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ARMENIA BOOST QUALIFYING HOPES
Orange UK News
Oct 11 2013
Armenia boosted their hopes of clinching second place in World Cup
qualifying Group B with a dramatic 2-1 victory over nine-man Bulgaria
in Yerevan - denting their opponents' ambitions in the process.
The hosts took the lead just before half-time, Aras Ozbiliz despatching
a free-kick into the top corner after Bulgaria defender Nikolay
Bodurov had been sent off for a foul on Ozbiliz.
Ivelin Popov got Bulgaria back on level terms with a free-kick of his
own just after the hour mark, but the visitors' cause was hindered by
the dismissal of midfielder Svetoslav Dyakov moments later and Yura
Movsisyan pressed home Armenia's numerical advantage by netting an
87th-minute winner.
The result lifted Armenia to within one point of Bulgaria as the
battle to finish runner-up behind pool winners Italy intensified
ahead of the final round of matches.
Visiting goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov produced a brilliant save in
the 19th minute to keep out Ozbiliz's curling right-footed shot.
The Bulgarians were being restricted to harmless long-range efforts
until finally working in Roman Berezovsky 10 minutes before the
interval, the Armenia goalkeeper saving Ivelin Popov's left-footed
drive with his feet.
But, when the deadlock was broken in the 44th minute, it was the
hosts who were celebrating. Bodurov was shown a straight red card
for a professional foul on Ozbiliz, who swiftly recovered and sent
the resulting left-footed free-kick into the top-right corner.
Stoyanov was called upon on 52 minutes to pull off the first noteworthy
save of the second half, parrying Artur Sarkisov's 12-yard attempt.
Berezovsky again saved with his feet from Stanislav Manolev's shot
nine minutes into the second period, but five minutes later the
Armenia goalkeeper was beaten.
Georgi Milanov was fouled by Karlen Lazarian, and Popov stepped up
to strike the free-kick into the top-left corner from 25 yards.
Dyakov became the second Bulgaria player to be dismissed just after
the hour when he saw red for a second bookable offence following a
foul on Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
The hosts made their two-man advantage tell three minutes from time,
Lazarian providing the assist for Yura Movsisyan to lift the winner
over Stoyanov from 12 yards.
It could even have been 3-1, but Stoyanov showed fine reflexes to
keep out a stoppage-time drive from Gevorg Ghazaryan.
Armenia complete their group campaign in Naples against Italy on
Tuesday, while Bulgaria take on Czech Republic in Sofia.
http://web.orange.co.uk/article/sports/armenia_boost_qualifying_hopes
From: Baghdasarian
Orange UK News
Oct 11 2013
Armenia boosted their hopes of clinching second place in World Cup
qualifying Group B with a dramatic 2-1 victory over nine-man Bulgaria
in Yerevan - denting their opponents' ambitions in the process.
The hosts took the lead just before half-time, Aras Ozbiliz despatching
a free-kick into the top corner after Bulgaria defender Nikolay
Bodurov had been sent off for a foul on Ozbiliz.
Ivelin Popov got Bulgaria back on level terms with a free-kick of his
own just after the hour mark, but the visitors' cause was hindered by
the dismissal of midfielder Svetoslav Dyakov moments later and Yura
Movsisyan pressed home Armenia's numerical advantage by netting an
87th-minute winner.
The result lifted Armenia to within one point of Bulgaria as the
battle to finish runner-up behind pool winners Italy intensified
ahead of the final round of matches.
Visiting goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov produced a brilliant save in
the 19th minute to keep out Ozbiliz's curling right-footed shot.
The Bulgarians were being restricted to harmless long-range efforts
until finally working in Roman Berezovsky 10 minutes before the
interval, the Armenia goalkeeper saving Ivelin Popov's left-footed
drive with his feet.
But, when the deadlock was broken in the 44th minute, it was the
hosts who were celebrating. Bodurov was shown a straight red card
for a professional foul on Ozbiliz, who swiftly recovered and sent
the resulting left-footed free-kick into the top-right corner.
Stoyanov was called upon on 52 minutes to pull off the first noteworthy
save of the second half, parrying Artur Sarkisov's 12-yard attempt.
Berezovsky again saved with his feet from Stanislav Manolev's shot
nine minutes into the second period, but five minutes later the
Armenia goalkeeper was beaten.
Georgi Milanov was fouled by Karlen Lazarian, and Popov stepped up
to strike the free-kick into the top-left corner from 25 yards.
Dyakov became the second Bulgaria player to be dismissed just after
the hour when he saw red for a second bookable offence following a
foul on Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
The hosts made their two-man advantage tell three minutes from time,
Lazarian providing the assist for Yura Movsisyan to lift the winner
over Stoyanov from 12 yards.
It could even have been 3-1, but Stoyanov showed fine reflexes to
keep out a stoppage-time drive from Gevorg Ghazaryan.
Armenia complete their group campaign in Naples against Italy on
Tuesday, while Bulgaria take on Czech Republic in Sofia.
http://web.orange.co.uk/article/sports/armenia_boost_qualifying_hopes
From: Baghdasarian