Wednesday September 14, 2011 Group Stage: Group C Finished Sankt Jakob-Park

FC Basel 2 - 1 Otelul Galati

  • Frei 39’
  • Frei 84’ (pen.)
  • Pena 58’

No comments yet | Write your comment

  1. Basel spot on late on

    Basel spot on late on

    Alexander Frei scored a late penalty to give Basel a 2-1 home win over Otelul Galati in their opening Champions League Group C match. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • FC Basel
    • Otelul Galati
    • 90+4' The full time whistle blows. Alexander Frei has ensured his side all three points with that late penalty.
    • 90+4' The hosts make their final change. Kwang Pak is untroduced as Fabian Frei makes way.
    • 90+2' A long ball into the box isn't dealt with which allows Paraschn to have a swipe at the ball from six yards. It's deflected wide.
    • 90+1' Goalscorer A. Frei is taken off. Radoslav Kovac is the man to come on.
    • 90' We'll have four minutes of added time.
    • 89' Cabral collects the ball on the edge of the penalty area and skips past one challenge before shooting with his weak foot from 18 yards. High. Wide. Ugly.
    • 88' The visitors make another change. Frunza is introduced as Ilie makes way.
    • 87' RED CARD!! Huggel is given his marching orders. The midfielder went in for a high challenge with Giurgiu and caught the man with his boot. He was shown a second yellow which evens the teams up again in a numerical sense.
    • 86' Gabriel Viglianti is chucked on up front as the visitors look to grab a dramatic late goal. Filip sis the man to make way.
    • 85' So, Otelul have got it all to do again. Can they respond in a similar way? It's going to be tough, but they've proved that they can score here.
    • 83' GOAL FOR BASEL!! A. Frei is the man to take the penalty. He steps up and slams it into the bottom left-hand corner. Grahovac guessed the right way but the power took it away from him. Great penalty.
    • 82' RED CARD FOR SALAGEANU. The defender attempts to flick the ball away from Streller who has been sent through on goal. It's a late challenge and he brings the man down.
    • 82' PENALTY TO BASEL!!
    • 80' Zoua collects the ball on the left and skips past a challenge before crossing. A. Frei rises highest, but jumps too early and can't get hold of the header.
    • 79' Zoua is straight into the action. He collects the ball in the Otelul half and bursts forward. The ball is played out wide but the cross is again poor. It's cleared at the near post.
    • 78' The hosts make their first change of the night. Xhaka is the man to come off. Jacques Zoua is introduced.
    • 75' Xhaka finds A. Frei in the centre of the field with an exquisite ball played with the outside of his foot. Frei plays it to Streller out on the left, but the striker's cross is overhit and runs out for a throw in.
    • 73' Steinhofer advances down the right and plays it inside to Streller, who should feed it to Huggel but instead opts to play a ridiculously challenging ball into the path of A. Frei. It's unsurprisingly cut out.
    • 72' Paraschn is straight into the action and tees up Ibeh on the edge of the area. The Otelul No. 15 fires high and wide. Poor.
    • 70' Gabriel Paraschn makes way for the visitors. Pena is the man to make way.
    • 69' F. Frei is deep in his own half and collects a loose ball. He's under severe pressure but does well to turn his man and draw the foul.
    • 68' CHANCE!! Streller rises highest in the box and flicks the ball into the path of A. Frei. Grahovac is off his line in a flash and sprawls at the feet of the striker, beating it to safety.
    • 67' It wasn't Pena that was down sorry, it was Antal. He's back up now though and should come back on.
    • 66' Pena is down following a challenge with Steinhofer. He's off the pitch though, so the ref waves the keeper on.
    • 65' CHANCE!! Streller is played in over the top but can't quite get to the ball in time to shoot. Instead, he backheels the ball into the path of Xhaka who shoots from 10 yards. It sails way over the bar. Shocking.
    • 64' The Otelul front line are not giving the Basel defence a moment of time. They seem to have changed their game plan and look like they have a bit of belief. They know that they can win this now.
    • 63' The Romanian side are right in this match now. That goal seems to have shaken the hosts a little. Otelul have controlled possession in the last five minutes or so...
    • 62' The hosts have completed 310 passes so far compared to just the 158 of Otelul, but it's all square!!!
    • 61' Ibeh looks to slide in Pena with a curled through ball. It's very accurate and only a sliding challenge from Abraham sees the ball out for a corner.
    • 60' A. Frei bursts towards the penalty area but runs out of ideas and loses possession.
    • 59' Well, who saw that coming? Not me, but I'm glad about it. Hopefully it'll kickstart this second half into life.
    • 58' GOAL FOR OTELUL!! What a finish. A long throw is cleared but only as far as Antal on the edge of the penalty area. The midfielder volleys straight at goal and forces Sommer into a fine save down to his right. The ball falls loose into the path of Pena, who sneaks in and chips the keeper from six yards.
    • 56' Antal collects the ball 30 yards out and leathers it at goal. It's hit well but flies comfortably over Sommer's bar.
    • 55' The Basel strip really does look like that orangey/pink one of Barca's a few seasons ago. Shame they don't play like them, or this night would be a whole lot better for everybody, except Otelul I suppose...
