UEFA CUP: Three Spanish teams earn wins in first leg
London, April 6:
All three Spanish teams got wins on Thursday in the first leg of the UEFA Cup quarter-finals.
Defending champions Sevilla beat visiting Tottenham 2-1 in a match that had more English fans fighting with police. Osasuna got the biggest win, scoring three away goals in a 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen, while Espanyol downed Benfica 3-2. In the other quarter-final match, AZ Alkmaar held Werder Bremen to a 0-0 draw.
Alexander Kerzhakov headed in Sevilla’s winning goal in the 36th. Tottenham, a two-time UEFA Cup champion, had taken the lead in the second minute when captain Robbie Keane scored off a rebound after his first shot was stopped by Sevilla goalie Andres Palop.
Frederic Kanoute equalized from the penalty spot in the 19th minute, moments after Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson brought down Adriano Correia in the area.
About 10 minutes after Kanoute’s goal, the visiting fans fought with police in riot gear, leaving at least one English fan with blood dripping down his face. It was the second straight night of disturbances in European soccer involving English fans. On Wednesday, Italian police clashed with Manchester United fans during its match at AS Roma in the Champions League.
Osasuna started with a goal after only 53 seconds at 1988 UEFA Cup champion Leverkusen. Javier Cuellar found space between four defenders before sending the ball over Leverkusen goalkeeper Rene Adler. David Lopez also scored for Osasuna in the 71st minute and Achille Webo added the third two minutes later.
Espanyol got goals from Raul Tamudo and Walter Pandiani in its win, but Benfica ended up with two away goals after Nuno Gomes and Simao Sabrosa scored in the second half. Tamudo scored in the 15th minute and Benfica defender Nelson made it 2-0 with an own-goal in the 33rd. Pandiani then scored the third in the 58th. Gomes gave Benfica its first goal in the 63rd and Simao added the other in the 65th.