UEFA Cup: Group Play Commences

Group stage play in the UEFA Cup began Thursday:

Group A:

At Gelsenkirchen, Germany:

Goals from Kevin Kuryani (39') and Halil Altintop (70') helped Schalke 04 overpower visiting Paris Saint-Germain 3-1.

At Enschede, Netherlands:

Romano Denneboon's early goal (7') held up as FC Twente held off visiting Racing Santander 1-0.

GROUP A STANDINGS:

1. Schalke (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
2. FC Twente (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
3. Manchester City (GP: 0; GD: 0; PTS: 0)
4. Racing Santander (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)
5. PSG (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)

Group B:

At Istanbul, Turkey:

Harry Kewell provided the lone goal of the match (25') as Galatasaray defeated visiting Olympiacos 1-0.

At Berlin:

Marko Pantelic knocked in the equalizer at 74 minutes as Hertha Berlin salvaged a 1-1 home draw with SL Benfica. Angel Di Maria scored for the visiting Young Eagles at 51 minutes.

GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. Galatasaray (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
2. Benfica (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
3. Hertha Berlin (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
4. Metalist (GP: 0; GD: 0; PTS: 0)
5. Olympiacos (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)

Group C:

At Seville, Spain:

Ndri Romaric (15') and Renato (16') provided the quick first-round tallies as Sevilla blanked visiting VfB Stuttgart 2-0.

At Belgrade, Serbia:

Daniele Dessnana's game winner (55') lifted Sampdoria past hosts Partizan Belgrade 2-1.

GROUP C STANDINGS:

1. Sevilla (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
2. Sampdoria (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
3. Standard de Liege (GP: O; GD: 0; PTS: 0)
4. Partizan Belgrade (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)
5. VfB Stuttgart (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)

Group D:

At Udine, Italy:

Goals from Antonio Di Natale (PK-24') and Simone Pepe (86') lifted Udinese to a 2-0 home win over Tottenham Hotspur.

At Zagreb, Croatia:

Thanks to goals courtesy of Marijo Mandzukic (3'), Bosko Balaban (81'), and Ivica Vrdoljak (84') enabled Dinamo Zagreb to come from behind and edge out visiting Dutch club NEC Nijmegen 3-2.

GROUP D STANDINGS:

1. Udinese (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
2. Dinamo Zagreb (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
3. Spartak Moscow (GP: 0; GD: 0; PTS: 0)
4. NEC Nijmegen (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)
5. Tottenham Hotspur (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)

Group E:

At Heerenveen, Netherlands:

AC Milan, thanks to goals from Gannaro Gattuso (23') and Filippo Inzaghi (69'), picked up a 3-1 road win over SC Heerenveen.

At Braga, Portugal:

Powered by goals from Luis Aguiar (8'), Renteria (46'), and Alan (87'), Sporting Braga smothered visiting Portsmouth 3-0.

GROUP E STANDINGS:

1. Sporting Braga (GP: 1; GD: +3; PTS: 3)
2. AC Milan (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
3. VfL Wolfsburg (GP: 0; GD: 0; PTS: 0)
4. SC Heerenveen (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)
5. Portsmouth (GP: 1; GD: -3; PTS: 0)

Group F:

At Zilina, Slovakia:

First-half goals from Mladen Petric (15') and Ivica Olic (45'+1) held up as visiting Hamburg held off MSK Zilina 2-1.

At Birmingham, England:

Aston Villa, thanks to goals from Martin Laursen (8') and Gareth Barry (45'), defeated visiting Ajax of Amsterdam 2-1.

GROUP F STANDINGS:

1. Hamburg (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
2. Aston Villa (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
3. Slavia Prague (GP: 0; GD: 0; PTS: 0)
4. Ajax Amsterdam (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)
5. MSK Zilina (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)

Group G:

At Copenhagen, Denmark:

Saint-Etienne, with goals from Bafetimbi Gomis (2'), Loic Perrin (37'), and Dimitri Payet (65'), defeated hosts FC Copenhagen 3-1.

At Trondheim, Norway:

Visiting Club Brugge and Rosenborg played to a 0-0 stalemate.

GROUP G STANDINGS:

1. Saint-Etienne (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
2. Club Brugge (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
3. Rosenborg (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
4. Valencia (GP: 0; GD: 0; PTS: 0)
5. FC Copenhagen (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)

Group H:

At Moscow:

Alan Dzagoev tallied twice (9', 12') and Vagner Love added one himself (61') as CSKA Moscow dominated visiting Deportivo La Coruna 3-0)

At Nancy, France:

Second-half goals from Monsef Zerka (47'), Julien Feret (53'), and Helder (84') propelled AS Nancy to a 3-0 home blanking of Feyenoord Rotterdam.

GROUP H STANDINGS:

1. CSKA Moscow (GP: 1; GD: +3; PTS: 3)
2. AS Nancy (GP: 1; GD: +3; PTS: 3)
3. Lech Poznan (GP: 0; GD: 0; PTS: 0)
4. Deportivo La Coruna (GP: 1; GD: -3; PTS: 0)
5. Feyenoord Rotterdam (GP: 1; GD: -3; PTS: 0)