    • 54' Chance. Great save. Pena takes a touch on the edge of the penalty area and allows Ibeh to take the ball away and past his man. The supporting striker shoots from the right but Sommer is down well to beat it away.
    • 52' Ooooh. Huggel is booked but he won't be too happy with Cabral who plays him into trouble. The midfielder looks slide the ball away from the onrushing Antal but catches the man.
    • 51' F. Frei's corner from the right is poor. It's cleared at the front post.
    • 50' Rapa is booked for pulling Xhaka down as Basel looked to attack.
    • 49' Mix-up!! Sommer comes way off his line to collect the ball but gets nowhere near it. Fortunately for him, Dragovic clears.
    • 48' The visitors are enjoying a spell of possession at the moment. They're stroking the ball around nicely.
    • 47' F. Frei clips a ball into the penalty area that is aimed for the head of Streller. Costin rises highest to clear.
    • 46' The second half is under way.
    • 45' They do exactly that as the referee blows the whistle to end the first half.
    • 44' Basel look content with keeping the ball away from their opponents as they will want to take this 1-0 lead into half time.
    • 43' As I say that, F. Frei is rolling around on the ground after being challenged in the air. Filip jumps into him and flicks his head with the back of his hand. Maybe they're not all as tough in the Basel team after all...
    • 42' Huggel takes a boot in the face this time. He too stoops down low to flick the ball away from his man but is rocked by a big flying boot. He's soon up though, and is running it off. Hard, these lot aren't they?
    • 40' Finally. We've only waited forty minutes for something to happen in this game. How are the visitors going to respond to going a goal down? They'd set up with only one up top so not to concede, but they're going to have to change that if they're going to get back into this match!
    • 39' GOAL FOR BASEL!! Steinhofer sends Streller down the right with a well-executed through ball. The big striker turns the covering defender before sending the ball to the penalty spot. F. Frei arrives late and produces an excellent header to send the ball into the bottom right-hand corner.
    • 37' Huggel receives the ball and advances towards goal. Two defenders are on him in an instant and force the midfielder to make a sloppy cross. It's poor, and is cleared. Good work from the Romanian side.
    • 36' Basel are still in control of this match, but the visitors are really holding their own. They don't look like conceding at all.
    • 35' He certainly is alright. He flies into a tackle with Giurgiu but does appear to pull out at the last second. The Otelul man still goes down like he's been shot though, and gets the striker a yellow card.
    • 34' Ouch. Streller stoops low to head the ball into the direction of a team mate but takes a kick in the chops for his effort. He's alright though. He's a big lad.
    • 33' A. Frei thinks he's won a corner on the left hand side as Rapa makes a sliding challenge. The ref says otherwise. The ball looked to have gone out beforehand.
    • 32' Giurgiu beats his man on the right and sends a cross into the box. There are plenty waiting for it but it's far too near the keeper and is claimed with ease.
    • 30' Joo-Ho tries to play the ball out of danger deep in his own half but is hustled by Antal. The Otelul player is all over him and then finally gives away a free kick with a bit of a lunge. Just a free kick. This time.
    • 28' S. Frei picks up the ball 30 yards from goal and dinks a lovely ball out to his namesake on the right wing. Salageanu comes across to clear the ball for a corner.
    • 27' Great effort. Great save. Perendija makes a pigs ear of a clearance on the edge of his box and allows the ball to run to A. Frei who shoots at goal first time. It looks to be nestling into the bottom left corner but Grahovac makes a superb flying save, palming the ball away.
    • 25' Basel have had 60% of the possession so far, but have done absolutely nothing with it.
    • 24' Frei does better this time. He collects the ball on the right wing and takes one touch before whipping the ball across the six yard box. The keeper doesn't come and only some superb defending from Perendija clears the danger.
    • 23' Abraham produces an exquisite through ball into the path of F. Frei, but the midfielder's touch lets him down. He'd have been through otherwise.
    • 22' Antal crosses from the right and again it's not dealt with. It falls to Ilie on the left of the penalty area. The winger looks to shoot first time but the effort is blocked in a flash.
    • 21' Streller loses control of the ball but tries to make up for his error. Instead he ends up kicking Filip into the air. Free kick. Not a very nice challenge, that!!
    • 20' Xhaka attempts to beat his man down the left but is stopped in his tracks and is forced to go back. Cabral tries a diagonal ball the flies straight out of play. Poor.
    • 19' Grahovac's throw is poor. He distributes it to Filip, who is instantly tackled. Costin clears up and regains possession for his side.
    • 18' Xhaka bursts down the left and looks to cross. It's dragged slightly but Huggel attempts to beat his man to the ball. He doesn't, and it's cleared.
    • 17' Basel continue to play the ball around. They are building up an attack slowly and they are getting closer to their opponents half.
