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Trabzonspor 1-3 Toulouse: Gignac Double Gives Frenchmen The Advantage
Le Tefece have grabbed a vital advantage in the Europa League courtesy of their never-failing goal-machine.
Aug 20, 2009 3:56:03 PM
Toulouse took a big step towards the group stages of the Europa League courtesy of a comfortable victory over Trabzonspor.
Regular watchers of le Tefece will be aware of the striking power of Andre-Pierre Gignac, and it was unsurprisingly he who scored goal in either half, sandwiching a Rigobert Song effort for the hosts, to push Alain Casanova’s side ahead. The game swung further in the direction of the Frenchmen in the final two minutes, when home defender Engin Baytar was dismissed before Fode Mansare completed the scoring two minutes into stoppage time.
Both sides fired tentative efforts at goal in the opening five minutes, but the hosts nearly burst to life when Umut Bulut triggered a shot against the bar, leaving visiting goalkeeper Olivier Blondel helpless.
Indeed, the pressure would remain largely on the goal of the visitors for the opening ten minutes, and it was something of a surprise when a cross found Gignac at the back post to fire a post-shaving shot into the net.
The advantage would last only a matter of seconds, because Song was able to beat the exposed Blondel as Trabzonspor mounted their next serious attack.
A helter-skelter start to the match saw both sides have further chances. Selcuk Inan contrived to miss the target when presented with only the French goalkeeper to beat, while an effort from Gustavo Colman was well turned onto his crossbar by the in-form Blondel.
Meanwhile, Toulouse steadied themselves slowly and had a couple of significant moments, too. Moussa Sissoko had an effort off the post after Tony Sylva had save Gignac’s initial effort, and Ligue 1’s top scorer from last term would power a dangerous effort over on the stroke of half-time.
Clinical | Toulouse were too sharp for their opponents
There were to be fewer moments of excitement in the second period but there would be more crucial moments, and all of those favoured the men from the Pink City. Thirteen minutes into the second half, a simple corner undid the home side, with Mauro Cetto’s header forced into the net by Gignac for a second away goal.
Although the game appeared to be drifting from Trabzonspor in the closing stages, they were still in with a shout going to France next week, but the events of the last two minutes have left their hopes looking very slender indeed.
Firstly, Baytar was dismissed for two yellow cards in the space of eight minutes, and then Toulouse exposed the space created by his absence to sweep forward and setup Guinean substitute Mansare to complete the scoring two minutes into stoppage time.
Now needing at least three goals to qualify, the hopes of the Turkish side progressing look very slim indeed. Meanwhile Gignac & Co. will be feeling pretty in pink ahead of their home tie in seven days times.
Robin Bairner, Goal.com
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