[tab:Match report]
Phil McGhee at Fir Park
Motherwell slumped to a 2-0 home defeat making it almost mission impossible when they head for Krasnodar next week.
Whilst the Russians were strong opposition and showed a bit of quality in their first Euorpean tie, ‘Well were once again guilty of conceding goals on the counter attack, much to Stuart McCall’s frustration.
Urged on by a crowd of just short of 7,000, ‘Well were looking for their first European result at Fir Park, after three consecutive defeats without a goal to show for their efforts.
Stuart McCall had warned of the need to be patient. And aiming to the keep the tie alive after the home leg the ‘Well boss opted for a five man midfield, with Paul Lawson anchored in front of the back four.
With John Sutton as a lone striker chances were going to be limited but within two minutes, Iain Vigurs tried his luck from 30-yards but drilled his shot a couple of yards wide of goal. A minute later a low drive from Sutton forced Belemov into his first save.
Within a minute, though, Kuban posted a warning of their goal threat when Ibahima Baldé clipped the ball past Lee Hollis and just beyond the post. The Senegal striker then cut in from the left before curling shot just beyond the far post.
Baldé was proving to be a real threat and after 20 minutes he came within inches of opening the scoring with a thumping 25-yard drive which came crashing back off the cross bar.
Although James McFadden produced half an opening after a brilliant turn in the box ‘Well were finding it difficult to get in behind the Russian defence.
Ten minutes from the interval Zaine Francis-Angol found space wide on the left and his low cross found Sutton in front of his marker but his scooped shot was held by Belemov under his cross bar.
A minute later the Fir Park side had strong appeals for a penalty denied when McFadden’s cross was destined for Sutton’s forehead before he was bundled to the ground inside the six-yard box. The Swiss official was having none of it though.
Motherwell seemed to grow in confidence as interval approached but there was another scare just before the break when Hollis failed to get to Kaboré’s free-kick and was relieved to see Xandão’s header bounce into the side netting.
Kuban, deciding to go with only three at the bac,k threatened from the start of the second-half and it was no surprise when they grabbed the dreaded away goal after 51 minutes. Baldé threaded his way into the box unchallenged and when he crossed the ball into the six yard area Ivelin Popov slid the ball beyond Hollis to silence the home crowd.
Popov almost doubled the visitors tally ten minutes later with a powerful dipping volley which Hollis acrobatically pushed over his cross bar.
Motherwell responded with a period of sustained pressure on Belemov’s goal. Firstly a Keith Lasley cross found Sutton but his firm head was well held by the ‘keeper. Then James McFadden wriggled away from two defenders only to see his low drive deflect narrowly past the post. Bevelov was then forced into a good diving save low at his post to block Vigurs’ angled drive.
Former Ross County man Vigurs then linked well with McFadden but once again his left foot shot was deflected wide.
Just when it looked as if the ‘Well fans were set for a storming final ten minutes, the home side conceded a second goal in the 78th minute which killed the game and probably the tie.
And similar to last season’s Europa ties, Motherwell were caught on the break when Hammell’s intercepted pass sent Baldé racing upfield before he laid the ball across to Popov who hammered the ball past the helpless Hollis.
It could have been three when after another swift break substitute Djibril Cissé found himself unmarked but Hollis superbly blocked his drilled shot.
‘Well were then cruelly denied an injury time goal which would have given them some hope for next week but after rising superbly to meet Francis-Angol’s cross, Sutton could only watch in anguish as his powerful header rebounded off the post.
McCall’s men must pick themselves up for the SPFL Premiership opener against Hibs at Easter Road on Sunday.
[tab:As it happened]
Ally Reilly at Fir Park
FT: Motherwell 0 – 2 Kuban Krasnodar
92mins: Sutton heads off the post! Just not our night I’m afraid.
