Meira ensures timely and lucrative win for Stuttgart

VFB Stuttgart earned the financial boost they were looking for by moving into the third round of the Uefa Cup with victory against Ferencvaros.

Stuttgart's general manager, Rolf Russmann, admitted on Monday that the German club's finances were tight following the collapse of the Bundesliga television deal with the media giants Kirsch. But goals from Ionnis Amanatidis and Fernando Meira, the latter from the penalty spot, ensured the Germans progressed with a 2-0 win following a goalless draw in the first leg.

The Hungarians started the better as Stuttgart looked nervy, as if they fully understood the implications of defeat. Attila Tokoli shot wide after 10 minutes and Zoltan Gera should have done better from close range 11 minutes later.

The hosts eventually found their range, roared on by a crowd of 15,000. After 27 minutes Jochen Seitz whipped over a dangerous cross from the left but Silvio Meissner headed over the bar. Stuttgart went even closer on the half-hour mark when the Bulgarian international midfielder Krassimir Balakov struck the crossbar with a free-kick.

The Stuttgart coach Felix Magath brought Amanatidis on as a half-time substitute for Meissner and the move paid dividends after 65 minutes. Alexander Hleb released Seitz, who beat two men and crossed for Amanatidis to tap home from six yards.

After the goal Stuttgart sat back, content to protect their lead, but they still found the energy to break out in the final minute to seal the match. The influential Amanatidis burst into the box, only to be felled by the Ferencvaros defender Peter Lipcsei.

Lipcsei picked up his second yellow card, meaning an early bath, and Meira confidently converted the spot-kick to give Stuttgart victory.

A double by the Guinean striker Pascal Feindouno sent Bordeaux into the third round after a 2-1 win over the Swedish champions Djurgarden gave them a 3-1 aggregate victory.

Feindouno opened the scoring with a powerful shot from outside the box on 36 minutes and made it two five minutes into the second half when he took advantage of a defensive blunder to score from close range.

Johan Elmander got a consolation goal for Djurgarden in the 72nd minute but it was not enough to upset Bordeaux, who won 1-0 in the first leg.

Feindouno was also impressive in defence four minutes from time when he blocked a Louay Chanko shot on the goal-line.

The Lazio midfielder Dejan Stankovic is set to make an emotional return to the ground where he grew up and dreads the prospect of playing his former club Red Star Belgrade when the two teams meet tomorrow.

The 24-year-old Yugoslav international told the Belgrade daily Sportski Zurnal he would prefer to miss the second leg of the Uefa Cup second-round tie in the cauldron of Red Star's Marakana stadium, with a capacity of 55,000.

"I would rather not play, but we have only a 1-0 advantage from the first leg and I am convinced that [coach] Roberto Mancini will field the strongest team he can," Stankovic said. "Any line-up is possible and if I play I will have to put my emotions aside and do what I am told."

Stankovic has been in fine form since the start of the season for Lazio, who lie fifth in Italy's Serie A.

However, this is one match where he does not want to be on the score sheet even if he is on the pitch.

"Yes, I keep thinking what to do if I score. I don't even know what to think, it would be a very difficult moment for me.

"I used to race off to the northern section's Kop when I scored for Red Star and celebrate with the fans but that's out of the question this time round."

Endless queues of fans besieged the stadium on Monday morning and all 15,000 tickets issued for the day were sold in just two hours, with black-market dealers doubling the official price instantly.