Euro Watch: FC Porto frustrated at Rio de Ave

Arsenal have been dealt a tricky hand in the Group Stage of the Champions League. Former winners FC Porto, Turkish giants Fenerbahce and Dynamo Kiev await Wenger’s men with the top two advancing to the knockout stages. This season Arsenal.com will be keeping you up to date with the form of the Gunners’ Group G counterparts in our regular Euro Watch.

FC Porto
Porto’s unspectacular start to the season continued with a goalless draw at Rio de Ave on September 21. Despite dominating large spells of the game, the visitors were unable to break the deadlock. The Dragons struck the woodwork twice and had a strong penalty appeal turned down in the 80th minute but still only came away with a point. They remain unbeaten in Liga Sagres but are currently in sixth place with one win, two draws and only three goals scored in their opening League fixtures. Porto should pick up their second win of the season on September 28 when they host Pacos de Ferreira who have only picked up one point so far.

Fenerbahce SK
The Yellow Canaries secured their second victory of the season by comprehensively beating Genclerbirlgi at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium. Fenerbahce were able to shake off their 3-1 defeat to Porto on September 17 with this win three days later. The 3-0 triumph came thanks to goals from Alex, Daniel Guiza and London-born Colin Kazim-Richards. El Saka also saw red for the visitors after picking up his second booking 15 minutes after the break. An unconvincing start to the season had seen Fenerbahce claim just three points from their opening three games but this win sees them climb to eighth in the Turkish Super League.

FC Dynamo Kyiv
Dynamo remain second in the Ukrainian Premier League after a workmanlike 3-0 victory at Chornomorets Odessa. The hosts hadn’t won in nine attempts against the Blue-Whites and Yuri Semin’s side were never in any danger of losing this one. Roman Eremenko opened the scoring after six minutes, Tiberiu Ghioane added the second midway through the first half and Ukrainian striker, Artem Kravets, put the icing on the cake a minute after the interval. The win was the visitors’ sixth in eight games, and the 16 goals they have notched put them top of the scoring charts.

 

 

[Tuesday, September 23, 2008]

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