15 September 2006, by Marco Pereira

Setubal nightmare ends UEFA Cup hopes

Setubal 0-3 Heerenveen

Setubal opened their UEFA Cup account at Alvalade against Dutch side, Heerenveen, and were handed a 0-3 thrashing. The UEFA Cup campaign looks all but over for the Sadinos almost before it started, as the task to overcome a three goal deficit away from home is surely an impossible ask.

The game was not without its merits for Setubal as they started positively, playing at a high tempo. Setubal’s first good opportunity came in the 29th minute when Hugo tried to head the ball into the net from an Auri corner kick.

The defender did not connect cleanly and the ball found its way to Portugal Under-21 striker, Lourenco, whose back heel was not hit with enough force and was easily smothered by the Heerenveen goalkeeper, Vanderbussche.

One minute later, Setubal were at it again as Bruno Ribeiro took a free kick that Auri met with his head, but the ball ended in Vanderbussche’s arms. Heerenveen responded immediately as Afonso Alves lost his marker in the 18 yard box, took a diagonal shot and watched the ball graze the post.

Auri hits post

Just before half time Setubal had their best chance of the game thus far. Varela took a free kick and Auri, following up, headed the ball towards the Dutch goal, only for it to painstakingly clang back off the post. The half-time whistle arrived with Setubal unable to claim the goal they deserved.

The second half started very differently with Heerenveen creating three opportunities in the first 10 minutes, but a combination of luck and fine goalkeeping from Tabuas kept Setubal’s goal intact.

In the 57th minute Heerenveen got the goal they had been threatening. Afonso Alves, who had terrorised the Setubal defence throughout the night, did the honours through a well taken free kick that left Marco Tabuas with no chance.

Alves was at it again when he let a rocket fly in the 62nd minute that hit the underside of the crossbar, came crashing straight down, but did not cross the goal line. It was only a temporary respite however, as Heerenveen doubled their lead in the 67th minute through who else but Afonso Alves.

In an almost carbon copy of the first goal, Alves took another free kick from the same position. It hit the underside of the crossbar again, but this time Alves got the bounce as it hit Tabuas’ arm and went in.

A spate of substitutions failed to change the course of the match, and the third goal came on the stroke of full time as Setubal substitute Mario Carlos and Marco Tabuas got into a terrible mix-up, allowing Nilsson to tap in an easy goal.

Coach bemoans missed chances

Setubal coach, Helio Sousa, lamented Setubal’s missed opportunities in the first half which he felt cost them the game: “We had three opportunities on goal at our peak in the first half and we did not manage to finish any. Afterwards, from two fortuitous free kicks, they scored twice.”

“We tried to react, to search for the goal, but didn’t manage to. It’s tremendously complicated to get through now. We have to score four goals away and that is really complicated.”

Sousa’s opposite number, Jan Gert Verbeek, admitted that his team were lucky not to have suffered any goals in the first half and that luck was on their side with the free kicks.

PortuGOAL Man of the Match:
Auri – The defender did so much in the first half for Setubal to score and was involved in every dangerous moment, especially when his header came back off the post.

Setubal:
Marco Tabuas, Janicio, Auri, Hugo, Nandinho, Binho, Sandro, Bruno Ribeiro (Mbamba, 68), Adalto (Amuneke, 68), Varela, Lourenco (Mario Carlos, 80)
Yellow Cards: Binho (20)

Heerenveen:
Vanderbussche, Zuiverloon, Dingsdag, Hansson, Breuer, Paul Bosvelt (Kissi, 76), Prager, Pranjic, Afonso Alves (Yildirim, 87), Lasse Nilsson, Friend (Tarvajarvi, 79)
Yellow Cards: Paul Bosvelt (53)

Goals:
[0-1] Afonso Alves, 58
[0-2] Afonso Alves, 67
[0-3] Lasse Nilsson, 90