FC Steaua Bucuresti v Halmstads BK PRESS KIT

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1 Ghencea, Bucharest Wednesday, 30 November :45 local time Group C - Matchday 4 Top meets bottom on Matchday 4 in UEFA Cup Group C match with unbeaten leaders FC Steaua Bucuresti playing host to Halmstads BK, who have lost their first three matches. Steaua have not conceded a goal in their two games to date, while the Halmstad defence has been breached nine times, the highest total in the group stage. Both clubs have already met RC Lens earlier in the group. The Romanian team recorded an impressive 4-0 win against Lens in the first round of matches to make it two wins from two home games in this season's UEFA Cup having defeated Vålerenga IF 3-1 in the first leg. Halmstad's only other away game in the section, meanwhile, ended in a 5-0 loss at Lens while their home games with Hertha BSC Berlin and UC Sampdoria ended in 1-0 and 3-1 defeats, respectively. Steaua have also played the Italian outfit, grinding out a goalless draw in Genoa on Matchday 2. Halmstad travel to Bucharest to meet Romanian opposition for the first time in UEFA competition, while Steaua have encountered a side from Sweden on one previous occasion in a European tie. In the 1988/89 European Champion Clubs' Cup quarter-finals, Steaua played IFK Göteborg, and returned from Sweden after the first leg having suffered a 1-0 loss. However, the return leg in Romania proved to be a one-way affair. A hat-trick from Romanian forward Marius Lacatus and further goals from fellow internationals Ilie Dumitrescu and Gavril Balint took Steaua to a resounding 5-1 home win to pave the way for a 5-2 aggregate success. Having defeated Göteborg, Steaua went though to the final with a win in the semi-final against Galatasary SK. But the Romanian club found AC Milan too strong in the competition's showpiece at the Camp Nou in Barcelona and slipped to a 4-0 defeat. Team facts: Steaua This is Steaua s third consecutive appearance in UEFA club competition. They are one of ten clubs featuring in the UEFA Cup group stage for the second consecutive season. The full list is: Steaua, Middlesbrough FC, FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, AZ Alkmaar, FC Basel 1893, SC Heerenveen, VfB Stuttgart, FC Zenit St. Petersburg, Beşiktaş JK and Sevilla FC. This is their 20th appearance in UEFA club competition in the past 22 seasons having missed out in 2000/01 and 2002/03. It is also their 36th overall appearance in UEFA club competition since debuting as CCA Bucuresti in the first round of the 1957/58 European Champion Clubs' Cup. 1/15

2 Steaua are one of three Bucharest based clubs involved in this season s UEFA Cup group stage the others being FC Dinamo Bucuresti and AFC Rapid Bucuresti. Steaua also featured in the 2004/05 UEFA Cup, advancing past the group stage before being eliminated in the Round of 16 by Villarreal CF 2 0 on aggregate. The Romanian side s greatest moment to date in UEFA club competition came on 7 May 1986 when they defeated FC Barcelona 2 0 on penalties after the sides remained scoreless during 120 minutes of the 1985/86 European Champion Clubs Cup final. For the record, Marius Lacatus and Gavril Pelé Balint were the only scorers in the shootout. They would qualify once more for the final three years later but found AC Milan too strong as they were on the receiving end of a 4 0 defeat at Barcelona s Camp Nou. Having won last season s Romanian Divizia A by a point from cross city rivals FC Dinamo Bucuresti, Steaua took their place in the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round where they overcame Dublin based Shelbourne FC 4 1 on aggregate. All of the goals came in the second leg in the Romanian capital which also witnessed three red cards being issued. Steaua broke the deadlock after 18 minutes through Banel Nicolita before adding a second nine minutes later from Constantin Iacob. Although Jason Byrne reduced the deficit after 38 minutes, second half substitute Laurentiu Dinita put the game beyond the Irish side after 61 minutes before he was sent off in the last minute. With nine playing ten, Steaua still added to their tally as Daniel Oprita scored from the penalty spot four minutes into stoppage time. Next up were Norway s champions, Rosenborg BK, in the third qualifying round. The two sides shared a 1 1 draw in Bucharest with Constantin Iacob putting the home side ahead after 30 minutes only for Norwegian international striker Thorstein Helstad to equalise five minutes from time. Rosenborg took control in the return leg in Trondheim as they raced to a three goal lead thanks to the efforts of Jan Gunnar Solli (38), Alexander Ødegaard (57) and the misfortune of Mirel Radoi (60) who put through his own net. But Radoi (74) atoned for his error and when Iacob (76) added a second for the visitors, Rosenborg had to dig deep to keep the hopes of taking a group stage berth alive. But deep they dug to advance to the group stage while Steaua consoled themselves with a place in the UEFA Cup first round. Steaua faced Norwegian opposition once more as Vålerenga IF, the team that had finished second on goal difference to Rosenborg in the 2004 Tippeligaen, attempted to block their passage to the group stage. The Romanian side returned to Norway for the first leg and effectively put the tie beyond doubt with a 3 0 win thanks to goals from Mirel Radoi (24), Constantin Iacob (35) and Dorin Goian (74). The return leg was equally one sided as Steaua once more scored three through Nicolae Dica (30), Gabriel Bostina (41) and Iacob (48) before Vålerenga grabbed a consolation goal from Bernt Hulsker (55). Steaua opened the group campaign in positive fashion with a 4 0 defeat of French 2/15

