Goalkeeper heads Liege into Europa*AA*

Goalkeeper heads Liege into Europa

(PA) Thursday 10 December 2009
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Goalkeeper Sinan Bolat headed an equaliser five minutes into injury time as Standard Liege snatched a place in the UEFA Europa League from opponents AZ Alkmaar in the dying seconds of their Group H UEFA Champions League clash.

With the referee moments from blowing his whistle, Hector Moreno fouled Marcos Camozzato to hand the Belgian side a free-kick, which Bolat headed home in a dramatic final act as the match finished 1-1. When Bolat went up for the set-piece, Standard were a goal behind and would have finished bottom of the standings, with the Eredivisie side lining up in Europe's second competition instead.

The game started scrappily, with a handful of fouls characterising the first five minutes. Dieudonne Mbokani attempted to get things going for Standard but, when he found space to cross, he mis-hit his attempt and the ball flew out of play. Mbokani persisted and, with 11 minutes gone, won a free-kick at the expense of Jeremain Lens. Benjamin Nicaise took the free-kick and forced a diving save from Sergio Romero.

Milan Jovanovic was next to try his luck but his drilled effort from just outside the area was blocked by Moreno. The hosts continued to have the better of the early possession, winning successive corners, which Wilfried Dalmat failed to make the best of.

Moreno made another important block from Mbokani's effort, this time from a good position 12 yards out. Mbokani was then felled by Moreno as both players chased the loose ball and Jovanovic lashed the resulting free-kick against the crossbar with Romero beaten.

After half an hour AZ finally had their first serious chance, Brett Holman working Bolat at the near post. Lens then caused Bolat to deal with an awkward corner from the left as the Dutch side stepped up their efforts in the final third.

Holman was suddenly causing problems but twice missed the target in the space of three minutes, while Mounir El Hamdaoui also tested Bolat. It was, then, no surprise when Lens put AZ ahead in the 41st minute when he latched onto Sebastien Pocognoli's cross from the left, steering it home from six yards.

Igor De Camargo attempted a spectacular equaliser on the stroke of half-time but his overhead kick was well saved by Romero. Lens and El Hamdaoui both had shots on goal early in the second half but Standard were closing down well.

De Camargo should have restored parity when he got on the end of Camozzato's cross but somehow headed over from six yards. El Hamdaoui and Jovanovic traded long-range efforts as both sides looked to attack, while Landry Mulemo almost made it 1-1 with a 64th-minute header.

Romero continued to impress for AZ, making good saves from Jovanovic and Dalmat to keep the visitors ahead, with De Camargo missing the target with another presentable chance 15 minutes from time. Despite the willingness of both sides to attack, it looked as though the second half would end goalless until the 95th minute when Bolat, sent up for a final free-kick, nodded Nicaise's cross past Romero.