Dortmund stick with Smolarek
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
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News round-up: BV Borussia Dortmund will pay Feyenoord €750,000 for Poland striker Euzebiusz Smolarek.
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BV Borussia Dortmund have confirmed that they have agreed a €750,000 transfer fee with Feyenoord to bring Polish international forward Euzebiusz Smolarek to Westfalenstadion at the end of the season on a four-year contract, following a successful six-month loan spell with the German club. The 24-year-old has scored three times in 12 Bundesliga matches since joining Dortmund in January.
Elsewhere in Germany, former Dutch international Huub Stevens has announced his intention to return to his homeland at the end of the season for personal reasons. The 51-year-old coach, who guided FC Schalke 04 to victory in the UEFA Cup in 1996/97, is currently in charge of 2. Bundesliga side 1. FC Köln , who are closing in on a return to the top flight. However, Stevens will not remain in charge even if promotion is achieved as he plans to settle in Eindhoven to care for his wife, who is seriously ill. "There is one thing that is more important in life than football," Stevens said. "I am very sorry for the club, the players and the fans. I hoped that time would help us, but it was only getting worse instead. It is not going to work out anymore."
In Slovakia, MFK Ružomberok have appointed František Komňacký as their new head coach following the dismissal of Ivan Hucko and his assistant Juraj Jarábek. The 53-year-old Czech has previously coached in Slovakia with MŠK Žilina and Matador Púchov before leading FC Baník Ostrava to the Czech First Division title last season. He will be assisted by club president Lubomír Moravčík, who led the team in their last two matches before the winter break. Ružomberok have lost their last four games to languish in sixth place, seven points adrift of second spot and a UEFA Cup qualifying round berth.
The Danish Cup final on 5 May will be a repeat of the 2003 event, when Brøndby IF defeated FC Midtjylland 3-0. Both progressed in Wednesday night's semi-final second legs, Brøndby overcoming FC København 3-2 on aggregate after a 2-2 draw in Parken tonight. Morten Skoubo and Thomas Kahlenberg twice gave Brøndby the lead and, although Alvaro Santos and Janne Saarinen levelled for the home team, the Danish Superleague leaders held on to progress. A Thomas Frandsen strike, meanwhile, gave Midtjylland a 1-0 win at home to first division leaders Horsens and a 5-0 success overall.
It has also been cup night in Switzerland, where FC Zürich will meet FC Luzern in the final on 16 May after a 3-1 win against BSC Young Boys on Wednesday. Daniel Gygax scored once for Zürich and Alhassane Keita got the other two.
The Israeli Cup continued to provde shocks as third division leaders Hapoel Ashkelon FC booked their place in the semi-finals with an impressive 3-0 win against high-fliying Premier League outfit Bnei Yehuda Tel-Aviv FC to become the first third division side to reach the last four since 1991. Second division Maccabi Hertzliya FC also progressed tonight, recovering from two goals down to defeat Hapoel Petach-Tikva FC 3-2 after extra time, while Maccabi Petach-Tikva FC also needed 120 minutes to overcome Hakoah Ramat Gan FC 1-0. Last year's finalists Hapoel Haifa FC meet Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC in Thursday's fourth quarter-final.