3 side RC Lens in the Romanian capital. Nicolae Dica (43, 63) scored in either half, although the initial strikes were provided by Constantin Iacob (13) and Dorin Goian (16). The last time Steaua won by four goals or more at home in a European club competition came in the 1992/93 UEFA Cup Winners Cup first round when Irish side Bohemian FC were on the receiving end of a 4 0 defeat. The Romanian side retained top spot following a 0 0 draw away to UC Sampdoria in Genoa on Matchday 2. Steaua dominated the first half and though the home side eventually asserted themselves during the second 45 minutes, neither side could fashion a goal. Prior to Matchday 4 of the 2005/06 UEFA Cup group stage, Steaua had played 178 matches in UEFA club competition, trailing FK Crvena Zvezda (222) and PFC CSKA Sofia (180) with the highest amount of matches played by any club participating in this season s UEFA Cup group stage. In UEFA Cup action, the Romanian side have won 18, drawn 15 and lost 17 games with 68 goals scored and 62 conceded. Team facts: Halmstad Halmstad are making their first appearance in a UEFA club competition since the 2001/02 season. Overall, the Swedish club are making their tenth appearance in UEFA club competitions since debuting in the 1977/78 European Champion Clubs Cup. Halmstad made seven consecutive appearances in UEFA club competitions between 1995/96 and 2001/02. Halmstad finished as runners up to Malmö FF in last year s Allsvenskan league and thus entered the 2005/06 UEFA Cup at the second qualifying round stage. The Swedes eventually overcame Belfast based Linfield FC, but they had to win in Northern Ireland in the return leg following a 1 1 draw at home. Halmstad went ahead through Andreas Johansson after 32 minutes only for Oran Kearney to level for the visitors 17 minutes from time. However, Halmstad left nothing to chance at Windsor Park, racing to a three goal interval lead after Gunnar Heidar Thorvaldsson (9), Tommy Jönsson (33) and Yaw Preko (45) found the target. Dusan Djuric added a fourth after 74 minutes sandwiching two consolation strikes from Linfield as the Swedes won 5 3 on aggregate. Halmstad were rewarded with a first round tie against last season s beaten finalists, Sporting Clube de Portugal, in the first round of the competition and again left themselves an uphill task following a home defeat in the opening leg. The Swedish side went down 2 1 despite taking the lead after 42 minutes when Thorvaldsson converted from the penalty spot. But they hit back in Lisbon, winning 3 2 after extra time to advance to the group stage on away goals. Thorvaldsson scored the opening goal after 15 minutes and though Wender levelled for the hosts after 34 minutes, Halmstad 3/15

