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Grade A Valencia tops Panathinaikos 2-1 to claim top spot
Updated: Tuesday March 13, 2001 7:01 PM
VALENCIA, Spain (Reuters) -- Valencia's French defender Jocelyn Angloma struck 15 minutes from time to earn his side a 2-1 victory over Panathinaikos on Tuesday and first place in Champions League group A. Hector Cuper's side, needing victory to stay clear of Manchester United, fell behind on 27 minutes as David Albelda hauled back Giorgos Nassiopoulos in the area and Angelos Basinas stroked in the ensuing penalty. Cuper reacted by bringing on defender Joachim Bjorklund in place of midfielder Didier Deschamps and Valencia improved markedly, equalizing six minutes before halftime with a Juan Sanchez header from a Zlatko Zahvic free-kick. Sanchez missed a superb chance to put his side ahead on 57 minutes with a weak header but Angloma's close-range finish on 75 minutes -- after an indirect free-kick had rebounded off the wall -- clinched a deserved win for the Spaniards. Valencia looks to more success for SpainValencia's goal-hero Jocelyn Angloma underlined the importance of his side's Champions League win over Panathinaikos on Tuesday as he looked forward to the continued success of Spanish teams in Europe. Angloma struck 15 minutes from time to clinch a 2-1 win for Valencia and secure top spot in group A ahead of Manchester United. With Deportivo Coruna beating AC Milan to take first place in Group B and Real Madrid assured of winning Group D, Spanish clubs are on course to repeat their domination of the competition last year, when they boasted three of the semifinalists. "It's phenomenal for Spanish football," said Frenchman Angloma, who recently signed a one-year extension to his contract with Valencia at the age of 35. "Winning the group means we avoid the other Spanish sides and that gives us the chance for all three to continue in the competition." Fellow defender Joachim Bjorklund, who replaced the injured Didier Deschamps midway through the first half, highlighted the achievement of beating Alex Ferguson's side to top spot. "To finish ahead of Manchester United in the group is highly prestigious for us," said the Swede. Valencia coach Hector Cuper was less than satisfied with his side's performance but he admitted: "We have to be happy with the result. "It was a very complicated game for us and we made it more difficult than it needed to be." Panathinaikos coach Stratos Apostolakis said he was pleased with the way his side had fought, if not with the result. "The important thing for us was to provide a good image and we achieved that," he said. "The experience of playing a top Spanish side was also important. "Valencia have great quality and they could reach the final again." SummaryScorers: Valencia - Juan Sanchez 39, Jocelyn Angloma 75 Panathinaikos - Angelos Basinas 27pen Halftime: 1-1; Attendance: 30,000 Teams: Valencia: 1-Santiago Canizares; 5-Miroslav Djukic, 12-Roberto Fabian Ayala, 23-David Albelda (35-Pablo Aimar 64), 20-Jocelyn Angloma; 19-Ruben Baraja, 4-Didier Deschamps (3-Joachim Bjorklund 28), 8-Zlatko Zahovic, 14-Vicente; 9-Diego Alonso (7-John Carew 69), 17-Juan Sanchez Panathinaikos: 22-Konstantinos Chalkias; 3-Percy Olivares, 8-Yiannis Goumas, 14-Leonidas Vokolos, 30-Panagiotis Fyssas, 26-Giorgos Karagounis, 21-Nikolaos Liberopoulos (11-Helgi Sigurdsson 72), 7-Goran Vlaovic (9-Krzysztof Warzycha 55), 16-Yourkas Seitaridis, 20-Angelos Basinas, 17-Giorgos Nassiopoulos (18-Evangelos Koutsores 46) Referee: Knud Erik Fisker (Denmark)
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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