    • 16' F. Frei bursts down the right and volleys the ball into the box but it's too far in front of the onrushing Streller. Xhaka reaches the ball but is forced backwards as the attack breaks down.
    • 15' Steinhofer is the man to get forward this time but completely miscontrols the ball on the right touchline and allows it to go out for a Otelul throw.
    • 14' Rapa gets forward and overlaps, receiving the bal on the right flank. He attempts to cross for Pena, but he mishits it and it flies straight to the keeper.
    • 13' It's been a rather uninteresting start to this game to be honest. Basel have seen a lot of the ball but it has been the visitors who could have taken the lead. Let's just hope they haven't quite settled yet, and that this game gets better.
    • 12' Xhaka clips a lovely ball in between the right back and the right centre back as he looks to play in Streller. The striker allows the ball to bounce and it gets away from him.
    • 11' Basel have seen a lot of the ball but reallyhaven't looked like breaking down the vistors two strong-looking defensive banks.
    • 10' Great footwork from Giurgiu, who collects the ball on the halfway line and beats three men before winning a free kick.
    • 9' Cabral is again clumsy with the ball on the edge of his penalty area and nearly allows Ibeh to burst through on goal. Dragovic clears up.
    • 8' Basel look to attack but Cabral is clumsy with the ball and gives away a free kick deep in the Otelul half.
    • 7' The hosts continue to knock the ball around with ease in their own half. Pena is doing a lot of running to close the ball down and the rest of the side are standing strong and look organised.
    • 6' Ilie steals the ball off Steinhofer deep in the Basel half and looks to cross for Pena, but the ball is over hit and the attack breaks down.
    • 5' Antal gets down the wing again and looks to square for Ibeh who arrives late. Cabral tracks him all the way and makes a decent interception on the edge of the penalty area.
    • 4' As expected, the hosts have seen more of the ball so far. They're looking more comfortable in the stadium that they play in week in, week out and it's really showing. Otelul have just not settled yet.
    • 3' The hosts work the ball down the right before sliding it inside. Frei receives the ball in the middle of the park and looks to play in Streller, but the Basel No. 9 is on a different wavelength.
    • 2' CHANCE!! Antal whips in a lovely ball from the right. The Basel defenders fail to clear it as it falls to Pena 8 yards from goal. He's on his way down as he shoots and can only tamely shoot into the keeper's arms.
    • 1' The referee blows the whistle to start the match. Basel kick off.
    • 19:42 The two teams are out. All that is left are the pre-match formalitites and then we'll be under way in this cracker of a Champions League game.
    • 19:38 Although this is the first meeting between the two clubs, the managers have a history. Only eight months separate Basel coach Fink, born in 1967, and his OÅ£elul counterpart Dorinel Munteanu, born in 1968, and their playing careers overlapped in Germany. Fink played for Karlsruher SC and FC Bayern München while Munteanu was at 1. FC Köln and VfL Wolfsburg. Fink had the better of the pair's meetings in their playing days,
    • 19:31 Basel have only ever faced Romanian opposition once before in this competition - when they took on CFR Cluj last season. They lost 2-1 away before making partial amends with a 1-0 home victory courtesy of a goal by Federico Almerares. That was their only win at St. Jakob-Park and they ended up four points behind second-placed AS Roma.
    • 19:26 However, Basel have lost five of their last six home games in the Champions League and have only won six of their 24 games overall, so that will give the visitors a little hope.
    • 19:20 Another stat that goes against Otelul tonight is that Romanian sides have lost nine of their last 10 Champions League games away from home.
    • 19:14 It does look like it could be a bit of a struggle for Otelul tonight. They travel to Switzerland to face a side that currently lie fouth in the Axpo Super League - with three wins, three draws and two defeats out of their eight games. Otelul currently lie 14th in the Romanian top flight with just seven points from a possible 18.
    • 19:09 FACT: Otelul are the fourth Romanian side to take part in the Champions League, after Steaua Bucharest, Cluj and Unirea Urziceni.
    • 19:03 FACT: Otelul Galati are making their starting berth in the competition – they won the Romanian league title for the first time in their history last season.
    • 18:58 The teams are in: Basel: Yann Sommer, Park Joo-Ho, aleksangar Dragovic, Benjamin Huggel, Marco Streller, Alexander Frei, David Abraham, Fabian Frei, Cabral, Markus Steinhofer, Granit Xhaka - subs - Massimo COlomba, Arlind Ajeti, Roman BUess, Radoslav Kovac, Jacques Zoua, Kwang Ryong Pak /// Otelul Galati: Brank Grahovac, Cornel Rapa, Ioan Filip, Liviu Antal, Silviu Ilie, John Ibeh, Sergiu Costin, Adrian Slageanu, Marius Pena, Gabriel Giurgiu, Milan Perendija - subs - Cristian Branet, Zoran Ljubi
    • 18:52 With both Manchester United and Benfica also in this group, it does look like it will be a big challenge for either of these two sides to qualify. However, if one of them can get of to a flyer tonight, anything is possible...
    • 18:45 Good evening and welcome to the 2011 Champions League Group C opener between FC Basel and Otelul Galati at the Sankt Jakob-Park stadium.

