ten-man twente frustrate sporting published: wednesday 29 july 2009, 22.25cet
sporting clube de portugal 0-0 fc twente
the eredivisie runners-up overcame the first-half dismissal of goalkeeper sander boschker to hold sporting to a goalless draw.
by nuno tavares
fc twente survived the first-half dismissal of goalkeeper sander boschker to hold hosts sporting clube de portugal to a 0-0 draw in their uefa champions league third qualifying round first leg.
penalty save boschker was sent off midway through the first half when he brought down hélder postiga in the area. however, substitute nikolay mihaylov saved joão moutinho's penalty and, after weathering a first-half storm, twente came more into the game and could have won it late on through theo janssen or blaise nkufo.
first-half drama the visitors were the first to threaten when rui patrício saved kenneth perez's 15th-minute free-kick. however, the hosts were soon on top and boschker received a straight red card for his challenge on postiga. despite the unsuccessful spot-kick, sporting were unperturbed and continued to dominate with moutinho and postiga twice testing an inspired mihaylov, whose father boris spent two seasons in portugal with cf os belenenses.
twente misses twente improved after the break enjoying more possession and limiting sporting to sporadic forays forward. paulo bento's team had to wait until the 70th minute for their first real chance of the second half with yannick djaló firing over following mati fernández's centre. soon after pedro silva's cross hit the bar and miguel veloso then went close as the hosts pushed hard for a winner. however, it was steve mcclaren's side who nearly snatched a vital away goal as janssen was brilliant denied by rui patrício before nkufo could only shoot wide after rounding the goalkeeper in injury time.
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