By SELCAN HACAOGLU
Associated Press
Associated Press Sports
updated 9:30 a.m. ET Sept. 15, 2011
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -Trabzonspor celebrated the anniversary of one its biggest wins with an even bigger one, beating Inter Milan in European competition exactly 28 years after achieving the same feat.
And the small Turkish club from the Black Sea port city of Trabzon did it only one week after being officially allowed to play in the group stage of the prestigious Champions League for the first time.
It didn't take them long to make their mark. Ondrej Celustka scored in the 76th minute Wednesday to give Trabzonspor a stunning 1-0 win over 2010 champion Inter at the San Siro.
The result came exactly 28 years after Trabzonspor beat Inter 1-0 in UEFA Cup match at home on Sept. 14, 1983.
"The anniversary party," national newspaper Milliyet said of the result, while local paper Karadeniz'den Gunebakis headlined "Europe's giants have met the storm."
Trabzonspor finished second in the Turkish league on goal difference last year, putting the club into the qualifying round for the Champions League. But after losing to Benfica, the team was given a second chance when league champion Fenerbahce was kicked out of the competition because of its involvement in a match-fixing scandal. Fenerbahce failed in its last-ditch effort to be reinstated on Friday when the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected its appeal.
Trabzonspor then did its part on the field.
"The task is just beginning," said Trabzonspor coach Senol Gunes, who was the goalkeeper in 1983 when the Turkish team shocked visiting Inter 1-0 in the first leg despite losing 2-1 on aggregate. "We want to continue our performance."
Celustka scored the lone goal Wednesday from a rebound after Halil Altintop's shot hit the crossbar. But Trabzonspor goalkeeper Tolga Zengin was also a key player, making critical saves throughout, including from an 88th-minute attempt from Coutinho.
"Tolga stood like the Chinese Wall!" Hurriyet newspaper said.
When the players returned to Trabzon, a crowd of fans chanted and carried Celustka on their shoulders to celebrate the victory.
"We have to work diligently to make new surprises," Celustka said.
In the other Group B match, Lille and CSKA Moscow drew 2-2, leaving Trabzonspor alone in first place. Trabzonspor next hosts French club Lille on Sept. 27.
"To be the leaders of our group boosts our morale," Gunes said. "Maybe we caught Inter unprepared today but there can be any outcome in football."
---
Associated Press Writer Ozgur Akman contributed to this report.
? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
advertisement
More newsAFP - Getty ImagesTrabzonspor stuns Inter Milan
Trabzonspor marked its Champions League debut by upsetting Inter Milan 1-0 on Wednesday night, while Manchester United and Manchester City were held to draws.
Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44530677/ns/sports-soccer/
ghost whisperer ghost whisperer wozniacki wozniacki niger chf temperature
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.