Grafting Groclin unsettle City
Thursday, 06 November 2003
 

View goal at www.saucepanheroes.com/temp/goal.avi

A superbly taken free-kick from midfield player Sebastian Mila earned Polish side Groclin Grodzisk Wielkopolski a precious 1-1 away draw against Manchester City FC in their second round first-leg UEFA Cup encounter.

Price paid
City, however, were thoroughly dominant before the break and would have had the game wrapped up before the interval had their finishing been more effective. In the end they were made to pay a heavy price for spurning a succession of opportunities and now face a potentially problematic trip to Poland on 27 November.

Keegan frustrated
The draw left City manager Kevin Keegan frustrated. "We showed plenty of effort but not enough finishing ability," he said. "We had a good start and created some good chances but 1-1 is not a great result."

Sharp start
Keegan's men began sharply and could have had more than a one-goal advantage inside the first ten minutes, with Claudio Reyna blasting over the bar early on. But the miss seemed like it would be irrelevant when Nicolas Anelka - who had recovered from a thigh strain to take his place in the starting lineup - scored his fourth UEFA Cup goal this season, delicately chipping goalkeeper Mariusz Liberda on six minutes after a raking crossfield ball from Robbie Fowler.

Fowler miss
Groclin, in mid-table in the Polish First Division, first threatened in the 12th minute; David Seaman diving to his right to save a powerful header from Mariusz Pawlak. The home side should have doubled the advantage on the half-hour when Anelka and Steve McManaman combined smoothly on the left flank, culminating with the ex-Real Madrid CF midfield player dragging back to Fowler, who clipped his shot wide of the far post with the goal at his mercy.

Motivational huddle
At the beginning of the second half, the Groclin players sought inspiration by huddling together in the centre circle - and the motivational tactic appeared to work as they were considerably more purposeful going forward. Mila came within centimetres of chipping Seaman in the 51st minute. He was angry to waste the chance but his despair turned to joy soon after when he secured the vital leveller, bending the ball over the wall and into the top corner in the 65th minute.

No breakthrough
Keegan then rang the changes in search of the winner, bringing on Danny Tiatto and Paolo Wanchope in place of the former Liverpool FC pair McManaman and Fowler. The away defence, though, held firm to the last. Tarnat, with a ferocious free-kick, and Wanchope both went close in the final stages but the breakthrough was not forthcoming.

Kaczmarek content
"We were under pressure in the first quarter of an hour but we watched City against [KSC] Lokeren [OV] and thought we would be able to come into it," said Groclin coach Boguslaw Kaczmarek. "That estimation proved correct. We created some beautiful chances and in the end we got a draw. But the return leg is going to be open."

Keegan's concerns
Keegan added: "Apart from the first 15 minutes we let them in the game too much. Groclin have achieved a deserved draw. We made life difficult for ourselves by thinking we would win it and it's going to be hard in Poland."

Rasiak's late strike sinks Hertha
Wednesday, 15 October 2003

Groclin Grodzisk Wielkopolski secured a dramatic 1-0 second-leg victory against Hertha BSC Berlin thanks to a late goal from Grzegorz Rasiak to advance to the second round of the UEFA Cup. After holding Hertha to a 0-0 draw in the first leg, the tie seemed to be drifting towards extra-time before the striker's late intervention.

Groclin dominate
The Polish side dominated the first-half. Despite the early loss of Mariusz Pawlak through injury, Groclin soon found their rhythm and did an excellent job of stifling Hertha when they lost the ball.

Friedrich impresses
Hertha's German international defender Arne Friedrich was twice called into action in the opening minutes to deny the lively Andrzej Niedzielan, before Groclin swept forward in the move of the game.

Sweeping move
Initiated by playmaker Radoslaw Sobolewski, the ball was flicked out to Marcin Zajac in space on the right. He sprinted forward and delivered a cross to the near post. Hertha's goalkeeper Gábor Kiraly spilled the ball under pressure from Rasiak and Niedzielan, but scrambled to claim at the second attempt.

Hartmann drive
Both Sebastian Mila and Rasiak had sight of goal, but the former could not stretch to make contact and the latter slipped when about to strike. Hertha were restricted to a Michael Hartmann drive that went well over as half-time approached.

Hertha improve
After the break, Hertha improved and, on 69 minutes, came close to breaking the deadlock. Marko Rehmer whipped in a great cross from the right that Artur Wichniarek met with a diving header. The ball thumped against the near post before falling straight to the prone Mariusz Libarda.

Kiraly saves
Six minutes later, it was Hertha who were indebted to their goalkeeper. Substitute Piotr Piechniak cut inside then released a venomous right-footed shot that was only kept out by a magnificent full-stretch save from Kiraly.

Groclin strike
With six minutes to go, Groclin finally went ahead. Piechniak was again involved, cutting in and shooting low at the near post. Kiraly parried, but the ball fell to Niedzielan who drove it across the face of goal where Rasiak was on hand to bundle it in.

Late chance
Neuendorf then had a glorious late chance to equalise, after being set up by a clever Wichniarek header, but Libarda was swiftly off his line to make a great block. Hertha continued to apply pressure into stoppage time, but Groclin held firm.

14th October

Hertha Berlin general manager Dieter Hoeness has hit out at the club's UEFA Cup opponents Groclin Grodzisk after they jacked up ticket prices for the travelling Berlin fans.

"Our fans are paying five times the actual price," raged Hoeness. "It is a disgrace."

The Polish side are charging the Germans 45 euros to sit and 25 euros to stand at the game, prompting Hertha to offer 10 euros in compensation to every fan who travels to the first round tie.

Hoeness was particulary disappointed by the pricing policy after Grodzisk fans were charged just 11 euros to sit at the Olympic Stadium in the first leg which ended 0-0.