Liberec footballers entered the basic group L of the European League with a 1-0 victory over Ghent. The Belgian team had many more chances in the match of the opening round, but the goal was scored only in the 29th minute by the home striker Júsuf Hilál.
Unlike Ghent, Liberec started the first competitive match on October 4 due to the interruption of the Czech league due to the coronavirus situation. The North Czechs looked around in the beginning and survived two big chances of the opponent, who took second place in the unfinished last season of the Belgian league.
In the ninth minute, Bukari was first caught by Nguyen and in two minutes Jaremčuk threw the Liberec goalkeeper and the goal. In the 21st minute, the North Bohemians were also threatened, who crossed the three preliminary rounds into the basic group.
After the mistake of the former Slavic defender Ngadeu, he got into the escape of Mosquer and after the subsequent Aries center, he inserted the defender’s foot into Hilala’s bullet at the last moment.
In the 28th minute, the home team were lucky again, which was saved by a stick after Fortun’s shot. Practically from a counterattack, however, Liberec struck. After Mosquer’s center, Koscelník leaned into the bounced ball and Hilál directed it closely into the net. The Bahraini striker followed up on the goals from the preliminary rounds against the FCSB and Riteriai.
Just before the break, during a dangerous break, home hiker Tijani struck at the last moment.
Even after the break, the guests set the pace and gradually increased the pressure. He overthrew Kleindienst in the 47th minute, as Fortun did after an hour of play. Meanwhile, the people of Liberec blocked two dangerous attempts with all their might.
Then Liberec helped a little to level the game a bit, and for the first time a new reinforcement, Sadílek, got on the lawn. In the end, however, the guests escalated the attack again and Severočechy had to hold Nguyen again. In the 79th minute, he pulled the head of the substitute Depoitre and then ran well against Niangba.
Slovan has already maintained the result and as the only one of the three Czech representatives to enter the group with a point gain. In the next match of the group, they will present the weekly Crvené zvezde Belgrade, which lost 0: 2, to the Hoffenheim field.
The first two teams will enter the elimination phase. Liberec plays a group of cups for the fifth time in history and for the first time in four years. He was able to advance only in the 2013/14 season.
Match of the 1st round of the basic group L of the European Football League:
Slovan Liberec – KAA Gent 1: 0 (1: 0)
Goal: 29. Hilál. Judges: Schuettengruber – Brandner, Steinacher (all Austria). ZK: Aries – Marreh, Yaremchuk, Hanche-Olsen. No spectators.
Liberec: Nguyen – Koscelník, Jugas, Tijani, Mikula – Hromada (79. Chaluš), Mara – Pešek (68. Matoušek), Beran (57. Sadílek), Mosquera – Hilál (58. Rabušic). Coach: Hoftych.
Gent: Roef – Castro-Montes, Ngadeu, Hanche-Olsen, Fortuna (87. Plastun) – Marreh – Bukari, Kums, Botaka (77. Niangbo) – Kleindienst (77. Depoitre), Jaremčuk. Trainer: De Decker.
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