Saint Etienne 1:0 Gabala
News / 21 October 2016 | 10:131171
Saint Etienne 1:0 Gabala

Saint Etienne 1:0 Gabala

Saint Etienne (France) 1:0 Gabala (Azerbaijan)
UEFA Europa League / Group C / 3rd Tour
Date: Thursday, October 20, 2016
Kick-off: 11:05 P.M. AZT
Venue: Joffrua Gisar Stadium, Saint Etienne
Referee: Ali Palabiyik (Turkey)
Assistant referees: Jem Satman (Turkey), Akram Kan (Turkey)
Fourth official: Jeyhun Sesiguzel (Turkey)
Additional assistant referees: Alper Ulusoy (Turkey), Volkan Bayarslan (Turkey)
Referee observer: Laslo Vaqner (Hungary)
UEFA delegate: Yakob Erel (Israel)
Goal: Ricardinho, 70” (own goal).
Bookings: Kevin Theophile Catherine, 51”, Cheikh M'Bengue, 82” // Vitaliy Vernydub, 58
Stoppage time: First Half: 1 min.; Second Half: 2 min.

Gabala have lost to Saint Etienne 1:0 in the UEFA EL match of the Group C.
The pace of the match started by quick attacks from the home side. One of their early fast efforts finished with a goalbound shot by Mone Pake, but Gabala keeper Dmytro Bezotosniy cancelled his scoring. 
With further minutes into the game, the French side could dominate the event for more than half of the first period at the other end but the Roman Grigorchuk’s red-black defense held on clear giving the opponent no chance of occasion. And it was difficult for the visitors to cut through the French defense up to the half-time.
After the restart, the home side looked faster led to another threat against Gabala with Perren’s close-range shot tipped wide. Later on, Gabala came from behind setting quick attacks and making some troubles toward the host keeper. But Asif and Ruslan Gurbanov failed to turn their occasions into goal in the box. 
The deadlock was broken only in the 70th minute when Jordan Veretout’s cross to the Gabala box found our Ricardinho trying to deflect by a header finished with an own goal.
Then the Brazilian midfielder tried to make amends for his costly error setting up a long-range shot into the other box before Urfan Abbasov failed to deal with the ball in front of the keeper. 
The opponent team pushed hard to doubling their lead but Gabala held on clear. And the visiting side stepped up their inroads in the French defense, but they were unable to convert some corners into scoring.

Saint Etienne line-up:
30. Jessy Moulin
2. Kevin Theophile Catherine
9. Nolan Roux
10. Usama Tannan
(27. Robert Beric, 62”)
11. Anri Seve
(5. Vincent Pajot, 90+2”)
12. Cheikh Mbengue
14. Jordan Veretout
17. Ole Kristian Selnaes
19. Florentin Pogba
22. Kevin Monnet Pake
24. Loic Perrin (C)

BENCH: 
1. Anthony Masonual
7. Brian Dabo
23. Alexander Soderlund
25. Kevin Malcuit
35. Arnaud Nordin
COACH: Rene Lobello
Gabala line-up:
22. Dmytro Bezotosny (C)
3. Vojislav Stankovic
9. Sergei Zenjov
(30. Petar Franjic, 80”)
10. Ruslan Gurbanov
11. Asif Mammadov
(32. Rasad Eyyubov, 80”)
15. Vitaliy Vernydub
17. Mahammad Mirzabayov
19. Flip Ozobic
20. Ricardinho
27. Theo Weeks
34. Urfan Abbasov

BENCH: 
33. David Pietrzkevic
8. Gismat Aliyev
39. Sadig Guliyev
44. Rafael Santos
88. Tellur Mutallimov
HEAD COACH: Roman Grigorcuk