4 managed to take the game into extra time when Thomas Zvirgzdauskas scored in the 89th minute. Although the same player would then score an own goal after 103 minutes, Halmstad still managed to salvage a victory when substitute Patrik Ingelsten stunned Sporting with the winner seven minutes from time. The victory brought added pleasure to Halmstad as Sporting handed them a 6 1 defeat in Lisbon at the old José Alvalade stadium in the second round of the 2001/02 UEFA Cup, the Swedish side s last game in UEFA club competition until this season. On that occasion, Halmstad initially entered the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League as Swedish champions, initially defeating Irish side Bohemian FC 4 1 on aggregate before missing a place in the group stage of the competition by losing 4 3 on aggregate to Belgian side RSC Anderlecht. Their transfer to the UEFA Cup first round ensued where they defeated Turkish side Gençlerbirligi SK 2 1 on aggregate before ending up on the receiving end of a 7 1 aggregate defeat to Sporting. The result also meant that Halmstad had still not advanced beyond the second round of a UEFA club competition in their history having also bowed out at that point to Parma FC in the 1995/96 UEFA Cup Winners Cup and to TSV 1860 München in the 2000/01 UEFA Cup. Andreas Neuendorf's goal midway through the second half gave Hertha BSC Berlin a winning start to their 2005/06 UEFA Cup group stage campaign at Halmstad s expense in Sweden. The home side struggled against a dominant Hertha side and the visitors created a host of opportunities but found goalkeeper Conny Johansson in superb form, before finally making the breakthrough on 67 minutes. The goal spurred Halmstad to show more attacking intent but they never threatened as the Bundesliga team eased to victory. For Halmstad, their situation deteriorated on Matchday 2 when they were on the receiving end of a 5 0 defeat to French side, RC Lens. Lens gave their passionate supporters something to cheer with a superb home performance in which Daniel Cousin scored a hat trick (16, 23, 47), with Tunisian midfielder Issam Jemaa (73)adding another before Yoann Lachor (90+3) scored the fifth in added time. Halmstad slipped to a third successive defeat on Matchday 3 despite taking the lead at home to UC Sampdoria. Dusan Djuric had given Halmstad the lead after 18 minutes, but Sergio Volpi's (31) free kick levelled the scores. Aimo Diana (66) put Sampdoria ahead midway through the second half before Emiliano Bonazzoli (86) sealed the win with four minutes remaining. Prior to Matchday 4 of the 2005/06 UEFA Cup group stage, Halmstad had played 45 matches in UEFA club competitions with 19 wins, eleven draws and 15 defeats. In that time, the Swedish side have scored on 68 occasions with 65 goals conceded. 4/15

5 Head-to-head record All-time statistics No matches have been played between the two clubs Home team's record versus clubs from the away team's country Date Comp. Stage Match Res Venue UCL QF IFK Göteborg - FC Steaua Bucuresti 1-0 Gothenburg UCL QF FC Steaua Bucuresti - IFK Göteborg 5-1 Overall record Pld W D L GF GA FC Steaua Bucuresti Away team's record versus clubs from the home team's country Away club has never played against clubs of the country of the home team FC Steaua Bucuresti Halmstads BK UEFA club competition record Pld W D L GF GA European Champions Clubs' Cup / UEFA Champions League UEFA Cup Winners' Cup UEFA Cup UEFA Super Cup UEFA Intertoto Cup Total Pld W D L GF GA European Champions Clubs' Cup / UEFA Champions League UEFA Cup Winners' Cup UEFA Cup UEFA Super Cup UEFA Intertoto Cup Total KEY: All-time statistics Comp. - Competition, Res - Result Pld - Matches played, W - Won, D - Drawn, L - Lost, GF - Goals for, GA - Goals against (NOTE: These are the official statistics considered valid for communicating official records in UEFA club competitions defined as the European Champion Clubs' Cup, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, the UEFA Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the UEFA Intertoto Cup) Current club names used for all clubs listed in these tables Goals totals include the outcome of disciplinary decisions (eg. match forfeits when a 3-0 result is determined. Goals totals do not include goals scored from the penalty mark during a penalty shoot-out.. ECCC: European Champions Clubs' Cup / UEFA Champions League UCUP: UEFA Cup UCWC: UEFA Cup Winners' Cup SCUP: UEFA Super Cup AP: F: GS: GS1: GS2: Appearances Final Group stage First group stage Second group stage QR2: QR3: R1: R2: R3: Second qualifying round Third qualifying round First round Second round Third round 5/15