91mins: Wonderful sliding tackle from Hutchinson to deny Urena
90mins: 3 minutes to be added on
87mins: Unlucky again for Vigurs. Good effort from 18 yards, tests Belemov low to his left
85mins: Great save from Hollis to deny Cisse. Would have been a great goal after the quite brilliant through ball.
85mins: Urena on for Bucur.
82mins: Balde off for Cisse, Kerr on for McFadden.
80mins: Motherwell sub, Anier on for Lawson.
79mins: Kuban Krasnodar sub: Tsorayev makes way for Fidler.
77mins: GOAL! – A real sucker punch as Popov taps home Balde’s cross. Counter attack, seconds later its in 🙁
74mins: Again Vigurs finds space and gets a shot on target. It’s way for Belemov but encouraging nonetheless.
71mins: Good spell. Vigurs the latest to try his luck with a volley from the angle.
69mins: McFadden wins a corner. Hutchinson connects with it but it loops over!
67mins: Good chance there as Dutton connects with Lasley’s cross. Straight at Belemov though!
65mins: Hutchinson booked for crunching down Popov
63mins: Chance here. Free kick wide on the right for Motherwell……. Belemov punches Lawson’s delivery clear.
61mins: Fine save from Hollis to deny Popov from the edge of the box. Corner comes to nothing.
57mins: Lawson delivers his FK in deep, easy gather for Belemov.
52mins: GOAL! Popov pokes Balde’s cross home from 8 yards. 0-1
49mins: Bit of comic relief there as the gaffer looked like he was about to step on and unleash an attack with a quick free kick. 😀
47mins: Shaky start! Hammell has to be alert and manages to clear at the back post. Danger averted.
45mins: Second half underway.
HT: Motherwell 0 – 0 Kuban Krasnodar
45mins: Heart skipped a beat there as Kabore floated one in, Hollis missed but thankfully was headed past at the far post. Phew.
36mins: Claims for a penalty as Sutton rose to meet McFadden’s cross. Unclear if Dealbert impedes him, though.
34mins: Popov inches away from getting onto Balde’s clipped through ball. Would have been a certain goal otherwise.
29mins: Good football from Francis-Angol, Lasley and Vigurs there. Just lacking the final through ball from Vigs.
28mins: Tsorayev goes for the top corner from 25 yards but curls it well over.
25mins: Great tracking from Lasley as he shadows Kabore into the box and knocks it off him for a goal kick
21mins: Balde strikes the bar from 20 yards. A real warning sign of what he is capable of.
20mins: Corner to Motherwell…… McFadden heads the deep delivery past at the back post.
15mins: Quarter of an hour in and ‘Well are coping admirably. Clearly the Russians have quality but ‘Well holding strong.
10mis: Danger! Free kick from 30 yards…….Popov drills it into the wall!!
Moments before that, Vigurs slid in Sutton who shot tamely to Belemovs left. Easy gather.
4mins: Wow! Great chance for Balde, thankfully he clipped his volley inches past Hollis’ post from close range.
1min: Half chance! Vigurs drags left footed shot just wide from 20 yards.
And we’re off!
[tab:Reaction]
Motherwell manager Stuart McCall:
“It was the same old story. We’re getting corners and then they break away and, bang – game over.
“We were still in at 1-0 and the second goal’s just killed it.”
“We worked really hard, we probably can play better but we’re up against a really strong side. It would’ve been nice if Sutton’s header at the end had gone in.
“As disappointed as we are, there were some bright individual performances. Zaine was terrific in the second half. He looked excellent going forward for us.
“[James McFadden] needs another three or four games to be at the top of his game. He won’t play against defenders like that every week, that’s for sure.
“I don’t like doing this but if you compare budgets and you compare players, our lads gave as good as they could. They are a strong, strong side. They’ve not been beaten since November and you could tell why. They’re very organised and disciplined and a yard sharper.”
FC Kuban manager Dorinel Munteanu:
“I congratulated the players after the match but I reminded them that there’s a second game and we have to be extremely focused.”
[tab:Man-of-the-match]
[poll id=”150″]
