Antwerp 4
Dundee Utd 0
UEFA Cup (2nd Round 1st Leg)

Match Report

For once Europe, for which we have reserved so many of our best performances in the past decade, saw us flounder. Three goals in a nine minute spell in the first half plus another immediately after the interval left us with the awesome task of retrieving a four goal deficit this evening! We actually made a good enough start with Darren Jackson setting up a chance for Mixu Paatelainen, but the Finn's header went straight to De Coninck in goal. Van Rooy, the Dutchman who Freddy Van Der Hoorn had pointed out as their danger-man, showed why with a dipping free-kick which went wide and a 30 yard shot which Billy Thomson saved. Shortly after these moments of dangers, the roof caved in. Ralf Geilenkirchen was sent through by Lehnhoff and he drilled the ball home via the far post. Still in disarray we lost a second a minute later, Lehnhoff again was the architect. His neat pass found Frans Van Rooy, who hammered in goal number two. Two goals in two minutes and worse was to follow. Jim Mclnally fouled Geilenkirchen some 30 yards out. Frans Van Rooy's free-kick swerved viciously and deceived Billy Thomson who got a hand to the ball but couldn't prevent it going in.

The despondency deepened three minutes into the second half. Dave Narey under pressure from Nico Claesen sent a pass-back over the head of Billy Thomson and the 'keeper failed to hold it allowing Claesen to stroll in and knock in a fourth. The home side, understandably, seemed relatively happy with things and the remainder of the game saw little of note happen at either end, although Claesen may well have added a fifth with a header which went narrowly wide just before the final whistle, which was sounded some three minutes early.