Steaua Bucuresti | 3 - 1 | AEK Larnaca |
|---|---|---|
| Raul Rusescu (pen 55') |  | Gorka Pintado (61') |
| Stefan Nikolic (70') | | |
| Stefan Nikolic (85') | | |
| Date | : | Wed, Dec 14, 2011 | Time | : | 21:05 CET |
| Play on | : | UEFA Europa League |
Steaua Bucuresti 3 - 1 AEK Larnaca 14th Dec Highlight 2011
Steaua Bucuresti 3 - 1 AEK Larnaca 14th Dec 2011 Story
Stefan Nikolic scored twice to send Steaua Bucharest into the knockout stage of the Europa League with 3-1 victory at home to AEK Larnaca.
The 21-year-old netted both his goals in the final 20 minutes as the hosts capitalised on Maccabi Haifa's loss at home to Schalke to move ahead of the Israeli side in to second place in Group J.
With just one point separating second-placed Maccabi and AEK in fourth at the start of play, Steaua and AEK both knew a win could send them through.
And it was Steaua who went ahead 10 minutes into the second half through Raul Rusescu's penalty.
Former Swansea striker Gorka Pintado levelled for the Cypriots, but the Romanians, who were hammered 5-0 away to Maccabi in October, finished strongly to book their place in the next round.
Steaua were the first to threaten in the 15th minute through Pablo Brandan's fierce free-kick from the edge of the area which AEK goalkeeper Alexandre Negri had to tip round the post.
Nikolic then headed Andrei Prepelita's cross wide from six yards as the hosts continued to look dangerous.
The visitors looked quiet until the 34th minute when former Holland defender Kevin Hofland's free-kick from the left was parried away by Cristian Tatarusanu.
The Romanians broke the deadlock in the 55th minute when Ander Murillo fouled Nikolic and Rusescu fired the resulting penalty into the bottom left corner.
With Maccabi trailing at home to Schalke, AEK knew a win would still likely send them through, despite starting the night bottom of the pool.
They responded and Pintado's header from Jason Demetriou's cross made it 1-1 in the 61st minute.
But Steaua were still playing the better football and, after Cristian Tanase's shot was pushed round the post by Negri, Nikolic headed Brandan's corner into the net to restore his side's lead in the 70th minute.
Valentin Iliev sent a header from another Brandan corner over the top as the hosts threatened to extend their lead, and Nikolic's second made the game safe five minutes from time.
The Montenegrin forward drilled home a low left-footed shot from the edge of the area to send his team into the knockout stage
Steaua Bucuresti vs AEK Larnaca Last 5 match
| Steaua Bucuresti | AEK Larnaca |
| Dec 1, 2011, Schalke 04 2 - 1 Steaua Bucharest | Dec 1, 2011, AEK Larnaca 2 - 1 Maccabi Haifa |
| Nov 3, 2011, Steaua Bucharest 4 2 - Maccabi Haifa | Nov 3, 2011, Schalke 04 0 - 0 AEK Larnaca |
| Oct 20, 2011, Maccabi Haifa 5 - 0 Steaua Bucharest | Oct 20, 2011, AEK Larnaca 0 - 5 Schalke 04 |
| Sep 29, 2011, AEK Larnaca 1 - 1 Steaua Bucharest | Sep 29, 2011, AEK Larnaca 1 - 1 Steaua Bucharest |
| Sep 15, 2011, Steaua Bucharest 0 - 0 Schalke 04 | Sep 15, 2011, Maccabi Haifa 1 - 0 AEK Larnaca |
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