6 UIC: EURO: WC: UEFA Intertoto Cup UEFA European Football Championship FIFA World Cup PR: QF: QR: QR1: Preliminary round Quarter-finals Qualifying round First qualifying round R4: SF: 1/8: 1/16: Fourth round Semi-finals Eighth-finals Sixteenth-finals 6/15

7 FC Steaua Bucuresti Squad list All-time UEFACUP 1 UEFA 2 No. Player Nat. DoB Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers 1 Cesar Lungu ROM Cornel Cernea ROM Toma Marius ROM Vasili Khomutovski BLS Defenders 2 Florentin Dumitru ROM Dorin Goian ROM Tiberiu Curt ROM Daniel Balan ROM Mirel Radoi ROM Mihai Nesu ROM Eugen Baciu ROM Petre Marin ROM George Ogararu ROM Alexandru Tudose ROM Sorin Ghionea ROM Boris Keca BHZ Midfielders 8 Andrei Enescu ROM Nicolae Dica ROM Gabriel Bostina ROM Banel Nicolita ROM Sorin Paraschiv ROM Florin Lovin ROM Forwards 7 Daniel Oprita ROM Valentin Simion ROM Constantin Iacob ROM Andrei Cristea ROM Alin Litu ROM Laurentiu Dinita ROM Coach Oleg Protassov UKR KEY: Squad list Squad list is ordered by position and then numerically No - Number, Nat. - Nationality DoB - Date of birth, Pld - Matches played, Gls - Goals 1 - UEFACUP: Total appearances in the UEFA Cup from 1992/93 season, group stage to final only (NOTE: These are the official statistics considered valid for communicating official records in the competition) 2 - UEFA: Total appearances in UEFA club competitions including all qualifying round matches (NOTE: These are the official statistics considered valid for communicating official records in UEFA club competitions defined as the European Champion Clubs' Cup, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, the UEFA Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the UEFA Intertoto Cup) 7/15

8 Halmstads BK Squad list All-time UEFACUP 1 UEFA 2 No. Player Nat. DoB Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers 1 Conny Johansson SWE Marcus Sahlman SWE Eggert Gudmundsson SWE Defenders 2 Per Johansson SWE Tommy Jönsson SWE Joel Borgstrand SWE Tomas Zvirgzdauskas LIT Peter Larsson SWE Tobias Tandrup SWE Tibor Joza SWE Emil Jensen SWE Midfielders 3 Torbjörn Arvidsson SWE Martin Fribrock SWE Magnus Svensson SWE Denis Sashcheko BLS Andreas Johansson SWE Dusan Djuric SWE Magnus Andersson SWE Björn Anklev SWE Johan Mangfors SWE Kristoffer Fagercrantz SWE Forwards 6 Yaw Preko GHA Eduardo Delani BRA Gunnar Heidar Thorvaldsson ISL Patrik Ingelsten SWE Joel Johansson SWE Coach Jan Andersson SWE KEY: Squad list Squad list is ordered by position and then numerically No - Number, Nat. - Nationality DoB - Date of birth, Pld - Matches played, Gls - Goals 1 - UEFACUP: Total appearances in the UEFA Cup from 1992/93 season, group stage to final only (NOTE: These are the official statistics considered valid for communicating official records in the competition) 2 - UEFA: Total appearances in UEFA club competitions including all qualifying round matches (NOTE: These are the official statistics considered valid for communicating official records in UEFA club competitions defined as the European Champion Clubs' Cup, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, the UEFA Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the UEFA Intertoto Cup) 8/15

