Fuente : UEFA (English)
http://www.uefa.com/

UEFA Cup: Genk recovery denies Metalurgs

/noticias.info/ KRC Genk recovered from conceding an early goal to earn a 3-2 victory against a resilient FHK Liepajas Metalurgs side in Latvia.

Second-half comeback
Kevin Vanderbergh, Koen Daerden and Nenad Stojanovic were all on target in the second half, as the Belgian side were forced to bounce back after a sluggish start. A shock had looked on the cards when Mindaugas Kalonas gave the Latvian league leaders a 15th-minute lead and although Viktors Dobrecovs reduced the deficit from the penalty spot late on, Metalurgs will be up against it in the second leg on 25 August.

Metalurgs momentum
On course to end FC Skonto's 14-year hold on the Latvian First Division title, Metalurgs began confidentially and were soon testing Jan Moons. The Genk goalkeeper did brilliantly to twice deny Aleksandr Katasonov before ten minutes had elapsed but he was helpless soon afterwards when a fine run from Edijs Danilovs opened up the defence and teed up Kalonas to slot in.

Dobrecovs misses
Genk's season is still in its infancy, and the visitors struggled to keep up with the high-tempo start to the match. Only Daerden posed any sort of threat before the interval, and his blistering shot almost crept inside the post midway through the first half. It proved a fleeting chance though and Metalurgs soon regained the initiative, with Dobrecovs spurning two decent opportunities.

Fine strikes
Such profligacy seldom goes unpunished and just two minutes after the restart, Vandenbergh finished off a fine passing move to equalise. Daerden then made it 2-1 before the hour with a spectacular 25-metre effort before substitute Nenad Stojanovic extended the lead with nine minutes remaining, rifling in from the edge of the penalty area.

Late hope
That goal finally silenced the home fans, but they soon rediscovered their voices when Danish defender Brian Priske brought down Katasonov and Dobrecovs converted the resulting spot-kick to give the Latvian side hope for the return leg in Belgium. notas_de_prensa_archivo