaïkos. Nothing came of the first half, but glaze my nipples and call me a hobo did the second offer some spectacle. Jemaa went and scored an absolute stunner on 50 minutes to put the hosts ahead. Pana’s Salpingidis drew even fifteen minutes later. Not to be outdone by some other guy, Issam Jemaa produced his second, not as spectacular as the first, but crucial all the same. Dindane iced it in the 90th on a well-taken penalty.

Shaktar Donetsk v. Nancy. Can you say “If the nets were a foot wider the Ukranians would have beat the good guys by an aproximate score of 43-1?” That was the real story. Shaktar will sympathise with Hamburg on this one. After narrowly missing the opener a good number of times throughout the match, it was ASNL that broke the deadlock on a well struck ball from replacement striker Fortuné. The UCL dropouts drew even not more than four minutes later on a near-perfect missile from Srna. All bets are still on when the second leg takes place next week.

Bordeaux, welcoming the Spaniards of Osasuna, played a yawner of a match to a scoreless draw. Jemmali and Francia were close to scoring in the first half, but nothing came of that. The second leg has Bordeaux advantaged on paper, but that Pamplona stadium is renowned for its hellish atmosphere. Watch out.

AEK Athens 0-2 Paris Saint-Germain

AEK Athens 0 - 2 Paris S.G.
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Lens 3-1 Panathinaïkos

Lens 3 - 1 Panathinaikosfinal
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Shaktar Donetsk 1-1 Nancy

?????? - ????? - 1:1
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Bordeaux 0-0 Osasuna