9 Match-by-match lineups - Group C Clubs Pld W D L GF GA Pts FC Steaua Bucuresti UC Sampdoria RC Lens Hertha BSC Berlin Halmstads BK Date Match Res Lineups Halmstads BK v Hertha BSC Berlin FC Steaua Bucuresti v RC Lens RC Lens v Halmstads BK UC Sampdoria v FC Steaua Bucuresti Hertha BSC Berlin v RC Lens Halmstads BK v UC Sampdoria UC Sampdoria v Hertha BSC Berlin FC Steaua Bucuresti v Halmstads BK Hertha BSC Berlin v FC Steaua Bucuresti RC Lens v UC Sampdoria 0-1 Halmstad: C Johansson, P Johansson (Delani 86), Jönsson, Jensen, Zvirgzdauskas, Anklev (J Johansson 74), Svensson, A Johansson, Djuric, Thorvaldsson, Preko (Ingelsten 75) Hertha: Fiedler, Friedrich, Van Burik, Schröder, Šimunić, Fathi, Dárdai, Neuendorf (Marx 90), Yıldıray Baştürk, Marcelinho, Rafael (Okoronkwo 89) 4 0 Steaua: Khomutovski, Goian, Radoi (Lovin 80), Ghionea, Ogararu, Nesu, Bostina, Paraschiv, Nicolita (Oprita 78), Iacob (Cristea 84), Dica Lens: Itandje, Hilton, Coulibaly (Jussie 45), Gillet, Barul, Assou Ekotto, Diarra (Carrière 74), Demont, Keita (Jérôme Leroy 45), Thomert, Aruna 5 0 Lens: Itandje, Demont (Lacourt 65), Hilton, Gillet, Lachor, Barul, Keita, Jérôme Leroy (Jemaa 72), Carrière, Cousin (Jussie 76), Thomert Halmstad: C Johansson, P Johansson, Jönsson, Svensson, Thorvaldsson, Zvirgzdauskas, A Johansson (J Johansson 74), Djuric, Larsson (Preko 74), Ingelsten, Jensen 0 0 Sampdoria: Castellazzi, Zenoni, Castellini, Sala, Pisano, Gasbarroni (Diana 66), Volpi, Dalla Bona, Tonetto (Kutuzov 59), Zauli (Flachi 45), Bonazzoli Steaua: Khomutovski, Ogararu, Goian, Ghionea, Nesu (Marin 79), Nicolita (Dinita 82), Paraschiv, Lovin, Bostina, Dica (Dumitru 90), Iacob 0 0 Hertha: Fiedler, Friedrich, Van Burik, Šimunić, Fathi, Niko Kovač, Yıldıray Baştürk, Dárdai (Neuendorf 71), Marcelinho, Cairo (Kevin Prince Boateng 63), Rafael (Samba 85) Lens: Itandje, Hilton, Gillet, Demont, Assou Ekotto, Keita, Jussie, Diarra, Barul, Jemaa (Thomert 81), Aruna (Cousin 81) 1 3 Halmstad: C Johansson, Jensen, Zvirgzdauskas, Jönsson, P Johansson (J Johansson 78), Ingelsten, Anklev, Djuric, Svensson, Preko (Fribrock 65), Delani Sampdoria: Castellazzi, Diana, Sala, Falcone, Dalla Bona, Bonazzoli (Borriello 87), Flachi (Kutuzov 68), Gasbarroni (Tonetto 46), Pisano, Volpi, Zenoni KEY: Match-by-match lineups Pld - Matches played, W - Won, D - Drawn, L - Lost, GF - Goals for, GA - Goals against, Pts - Points (NOTE: In the group stage, the group winners, runners-up and third-placed teams advance to the UEFA Cup knockout stage where they are joined by the third-placed teams from the UEFA Champions League group stage. The fourth- and fifth-placed teams in the UEFA Cup group stage are eliminated.) 9/15

