published: thursday 1 october 2009, 23.50cet sk slavia praha 1-5 losc lille métropole
rudi garcia's french visitors forgot their domestic woes to come from behind and emphatically take the points away from the czech capital.
losc lille métropole came from behind to claim a resounding 5-1 victory over group b opponents sk slavia praha in the ligue 1 side's first meeting with czech opponents.
late goals lille have won just one league game all season and looked unlikely to find solace in europe when tijani belaid put slavia ahead from the penalty spot just six minutes in. however, the hosts' dominant first-half display was undermined by a marek suchý own goal just after half-time. pierre-alain frau put lille in front on 71 minutes before gervinho struck twice and arnaud souquet once in the closing five minutes to complete the turnaround.
belaid penalty ıt had begun brightly for the hosts as zdeněk šenkeřík robbed possession before tumbling under ludovic butelle's challenge, leaving belaid to do the necessary from the spot. the tunisian midfielder also offered slavia's best chance of doubling their advantage, but butelle made amends towards the end of the first half, scrambling across his goalline to tip over his dipping volley.
own goal souquet's stinging shot and pierre-emerick aubameyang's header offered scant hope of a comeback by the visitors. however, suchý duly obliged for rudi garcia's side less than two minutes into the second half, awkwardly attempting to clear an eden hazard cross at the near post, but succeeding only in slicing beyond martin vaniak.
gervinho double substitute frau struck the foot of vaniak's left-hand post moments before putting the ligue 1 side in front with an assured finish after souquet's flick-on. gervinho converted from barely a metre out with five minutes remaining, but there was still time for souqet to head in from similar range and gervinho to smash into the roof of the net after a slaloming run in added time. ıt is potentially fatal blow to slavia's hope of progression after their opening 2-0 defeat by genoa cfc.
