ekranas late show denies bakı published: tuesday 14 july 2009, 22.28cet fk ekranas 2-2 fk bakı the hosts scored a 93rd-minute equaliser to share the spoils seconds after bakı appeared to have struck the winning goal.
by kestutis gimbutas
the spoils were shared in lithuania as fk ekranas scored a 93rd-minute equaliser seconds after fk bakı seemed to have prised a winning goal.
second-half goals there was little hint of the flurry of second-half goals to come during a tense opening period but the game livened up after the restart when deimantas bička struck from the penalty spot only for felix felipe almeida to level 12 minutes from time. the champions of azerbaijan appeared to have won the contest through william rocha batista, however valdas trakys equalised to set up an intriguing second leg in seven days' time.
penalty awarded bakı went closest in the opening half when ernad skulic rattled the crossbar of vytautas Černiauskas's goal, but the lithuanian titleholders pushed from the start of the second period and were rewarded with a 53rd-minute penalty, won by trakys and converted by captain bička. the hosts tried to increase their advantage after that and bakı had to thank khalidou sissokho for saving with his legs from trakys after 64 minutes.
thrilling finish gjokica hadzievski's side restored parity when a defensive lapse allowed bakhtiyar soltanov to cross low for felipe almeida to score from close range before the late drama. Černiauskas parried a cross that substitute rocha batista slotted in, but saulius širmelis's charges snatched a draw when trakys beat two defenders and found the net.