10 Match officials Referee Assistant referees Fourth official UEFA Delegate UEFA Referee observer Emil Bozinovski (MKD) Ljubomir Krstevski (MKD), Mijalce Mihajlov (MKD) Aleksandar Stavrev (MKD) Emmanuel Mavrokoukoulakis (GRE) Donald McVicar (SCO) UEFA Cup matches involving teams from the two countries involved in this match No matches found UEFA Cup Other matches Referee Name Nat. DoB UEFACUP 1 UEFA 2 Emil Bozinovski MKD Date Comp. Stage Match Res Venue UCUP R1 FC Haka - 1. FC Union Berlin 1-1 Valkeakoski UCUP QR Odense BK - Myllykosken Pallo Odense UCUP R1 Grasshopper-Club - FC Zenit St. Petersburg 3-1 Zurich UCUP R2 Real Betis Balompié - FK Viktoria Žižkov 3-0 Sevilla UCUP R1 SV Austria Salzburg - Udinese Calcio 0-1 Linz UCUP R2 Villarreal CF - FC Torpedo Moskva 2-0 Villarreal UCUP R3 Club Brugge KV - Debreceni VSC 1-0 Bruges UCUP QR2 FK Žalgiris Vilnius - Aalborg BK 1-3 Vilnius UCUP R1 LOSC Lille Métropole - Shelbourne FC 2-0 Villeneuve d'ascq UCUP GS Real Zaragoza - FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 2-1 Zaragoza UCUP R1 FK Austria Wien - Viking FK 2-1 Vienna Other matches Date Comp. Stage Match Res Venue U16 GS - FT Russia - Rep. of Ireland 3-0 Beer-Sheva U16 GS - FT Germany - Israel 2-2 Herzliya U16 QF Russia - Netherlands 0-3 Rishon Le-Zion UCL QR2 SK Slavia Praha - FK Shamkir 1-0 Prague U21 QR Denmark - Bulgaria 2-2 Odense U16 QR Ukraine - Turkey 1-2 Manisa U21 QR Austria - Israel 0-2 Vienna UIC R2 Zaglebie Lubin - KSC Lokeren OV 2-2 Lubin U21 QR Rep. of Ireland - Netherlands 1-1 Waterford U17 QR Norway - Poland 1-4 Tallinn U17 QR Norway - Iceland 1-3 Tallinn U19 GS - FT Norway - Spain 0-3 Honefoss U19 GS - FT Germany - Belgium 2-1 Lillestrom UCL QR2 FC Belshina Bobruisk - Maccabi Haifa FC 0-1 Borisov EURO QR France - Malta 6-0 Lens UCL QR2 RSC Anderlecht - AFC Rapid Bucuresti 3-2 Brussels U21 QR Scotland - Lithuania 3-2 Perth 10/15

11 WC QR Liechtenstein - Estonia 1-2 Vaduz UIC SF VfL Wolfsburg - RC Lens 0-0 Wolfsburg WC QR Denmark - Georgia 6-1 Copenhagen KEY: Match officials Nat. - Nationality, DoB - Date of birth Comp. - Competition, Res - Result 1 - UEFACUP: Total matches officiated in the UEFA Cup from 1992/93 season, group stage to final only. (NOTE: These are the official statistics considered valid for communicating official records in the competition. Matches where the match official has acted as a fourth official are not included in this statistic.) 2 - UEFA: Total matches officiated in UEFA club competitions including all qualifying round matches (NOTE: These are the official statistics considered valid for communicating official records in UEFA club competitions defined as the European Champion Clubs' Cup, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, the UEFA Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the UEFA Intertoto Cup. International matches or matches where the match official has acted as a fourth official are not included in this statistic.) ECCC: European Champions Clubs' Cup / UEFA Champions League UCUP: UEFA Cup UCWC: UEFA Cup Winners' Cup SCUP: UEFA Super Cup UIC: UEFA Intertoto Cup EURO: UEFA European Football Championship WC: FIFA World Cup CONFCUP: Confederation Cup FRIE.: Friendly matches U21: UEFA European Under-21 Championship U21FRIE: Under-21 friendly internationals AP: F: GS: GS1: GS2: PR: QF: QR: QR1: Appearances Final Group stage First group stage Second group stage Preliminary round Quarter-finals Qualifying round First qualifying round QR2: QR3: R1: R2: R3: R4: SF: 1/8: 1/16: Second qualifying round Third qualifying round First round Second round Third round Fourth round Semi-finals Eighth-finals Sixteenth-finals 11/15

