UEFA Cup soccer: Matthaus's Netanya held 1-1 by Cherno More

But Hapoel Tel Aviv and Ironi Kiryat Shmona leave Serbia and Bulgaria respectively with satisfying 0-0 results.

By ROEE FARKASH
lothar matthaus 224 88 (photo credit: AP)
lothar matthaus 224 88
(photo credit: AP)
Maccabi Netanya disappointed its home crowd in its UEFA Cup season debut at Bloomfield Stadium on Thursday night, only managing a 1-1 draw with Bulgarian side Cherno More. Hapoel Tel Aviv and Ironi Kiryat Shmona should be a little more satisfied with their performances in the UEFA Cup second and final qualifying round, leaving Serbia and Bulgaria respectively with 0-0 results. Netanya, coached by German former World Cup Champion Lothar Matthaus, began well, creating several scoring opportunities in the opening periods. In the 27th minute its effort paid off when right midfielder Dele Yampulski passed the ball inwards from the right flank. The ball hit a defender and fell onto the feet of striker Francis Kiyoyo who directed it into the bottom right corner. Netanya continued to control much of the play, but as the minutes passed the team's enthusiasm appeared to wane. Three minutes before the break the Bulgarians received a corner which fell to Cherno Morne striker Aleksandar Aleksandrov who easily scored above Netanya keeper Liran Shtrauber. Strauber said he hopes for a better performance in the away leg. "I think we caused ourselves more damage than the team we were playing against today," he told Sport5. "When you are not sharp enough in front of goal then you pay the price." Hapoel Tel Aviv, which took the pitch first in the blazing Serbian afternoon sun against FK Vojvodina, played a highly unimpressive game. Despite his teammates' weak performance, Hapoel's Nigerian Keeper, Vincent Enyeama, had an excellent match, pulling off a fantastic save as early as the first minute when Vojvodina striker Vladimir Vukajlovic hit a left footed volley to the upper left corner. The play in the first minute was not much of a sign of what was to come. Although the Serbian team was definitely superior to Gutman's men throughout the match and even managed to tally 11 corners to Hapoel's one, the end result was one the Reds had to be satisfied with. Kiryat Shmona can be just as satisfied with the away result against Bulgarian side Litex Lovech, in what is the northerners' first ever European campaign. Kiryat Shmona played rather well throught its game although, much like Hapoel, kept its main focus on defense. The Israeli team's striker Yuval Avidor had several chances to grab the priceless away goal, the first in the first minute, but the young striker missed on each occasion.