galatasaray saved by events elsewhere published: thursday 20 december 2007, 0.51cet
galatasaray scraped through thanks to fc girondins de bordeaux's late fightback away to panionios gss.
galatasaray as scraped into the last 32 of the uefa cup – but only thanks to fc girondins de bordeaux's late fightback away to panionios gss.
bordeaux favour karl-heinz feldkamp's side could only muster a goalless draw with fk austria wien, so were indebted to a bordeaux team who came from two goals down to beat panionios 3-2. the 1999/2000 winners looked to be heading out of the tournament until a last-gasp goal in greece prolonged their european season into the spring.
early pressure the hosts started positively with hakan şükür seeing his effort parried by sašo fornezzi before volkan yaman fired wide. arda turan then headed a sabrı sarıoğlu cross wide while şükür did likewise after another centre from sarıoğlu. galatasaray kept pressing and shabani nonda forced a save from fornezzi before austria wien began to find their feet. but it was the lively sarıoğlu who came closest to breaking the deadlock moments before the interval, when his shot struck the crossbar.
in-form fornezzi after the break fornezzi was busy again, this time frustrating mehmet topal, who then curled a left-footed attempt over the frame of the goal. fornezzi was continuing to keep out the turkish outfit, denying şükür once more, while at the other end milenko ačimovič blasted over from outside the area. nonda wasted another chance late on as galatasaray searched desperately for the win required to put pressure on panionios.
austria resilience georg zellhofer's austria held firm, though, in the face of the home dominance, even as ümit karan volleyed a hasan şaş corner over the top. nevertheless, bordeaux's stunning comeback rendered the locals' profligacy in front of goal irrelevant, with galatasaray qualifying for the knockout stage by the slenderest of margins.
