Olisadebe is the hero as Poland upset Ukraine
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Your support makes all the difference.Emmanuel Olisadebe grabbed two first-half goals to inspire Poland to an unexpected 3-1 away win over Ukraine in last night's World Cup qualifier in Kiev.
Emmanuel Olisadebe grabbed two first-half goals to inspire Poland to an unexpected 3-1 away win over Ukraine in last night's World Cup qualifier in Kiev.
The Nigerian-born striker, who also scored on his debut for his adopted country in a friendly against Romania last month, headed Poland into the lead in the third minute and then put the visitors ahead again half an hour later. Olisadebe was only added to the Polish starting line-up at the last minute after doctors pronounced him fit after a leg injury.
The Milan striker Andrei Shevchenko equalised for Ukraine when he beat the Polish goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek from a narrow angle in the 13th minute. But 20 minutes later Olisadebe, who has only just gained Polish citizenship, stole the ball from the home keeper Vyacheslav Kernozenko and shot into an empty net.
Shevchenko and his strike partner Sergei Rebrov, the Tottenham striker who had predicted an easy win for Ukraine before the Group Five match in the local press, both had an off-night. Poland were on top after the interval and Radoslaw Kaluznyi gave them a 3-1 lead in the 57th minute. The visitors could have added another goal a minute later but Kernozenko saved an Andrzej Juskowiak penalty after Yuri Dmitrulin had tripped Olisadebe.
In Sarajevo, a second-half volley from a substitute, Joseba Etxeberria, gave Spain a hard-won 2-1 win over Bosnia in a Group Seven qualifier. The Spaniards went ahead against the run of the play in the 39th minute when the Valencia midfielder Gerard Lopez, set up by his club-mate Gaizka Mendieta, fired into the roof of the net.
Bosnia levelled in the 41st minute thanks to Elvir Baljic's free-kick but, despite enjoying the majority of possession, they were beaten by Exteberria's powerful volley in the 72nd minute.
There was a brief bout of prancing in the Pyrenees in Andorra where the tiny home nation, yet to secure a point in a competitive match, led Cyprus 2-1 in their Group Two match early in the second half.
The Cypriots, though, hit back to equalise 13 minutes from time through Marios Agathokleous and then won the match with a last-minute goal from Michael Constantinou, who had put them ahead with a 25th-minute penalty.
Emiliano Gonzalez grabbed the equaliser just before halftime, shooting in from outside the area, and a back-heeled goal from Ildefons Lima after the Cypriots failed to clear a Justo Ruiz corner had the crowd of 1,000 in Andorra La Vella dreaming of a historic win before Cyprus hit back.
Norway, who had a poor Euro 2000, in which they were eliminated in the first round, continued to disappoint their supporters with a 0-0 Group Five home draw against Armenia in Oslo. Tottenham's Oyvind Leonhardsen hit a post in the fourth minute, which was the nearest the Norwegians came to a goal.
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