12 Sampdoria buck positive trend (Monday, 28 November 2005) Domestic news UC Sampdoria are the only Group C side to have tasted defeat in the weekend's games, with their Matchday 4 opponents Hertha BSC Berlin being held at home. FC Steaua Bucuresti won away from home in Romania as they prepare to face Halmstads BK this week, while RC Lens earned a stunning 4-3 win in Ligue 1. Cagliari Calcio 2-0 UC Sampdoria David Suazo struck twice to give Cagliari, who had started the day bottom of Serie A, their first win in eight months at Sampdoria's expense. The visitors struggled throughout and fell behind after 20 minutes when goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli failed to control Suazo's free-kick, before the Honduran forward added a second from long-distance seven minutes after the restart. Coach Walter Novellino said: "Cagliari performed really well and fully deserved to win. We allowed Suazo to do everything he wished. We were probably a bit tired after playing last Thursday. It is never easy to play more than one game a week. Overall our performance was disappointing." Sampdoria were missing influential midfielder Angelo Palombo (knee) and centre-back Simone Pavan (hamstring), though Fabio Bazzani is making good progress in his injury rehabilitation and is expected to return in January. Hertha BSC Berlin 2-2 VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach Hertha recovered from a two-goal first half deficit against VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach to salvage a draw in the Bundesliga on Sunday. The home side had found themselves two goals behind just 15 minutes in but Hertha bounced back after the break thanks to efforts from Yıldıray Baştürk and Niko Kovač. It was a point which left Hertha in fifth position in the standings. Hertha coach Falko Götz, who went into the match without Christian Müller (broken leg), Gilberto (ankle) and Oliver Schröder (foot), said: "We only started to play our style after falling behind. Sadly we didn t get a goal quick enough because it would have enabled us to put Mönchengladbach under even more pressure. All in all I am not happy with the way we wasted our chances. However, the players worked hard and we were rewarded with a point." Defender Dick van Burik (concussion) and midfielder Pál Dárdai (groin) were subsequently ruled out of the trip to Sampdoria. CS Jiul Petrosani 1 2 FC Steaua Bucuresti Steaua moved to the top of Romania's Divizia A after a 2 1 victory at CS Jiul Petrosani. It was the home team who scored first however, Cornel Mihart scoring on 25 minutes, but Banel Nicolita put the champions level in the 55th minute and 16 minutes after that Nicolae Dica struck the winner. The visitors finished the match with only ten men after having Mircea Gheorghe dismissed for violent conduct. Steaua coach Oleh Protasov, said: "It was not only a well deserved victory, but also 12/15

13 very important for our morale ahead of the match on Wednesday against Halmstad. In the first half we did not play well at all, but we dominated the second very well. We deserve to be champions again, but there are a lot of matches to be played and, more than that, Dinamo and Rapid have also very good squads". Halmstads BK The Swedish season is over, so Halmstad have had another quiet weekend as they reflected on the result of their last UEFA Cup game a 3 1 defeat at home against Sampdoria. "I think we played well against Sampdoria, but small things made all the difference," said coach Janne Andersson. "We'll just hope that we can finish our campaign in style against Steaua." Having failed to pick up a point in their first three games, Halmstad are already out of contention for a place in the knockout phase of the tournament and are likely to be without Ghanaian striker Yaw Preko who has signaled his intention to leave after contract negotiations stalled. Long term absentee Gunnar Thorvaldsson is also out, while defender Tommy Jönsson has retired from football. Paris Saint Germain FC 3 4 RC Lens The players might have been almost the same but the performance was not as Lens followed up their goalless draw against Hertha BSC Berlin with a stunning win in the French capital. The northern side went sixth after winning their fourth consecutive match at the Parc des Princes. Olivier Thomert opened the scoring with a volley on just 83 seconds, only for Pauleta to lob Paris level four minutes later. Thomert set up Aruna Dindane to restore the lead, while the Brazilian Jussie added a third before the break following Edouard Cissé's poor backpass. Then, 20 minutes from time Jussie made it 4 1, and late goals from Pauleta and Mario Yepes could not spoil the Lens party. Lens coach Francis Gillot said: "Our players were excellent. We lost our way in the last ten minutes but it does not take away the joy of scoring four goals at Parc des Princes. I'm happy that we have rediscovered our efficiency in front of goal." 13/15

