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Striker N’Doye sets up surprise victory

ATHENS - FC Copenhagen striker Dame N’Doye returned to haunt former club Panathinaikos by helping the Danish champions to a surprise 2-0 Champions League Group D win over the Greek side on Wednesday.

The Senegalese, who spent the 2007-08 season with Pananthinaikos, put Copenhagen ahead in the 28^th minute with Martin Vingaard adding a second eight minutes before halftime.

“It’s always good to come to Athens and score but it was not about me,” N’Doye told Reuters. “It was FCK against Panathinaikos rather than Dame N’Doye against Panathinaikos.

“We were very organised and the important thing was that we kept a clean sheet. When you do this, nobody can beat you.”

A miserable night for Panathinaikos was completed when former Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a handball.

FC Copenhagen coach Stale Solbakken was delighted with the win, which pushed Copenhagen to the top of the group with six points following Barcelona’s 1-1 draw with Rubin Kazan in Russia.

“We were much better prepared and managed to get the win,” he said. “After this result I think we have a good chance of qualifying for the knockout stages. It was a fair victory, we were able to close them down properly and our attack functioned very well.

“Certainly we had a bit of luck on our side but we deserved the three points. In the games against Barcelona we will try for the best, I’m sure the games will be a useful learning experience for us all.”

Nikos Nioplias’ Greek champions took the initiative at the Olympic Stadium with Djibril Cisse forcing a spectacular flying save from Johan Wiland after just 30 seconds with a fierce long range volley.

No contest

Despite that early promise, it was the visitors who settled quicker while Panathinaikos, with Silva operating in central defence in the absence of the injured Cedric Kante, looked vulnerable.

Copenhagen grew in confidence and went in front through their first meaningful attack in the 28^th minute. Former Chelsea winger Jesper Grønkjær was the architect, supplying a superb through ball for N’Doye whose clever run exposed the hosts’ rearguard.

Panathinaikos goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas made the mistake of rushing out too far and N’Doye clipped the ball past him with ease.

The Danes continued to control proceedings and went two goals up in the 37^th minute when Silva fouled N’Doye 20 metres from goal. Vingaar stepped up and fired a low shot into Tzorvas’ bottom right corner.

Claudemir then passed up a great chance to make it 3-0 when he fired over following a neat passing move.

Panathinaikos coach Nikos Nioplias brought on Giorgos Karagounis and Nikos Spyropoulos at halftime but frustration was getting the better of the hosts.

Silva was sent off in the 49^th minute when he stuck out an arm to block a through ball. From then on it was always going to be a difficult task to haul themselves back into the match and Copenhagen comfortably held on.

“After the sending off the game was finished. We paid for our mistakes, it was like the second half did not happen as a contest,” said Panathinaikos coach Nikos Nioplias.