Pizzeli wins cup for Ararat
Friday 9 May 2008
Markos Pizzeli struck two minutes from time as FC
Ararat Yerevan won the Armenian Cup with a 2-1 win
against FC Banants.
Matiughin saves
It was the fifth time Ararat have won the competition,
equalling the record held by FC MIKA. Banants started
brightly with Simeon Zlatev coming close but their
ardour was soon cooled by bookings to Marko Markov and
Karen Aleksanyan in quick succession. Ararat took the
initiative and came close on ten minutes. Pizzeli’s
powerful drive was parried by Banants goalkeeper
Evghenii Matiughin into the path of Sargis Movsisyan
who blazed over. Matiughin denied Pizzeli again on 29
minutes, saving his fierce drive from 35 metres.
Pizzeli winner
Banants were playing largely on the break and showed a
real cutting edge seven minutes before the interval to
take the lead. Bulgarians Marko Markov and Simeon
Zlatev played a neat one-two before Markov shot in
from a tight angle. Banants had further chances soon
after and were made to rue those misses in the second
half when Ararat took command. After a period of
pressure Ararat finally drew level 15 minutes from
time when Vahagn Minasyan headed in Pizzeli’s
free-kick. The match was played in pouring rain,
disrupting its flow, but just as the game looked to
heading for extra-time Pizzeli struck, scoring with a
slight deflection off a defender. The victory earns
Ararat a place in the first qualifying round of the
UEFA Cup for the 2008/09 season.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
