Fuente : UEFA
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UEFA Intertoto Cup: Feindouno fires up St-Etienne

/noticias.info/ AS Saint-Etienne’s first European tie in 22 years ended in triumph after a 2-1 victory away to Neuchâtel Xamax FC on Sunday saw them through to the UEFA Intertoto Cup third round 3-2 on aggregate.

Tense finale
Goals from Sébastien Mazure and Pascal Feindouno had put St-Etienne in control in Geneva, but the Ligue 1 side were forced to endure a nervy end to the match before securing victory after Zoumana Camara was sent off. The home side made the man advantage count when Christophe Maraninchi pulled a goal back late on, but St-Etienne held on to advance.

Missed opportunities
With the first leg in France having ended 1-1, Xamax knew a goalless second leg would be enough to see them through on the away goal ruling and, as a result, opted for a defensive gameplan. The tactics appeared to work for almost an hour of the game, and Swiss international forward Alexandre Rey could even have put Xamax ahead, but he failed to convert the two goalscoring chances that came his way.

Feindouno stunner
The Axpo Super League side were made to pay for Rey’s missed chances in the 58th minute when substitute Mazure opened the scoring for St-Etienne. Ten minutes later forward Feindouno doubled St-Etienne’s lead with a spectacular effort in front of more than 11,000 spectators.

Maraninchi hope
Xamax pushed forward and after St-Etienne defender Camara had been sent off on 75 minutes they finally broke through in the 80th minute when French midfielder Maraninchi pulled Gianni Dellacasa’s side back into the tie.

Cluj task
But the goal proved merely a consolation as the French side held out to claim victory. They will now face CFR Cluj in the third round after the Romanian club surprisingly knocked out Athletic Club Bilbao on penalties on Saturday. The first leg takes place next weekend, while the return leg is a week later on 23 July. notas_de_prensa_archivo