Second-string Bolton side crash out of Uefa Cup
Gary Megson decided to rest a number of key players
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Thursday, 13, Mar 2008 10:30
Bolton have crashed out of the Uefa Cup after losing 1-0 at Sporting Lisbon, and 2-1 on aggregate, after the second leg.
The English side had to score in the second leg after drawing 1-1 at home last week, but the team selection of manager Gary Megson suggested that Bolton had more pressing matters than Europe on their minds.
Megson left seven first-team players at home, including captain Kevin Nolan and El-Hadji Diouf, making it seem as if the Lancashire side were more worried about the relegation battle against Wigan Athletic in the Premier League at the weekend.
Neverthless, Bolton played with no fear and looked to attack from the start of the game and their best chance of the entire match came within the first 15 minutes.
Striker Ricardo Vaz Te found space outside the penalty area, but his shot went crashing into the side-netting.
Sporting lacked urgency in their play and did not have the creativity needed to regularly open up the Bolton defence.
When they did manage to create a chance, their finishing let them down.
Russian playmaker Marat Izmailov missed a brilliant chance at the far post when he lifted the ball over the bar with the goalkeeper completely out of the picture.
Sporting, who only needed a goalless draw to progress, decided to sit back in the second half and as a result chances became very rare.
And the home side left it late to grab the goal which sealed their passage into the quarter-finals.
Bruno Pereirinha found the net with a curling shot to end Bolton's European adventure.