Match Previews

da Silva (att) and Delure (mid) still missing... No great changes from the first leg anticipated... Greek club football is on something of a high at present after a wonderful trio of UEFA Cup first round results, one of which was garnered by Panionios, who defeated Sochaux by two goals to nil to give themselves a superb chance of qualifying for the group stages. Since winning in France the sequence of two-nil successes has continued domestically as they have defeated Levidiakos and Kalamarias on league duty to send them to an early third place behind local giants AEK and Panathaniakos. It is unlikely that any significant changes will be made to the side which won in the east of France a fortnight ago, with a similar approach to the game expected. Although the Panionios squad has yet to be announced by coach Ewold Lienen, Lurenco da Silva and Michael Delura are both expected to miss out again through injury. Lienen will still have key players such as Algerian born but French trained Rafik Djebbour (k) at his disposal; the young forward scored the opening goal in France and will be keen to add further blows to the club from the country in which he spent his formative years. Djebbour has three league goals to date this season while strike partner Albi Kondi (r) has yet to get off the mark. The 4-3-1-2 formation of a fortnight ago is again likely to be rekindled with Argentinean midfield player Dario Fernandez (r), scorer of the second goal, likely to play a pivotal role. Bannard Yao Kumordzi (r), a Ghanaian international, will play in the attacking midfield role and has been one of the revelations of Greek football in recent years; given space he will be a big danger. In defence Marcelo Plesch (r) will be the oldest outfield player in the starting eleven at thirty-one years old. This is a very young and very ambitious side although should Sochaux pull an early goal back they may find themselves getting a little nervous.