14 Domestic league details FC Steaua Bucuresti (Divizia A) Date Opponent Res Goalscorers v FC Arges Pitesti (A) 1-0 Dica v FC National Bucuresti (H) 4-0 Dica, Ogararu, Iacob, Paraschiv v FC Politehnica AEK 0-0 Timisoara (A) v FC Otelul Galati (H) 4-0 Dica, Paraschiv, Oprita, Iacob v CS Pandurii Lignitul Târgu 2-1 Nicolita, Bostina Jiu (A) v FC Dinamo Bucuresti (H) 2-2 Dica, Goian v CS Politehnica Iasi (A) 1-0 Bostina (pen) v FCM Bacau (H) 1-0 Paraschiv v FC Farul Constanta (A) 4-1 Iacob (2), Bostina, Dica v AFC Rapid Bucuresti (A) v FC Gloria 1922 Bistrita (H) v CFR Cluj (A) v FC Sportul Studentesc (H) 4-1 Dica, Nicolita, Iacob, Radoi v CS Jiul Petrosani (A) 2-1 Dica, Nicolita v FC Vaslui (H) v FC Vaslui (H) Rank Clubs Pld W D L GF GA Pts 1 FC Steaua Bucuresti FC Dinamo Bucuresti FC Politehnica AEK Timisoara FC Arges Pitesti FC National Bucuresti CFR Cluj FC Farul Constanta FC Sportul Studentesc AFC Rapid Bucuresti CS Politehnica Iasi FC Gloria 1922 Bistrita CS Jiul Petrosani CS Pandurii Lignitul Târgu Jiu FCM Bacau FC Otelul Galati FC Vaslui KEY: Domestic league details -, Pld - Matches played, W - Won, D - Drawn, L - Lost, GF - Goals for, GA - Goals against, Pts - Points 14/15

15 Halmstads BK (Allsvenskan) Domestic league details Date Opponent Res Goalscorers v Helsingborgs IF (A) v Djurgårdens IF (H) 3-1 Preko, Ingelsten, Djuric v Assyriska Föreningen (A) v Kalmar FF (H) v GIF Sundsvall (A) 3-1 Larsson, Ingelsten, Preko v Örgryte IS (H) 4-2 Ingelsten (2), Larsson, Jensen v Landskrona BoIS (H) 5-1 Thorvaldsson (3), Larsson, Djuric v Gefle IF (A) v IF Elfsborg (A) 1-1 Jönsson v BK Häcken (H) 1-0 Djuric v Hammarby (H) 1-2 Jensen v IFK Göteborg (A) v Malmö FF (H) v Malmö FF (A) 1-2 Thorvaldsson v IFK Göteborg (H) v Hammarby (A) 1-2 Thorvaldsson v Örgryte IS (A) 1-2 Thorvaldsson v GIF Sundsvall (H) 6-0 Thorvaldsson (2), Ingelsten, Preko, A Johansson, Thorvaldsson (pen) v Gefle IF (H) 1-4 Preko v Landskrona BoIS (A) v BK Häcken (A) 1-0 Thorvaldsson v IF Elfsborg (H) 1-1 Thorvaldsson v Helsingborgs IF (H) 2-0 Thorvaldsson (2) v Djurgårdens IF (A) 1-6 Thorvaldsson v Assyriska Föreningen (H) 5-0 Delani, Thorvaldsson (2), A Johansson, Anklev v Kalmar FF (A) 0-2 Rank Clubs Pld W D L GF GA Pts 1 Djurgårdens IF IFK Göteborg Kalmar FF Hammarby Malmö FF Helsingborgs IF IF Elfsborg BK Häcken Örgryte IS Halmstads BK Gefle IF Landskrona BoIS GIF Sundsvall Assyriska Föreningen KEY: Domestic league details -, Pld - Matches played, W - Won, D - Drawn, L - Lost, GF - Goals for, GA - Goals against, Pts - Points 15/15