UEFA Europa League: Legia 2-2 Sporting

In the first game of the the 1/16 UEFA Europa League’s final, which took place in the capital of Poland on Thursday evening, Legia Warsaw drew 2-2 with Portuguese Sporting Lisbon. Goals for Polish team were scored by Jakub Wawrzyniak and Janusz Gol. Sporting managed to strike two goals, too. Their authors were Daniel Carriço and André Santos.
At the beginning of the game both teams had problems with an appropriate game rhythm. This was mainly caused by the situation with the pitch which was in a very poor condition.
However, supporters who gathered in the stands of the stadium were witnesses of an exciting rivalry between both club’s footballers. Jakub Wawrzyniak was the first person who shot the goal in the 37th minute of the match. Maciej Rybus centrared the ball into Sporting’s penalty area. Michał Żyro intercepted it and passed it with his head to Jakub Wawrzyniak, who defeated Lisbonian goalkeeper. Thanks to this goal Legia was leading 1-0 and the first half finished with this result.
Legia should have been leading 2-0 shortly after the break. Danijel Ljuboja received the ball from one of his colleagues and he only needed to defeat Rui Patrício. Unfortunately, he shot the ball so that it hit the goalkeeper.
Guests equalised in the 60th minute when Daniel Carriço made use of Legia’s goalkeeper’s mistake.
Eleven minutes before the end of the full-time Legia’s players were leading again. Rafał Wolski ran to a tremendous Żyro’s pass, he got into Sporting’s penalty area and saw Janusz Gol, whom he passed the ball. The footballer put it in the opponents’ net without any problems.
Unluckily, Sporting’s footballers equalised nine minutes later. André Santos kicked the ball so strong that Kuciak didn’t have any chances to catch it.
Moreover, guests could have struck the third goal in the injury time but fortunately Emiliano Insúa was slightly mistaken.
The return match takes place on 23rd February 2012 in Lisbon at 9.05 p.m.

UEFA Europa League (1/16 final): Legia Warsaw 2-2 (1-0) Sporting Lisbon
1-0 37’ Jakub Wawrzyniak
1-1 60’ Daniel Carriço
2-1 79’ Janusz Gol
2-2 88’ André Santos

yellow cards: Vrdoljak, Kosecki (Legia) – Onyewu, Insúa, van Wolfswinkel (Sporting)
referee: Matej Jug
attendance: 27.234

To check whole match report, visit this page.