Friday, March 19, 2010

Anderlecht 4-3 Hamburg


A goal 15 minutes from time from Mladen Petric sealed Hamburg's place in the last eight of the Europa League after a thrilling clash with Anderlecht.

The Germans had appeared to be cruising through with the game goalless approaching half-time, before it sprang to life with three goals in as many minutes.

Jerome Boateng put Hamburg 4-1 ahead in the tie in the 42nd minute but Romelu Lukaku headed home to pull one back and Matias Suarez then converted an injury-time penalty.

Marcell Jansen restored Hamburg's two-goal aggregate lead but Anderlecht responded through Lucas Biglia before Mbark Boussoufa, back from a knee injury, made it 5-5 on aggregate.

However, Petric struck on 75 minutes to break the home side's resistance.

Early on the game offered little in terms of clear-cut chances, with Frank Rost untested in the Hamburg goal until the 34th minute when he dealt with Ondrej Mazuch's shot from the right.

Anderlecht were putting Bruno Labbadia's side under little pressure and the match was devoid of creative spark until just before the break.

Hamburg appeared to put the tie beyond doubt when Boateng sent a right-footed shot into the top corner three minutes before the break.

However, the hosts pulled one back two minutes later when Boussoufa's cross from the right was headed home from close range by Lukaku.

Ariel Jacobs' side then rounded off a remarkable spell when Suarez coolly converted a penalty after he was fouled by Boateng.

Such a breathless end to the first half was followed by a tentative start to the second period until Hamburg restored their two-goal aggregate lead.

Ruud van Nistelrooy sent in a cross from the right for Marcell Jansen to convert but again the Germans could not hold onto their lead and Anderlecht restored their lead on the night five minutes later when Biglia scored from the centre of the penalty area.

Just seven minutes later and the hosts were back in it, Boussoufa slotting home Lukaku's left-wing cross from the six-yard box to put Anderlecht 4-2 ahead on the night and making it 5-5 on aggregate.

Hamburg were not to be denied though, and nine minutes later Petric restored their lead in the tie and booked a place in the quarter-finals.

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