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Date:
Thursday, August 24th, 2000
Competition:
UEFA Cup, Preliminary Round, 2nd Leg
Venue:
Turner's Cross, Cork
Result:
1:0 to Lausanne
Aggregate:
2:0 to Lausanne
Half-time:
0-0
Kick-off:
6pm
Scorers:
Stéphane Gobet, 61 mins.
City
team: Mooney,
Horgan, Daly, Napier, Delaney, O'Brien, Freyne, Herrick, Carter, Cahill,
Morley. Subs: Caulfield
for Cotter (59mins).
 Report
(Conor George, Examiner) CORK
CITY’S European adventure ended in tears at Turner’s Cross yesterday
evening as Lausanne-Sports booked their place in the first round proper
of the UEFA Cup.
As in the Olympic Stadium a fortnight ago, one defensive error cost
Cork dearly as Lausanne doubled the lead they took into the game with
just over an hour gone in what was an enthralling battle of wits between
these two battling sides.
Cork started all the more frantically indeed they had to as they sought
to erase the one goal deficit they faced from the first leg but the
patience and technical ability of their opponents proved to be a bridge
too far for the National League side.
Lausanne simply soaked up Cork’s early pressure, fed off it as they
waited patiently, confident in their own ability to weather the initial
storm Cork brewed up, confidence well grounded as the final result
testifies.
For Cork it was a desperately bitter pill to swallow. While the first
leg was all about containing Lausanne and more of an exercise in damage
limitation than anything else, City opted for an offensive assault
last night.
Pat Morley, the lone striker from the Olympic Stadium, was joined
by John Cotter as Cork sought to take the game to their opponents,
a ploy that very nearly yielded rich dividends a mere eight minutes
into the contest.
In what was their first attack of the evening, Declan Daly swept in
a perfectly flighted free-kick for Mark Herrick to head on for Morley
but the striker’s spectacular left-footed volley was expertly saved
by Eric Rapo.
Morley’s near miss did have the desired effect on the 6,500 capacity
crowd as they finally came to life and began to cheer on the home
side.
 Unfortunately
from Cork’s perspective Lausanne fed off the energy from the crowd,
fed and prospered, as they finally began to impose their superiority
on the proceedings.
First captain Mazzoni had a volley saved by Noel Mooney but barely
had Mooney time to dust himself off and collect his thoughts when
Mazzoni assumed the role of provider, setting up Marcin Kuzba but
once again Mooney proved equal to the task.
Lausanne were definitely in the ascendancy at this stage of the proceedings
as they probed the Cork defence at every opportunity, moving forward
seemingly at will.
Cork, however, resolutely refused to give in and fought back in splendid
fashion.
Mark Herrick was inspiration for Cork. Time and again he threw himself
into almost suicidal challenges with scant regard for his own safety
and at his prompting the Cork team rallied around him.
Stephen Napier gave the performance of a life-time in the heart of
the defence as he nullified the effect of Mazzoni, easily Lausanne’s
most potent weapon, while Morley showed just why he is such a revered
striker with his tremendous work-rate and predatory instincts in front
of goal.
In the end, however, it simply wasn’t enough for Cork to overcome
a technically superior outfit, a side fitter, stronger and in the
end a side absolutely deserving their passage to the first round proper.
Cork’s undoing was, ironically enough, another defensive lapse. A
corner from Hellebuyck on the hour mark caught the Cork defence at
sea and when Stephane Gobet found himself all alone at the far post
he was left with the relatively easy task of steering the ball to
the back of the net.
With that goal, Gobet’s first for the club, the Cork heads dropped,
after their Herculean efforts for the hour to see their efforts dashed
cut deep.
But then again their resolve shone through and the final few minutes
were frantic stuff as Cork set up camp in the Lausanne area.
Colin O’Brien had a left-footed drive scrape paint off the upright
as it whizzed by.
And Morley fittingly had the final say of the match when a John Caulfield
flick-on travelled to the far post but with the goal seemingly at
his mercy Morley’s effort was again brilliantly saved by Rapo.
Dejection so for the Cork team but credit to Lausanne with a splendid
performance, one of stamina and determination as they secured the
win on the night and also over the two legs.
CORK CITY: Mooney, Horgan, Delaney, Daly, Napier, Daly, Freyne, Cahill,
Cotter, Herrick, Morley, O’Brien. Subs: Caulfield for Cotter (61 mins),
O’Halloran for Delaney (65 mins); Flanagan for O’Brien (81 mins)
LAUSANNE-SPORTS: Rapo, Meyer, Puce, Gobet, Karlen, Hellebuyck, Santini,
Gomes, Lombardo, Kuzba, Mazzoni. Subs: Lutsenko for Kuzba (77 mins);
Horjak for Lombardo (85 mins). Simon for Mazzoni (89 mins)
Referee: P. Kari, Finland.
Attendance:
6,500
Match
Pictures: above
right: Stephane Gobet rises above John Cotter (Michael McSweeney),
above left: Pat Morley on the ball (Sportsfile)
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