Beitar edge in front of Wisla
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
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Beitar Jerusalem FC 2-1 Wisla Kraków
Aviram Baruchyan's two goals brought the Israeli side back in the tie against opponents reduced to ten men.
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Recovery victory
The Polish title-holders silenced the Teddy Stadium when Paweł Brożek scored a 23rd-minute away goal, but events after the interval brought Beitar firmly back into contention. Baruchyan symbolised the Israeli club's midfield dominance and he was rewarded with two fine strikes. The late sending-off of Wisla's Marek Zieńczuk for two bookable offences further boosted Beitar.
Tide turns
The visitors had seized the initiative when Brożek profited from a mistake by home goalkeeper Tvrtko Kale to open the scoring with a header. The momentum shifted on the hour mark when, after Wisla penalty claims were ignored, Beitar broke away to equalise. Michael Zandberg picked out Baruchyan who skipped past Cléber before beating goalkeeper Mariusz Pawełek at his near post. The No8 decided the match too, finishing clinically after a one-two with Sebastian Abreu. Zieńczuk, dismissed with two minutes remaining, misses the 6 August second leg through suspension.