Conference League, the semifinals: Fiorentina-Basel, West ham-Az

Basel for Fiorentina, AZ Alkmaar for West Ham: these are the four semi-finalists of the second edition of the Conference League. Vincenzo Italiano’s team will challenge the Swiss, who after a 2-2 draw in the first leg win in a comeback (2-1) at Nice. AZ matched Anderlecht’s 2-0 and then overcame Vertonghen and teammates on penalties, while West Ham overwhelmed Gent. Following last Thursday’s 1-1 draw, the Belgians surrendered to goals from Antonio (brace), Paqueta and Rice.

AZ ALKMAAR 2-0 ANDERLECHT (6-1 pens)

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Together with Fiorentina, a week ago, Anderlecht looked like the only team with a foot and a half in the semifinals. However, the 2-0 in the first leg did not help Riemer’s team, who arrives in Holland with his head in the clouds and recovers in 13 minutes. AZ’s hero is Vangelis Pavlidis, 5 goals in 5 Conference games. After 5′ he converted a penalty awarded by Massa for a naive foul by Murillo, in the 13th minute he doubled his lead with an empty net taking advantage of an assist from Odgaard. The Greek striker leaves the field in the interval and AZ drops. Despite this, Anderlecht failed to get back into the game. Reijnders and Odgaard came close to making it 3-0, Vertonghen patched it up and extended the hopes of the Belgians until the penalty shootout. The former Tottenham defender, however, kicks off the festival of mistakes from the penalty spot. AZ didn’t miss a beat, while for Anderlecht only Kuma hit the mark: the match ended

WEST HAM 4-1 GENT

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The challenge in London is initially as balanced as that of a week ago. In the 26th minute Gent broke the deadlock, taking advantage of a mistake by Paqueta in the setting up phase: Orban received the ball and changed the game, Samoise counter-crossed and Cuypers shot into the net by first intention. The advantage lasts about ten minutes, because Antonio evens the score by goring on Bowen’s brushstroke. The English full-back was the thorn in the side of the Belgians: at the start of the second half he put Soucek in front of the goalkeeper (crossbar), then he invented a shot at the corner which was deflected for a corner by Roef. In the 55th minute, Gent collapsed and never recovered. Okumu touches his hand in the area, the referee grants the penalty, Paqueta kicks perfectly and stamps the 2-1. Two minutes go by and Rice signs the 3-1 doing it all by himself: he recovers the ball, aims for goal, enters the area and crosses at the far post. The qualifying speech was definitively closed by Antonio, who found a brace in the 63rd minute after a good personal action.

NICE 1-2 BASEL

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After the 2-2 draw in the first leg, Digard’s Rossoneri started with their foot on the accelerator. Thuram presses high and in the 9th minute recovers the ball close to the area, then passes it to Ramsey who serves up an easy assist to Laborde: Hitz, mocked by the deflection of one of his defenders, can’t do anything to avoid the 1-0. The French risk little and try to double up, but the lead is still slim at the interval. The music doesn’t change in the second half and, in the finale, the Swiss take advantage of it. The newcomer Augustin – with an assist from Calafiori – needs a cold shower for Dante and his associates: on the pitch for a quarter of an hour, in the 87th minute he kicks power towards Schmeichel’s goal and drags Basel into extra time. Ndoye hit the post, Nice didn’t wake up, in the 100th minute Nuhu headed into the corner and completed a comeback that seemed impossible. Down by a goal, the Rossoneri are tired and unable to make up for it: Ramsey shoots high, Brahimi hits the crossbar and the 1-2 draw lasts until the 120th minute. Basel can prepare for the trip to the Franchi.