Gabala (Azerbaijan) 1:3 Anderlecht (Belgium)

UEFA Europa League / Group C / 5th Tour
Date: Thursday, November 24, 2016
Kick-off: 8:00 P.M. AZT
Venue: Bakcell Arena, Baku
Referee: Yevhen Aranovskiy (UKR)
Assistant referees: Oleksandr Voytyuk (UKR), Serhiy Bekker (UKR)
Additional assistant referees: Anatoliy Abdula (UKR), Anatolii Zhabchenko (UKR)
Fourth official: Semen Shlonchak (UKR)
Referee observer: Igor Satkiy (Moldova)
UEFA delegate: Maksimas Becterevas (Lithuania)
Goals: Ricardinho, 15 (pen.) - Youri Tielemans, 11, Massimo Bruno, 90, Lukasz Teodorczyk, 90+4
Failed penalty: Ricardinho, 74
Bookings: Rashad Eyubov, 63, 89 - Emanuel Ace Sova, 28, Leander Dendoncker, 42, Frank Boeckx, 72
Red card: Rashad Eyubov, 89
Stoppage time: First Half: 0 min;, Second Half: 5 min. 

Gabala have lost to Anderlecht from Belgium by 1:3 as Roman Grigorchuk’s side hosted the fifth tour match of the UEFA Europa League’s Group C. The red-black team came on the pitch for breaking the pointless streak of the last four tours. Sanan Gurbanov substituted Grigorchuk in the technical area.
Gabala kept the opponents under control for early minutes. Bagaliy Dabo even went too close to the opening goal but he failed to meet a superb cross. Dmytro Bezotosniy gave a great save absorbing a quick attack by Anderlecht. Then the home side went on attacking again and setting up trouble to the rival defense. But the visitors’ counter attack ended with Yuri Tilemans’s opener. 

But Gabala kept the positives up and pushed harder to leveling that worked out after penalty as Asif Mammadov was fouled by Anderlecht. Ricardinho fired in making it 1:1. This was the Brazilian’s second goal for Gabala, including a first-ever in EL. Gabala held the lead up but they failed to drive benefits from spaces in the other side.

The game went into the second half with poor start for Gabala as Bagaliy Dabo got injured and changed. Then Nika Kvekveskiri had an effort from the right but saw his cross tipped wide after touching Rashad Eyubov. Substitute Ruslan Gurbanov came oen on one with the visiting keeper in the 73rd minute. But fouling on our player led to another penalty. It was Recardinho hitting the target again but the referee did allow the goal and the Brazilian took one more effort could not find the net.

The group leader Anderlecht seemed not willing to lose any point and this was well evident during the full period as they backed on counter attacks. And they were the pressing side in the twelve minutes left.

Eyyubov picked up his second yellow card and was forced off the field. Ten-man Gabala went one goal back after the free-kick by Bruno in a close range. The team from Brussel scored one more during the stoppage time when Lukasz Teodorczyk finished long-range pass clearly. This was his fifth goal in the group.

Gabala line-up:
22. Dmytro Bezotosniy (C)
7. Nika Kvekveskiri
11. Asif Mammadov
15. Vitaliy Vernydub
18. Bagali Dabo
(10. Ruslan Gurbanov, 52)
19. Filip Ozobic
20. Ricardinho
27. Theo Weeks
32. Rashad Eyyubov
34. Urfan Abbasov
44. Rafael Santos

BENCH: 
33. David Pietrzkevic
3. Voislav Stankovic
6. Rasad Sadigov
17. Mahammad Mirzabayov
30. Petar Franyic
88. Tellur Mutallimov

COACH: Sanan Gurbanov

Anderlecht line-up:

23. Frank Boeckx
5. Uros Spayic
14. Bram Neytink
17. Diego Kapel
(10. Massimo Bruno, 60)
18. Frank Asampong
(22. Idrissa Dumbia, 90+4)
31. Yuri Tilemans (C)
32. Leander Dendoker
37. Ivan Obradovic
41. Emanuel Ace Sova
72. Nikolae Stancu
(94. Sofin Anni, 70) 
91. Lukas Teodorcik

BENCH: 
1. Deyvi Ruf
8. Stefen Badci
9. Hamdi Harbaui
40. Vut Fas
94. Sofin Hanni

COACH: Rene Weiler