  • Summary

    • 90+2' A long ball into the box isn't dealt with which allows Paraschn to have a swipe at the ball from six yards. It's deflected wide.
    • 87' RED CARD!! Huggel is given his marching orders. The midfielder went in for a high challenge with Giurgiu and caught the man with his boot. He was shown a second yellow which evens the teams up again in a numerical sense.
    • 83' GOAL FOR BASEL!! A. Frei is the man to take the penalty. He steps up and slams it into the bottom left-hand corner. Grahovac guessed the right way but the power took it away from him. Great penalty.
    • 82' RED CARD FOR SALAGEANU. The defender attempts to flick the ball away from Streller who has been sent through on goal. It's a late challenge and he brings the man down.
    • 68' CHANCE!! Streller rises highest in the box and flicks the ball into the path of A. Frei. Grahovac is off his line in a flash and sprawls at the feet of the striker, beating it to safety.
    • 65' CHANCE!! Streller is played in over the top but can't quite get to the ball in time to shoot. Instead, he backheels the ball into the path of Xhaka who shoots from 10 yards. It sails way over the bar. Shocking.
    • 58' GOAL FOR OTELUL!! What a finish. A long throw is cleared but only as far as Antal on the edge of the penalty area. The midfielder volleys straight at goal and forces Sommer into a fine save down to his right. The ball falls loose into the path of Pena, who sneaks in and chips the keeper from six yards.
    • 54' Chance. Great save. Pena takes a touch on the edge of the penalty area and allows Ibeh to take the ball away and past his man. The supporting striker shoots from the right but Sommer is down well to beat it away.
    • 39' GOAL FOR BASEL!! Steinhofer sends Streller down the right with a well-executed through ball. The big striker turns the covering defender before sending the ball to the penalty spot. F. Frei arrives late and produces an excellent header to send the ball into the bottom right-hand corner.
    • 27' Great effort. Great save. Perendija makes a pigs ear of a clearance on the edge of his box and allows the ball to run to A. Frei who shoots at goal first time. It looks to be nestling into the bottom left corner but Grahovac makes a superb flying save, palming the ball away.
    • 2' CHANCE!! Antal whips in a lovely ball from the right. The Basel defenders fail to clear it as it falls to Pena 8 yards from goal. He's on his way down as he shoots and can only tamely shoot into the keeper's arms.
    • 18:58 The teams are in: Basel: Yann Sommer, Park Joo-Ho, aleksangar Dragovic, Benjamin Huggel, Marco Streller, Alexander Frei, David Abraham, Fabian Frei, Cabral, Markus Steinhofer, Granit Xhaka - subs - Massimo COlomba, Arlind Ajeti, Roman BUess, Radoslav Kovac, Jacques Zoua, Kwang Ryong Pak /// Otelul Galati: Brank Grahovac, Cornel Rapa, Ioan Filip, Liviu Antal, Silviu Ilie, John Ibeh, Sergiu Costin, Adrian Slageanu, Marius Pena, Gabriel Giurgiu, Milan Perendija - subs - Cristian Branet, Zoran Ljubi

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • FC Basel

    Manager: Thorsten Fink

  • Otelul Galati

    Manager: Dorinel Munteanu

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

    Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account.

    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      - 5
      Defenders
      - 6
      - 5
      10 5
      - 6
      Midfielders
      Red Card - 4
      - 5
      Goal Substitution Out90′ 10 8
      Substitution Out78′ - 6
      Strikers
      Yellow Card - 6
      Goal Substitution Out90′ 10 7
      Subs
      Substitution In90′ 10 -
      Substitution In78′ - -
      Substitution In90′ - -
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      Yellow Card 7 7
      Defenders
      Yellow Card 4.5 5
      3.5 6
      4 6
      Red Card 5 4
      Midfielders
      Substitution Out86′ 4.5 5
      1 5
      4.5 5
      Yellow Card 1 5
      Substitution Out89′ 1 5
      Strikers
      Goal Substitution Out71′ 6.7 6
      Subs
      Substitution In71′ 1 -
      Substitution In86′ - -
      Substitution In89′ - -

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account