Group D round-up

Hertha hit back to win in Holland as Sporting wait to seal last 32 place

Last updated: 5th November 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Group D round-up

Wichniarek: Late winner

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Hertha Berlin secured a first win in Europa League Group D after a thrilling tussle with Heerenveen as Sporting Lisbon were held by FK Ventspils.

Bundesliga strugglers Hertha have been enduring a difficult season, but twice came from behind before a last-minute goal from Artur Wichniarek earned a 3-2 success at Heerenveen.

Heerenveen went ahead after just three minutes. Hernan Losada's corner arrived at Michal Papadopulos, who had plenty of space after being left unmarked by Maximilian Nicu and volleyed home from six yards.

Hertha equalised after 21 minutes when Heerenveen captain Michel Breuer could not control a ball in his own area. Wichniarek snatched it from him and crossed to Valeri Domovchiyski, who struck home from seven yards.

The hosts regained the lead in the 36th minute. Oussama Assaidi eased his way past Marc Stein on the right side of Hertha's defence and crossed to Papadopulos, who nodded home from eight yards.

Berlin levelled the game seven minutes after the break after a horrible mistake by Losada, whose backpass was stolen by Domovchiyski. The Bulgarian passed onto Wichniarek, who returned the ball to Domovchiyski to score from five yards out.

Domovchiyski nearly made it a hat-trick eight minutes later but hit the far left post after beating Vandenbussche.

The Belgian keeper stopped Wichniarek from point-blank range four minutes from the final whistle, but Wichniarek finally beat Vandenbussche, blasting home Domovchiyski's cross from the left in stoppage-time.

Sporting need just a point from their remaining two matches in the group to qualify after being held to a 1-1 draw at home by FK Ventspils.

The Latvians, who lost 2-1 at home to Sporting a fortnight ago, took a 15th minute lead in the return when Alessandro Zamperini headed home Jurijs Laizans' free-kick.

But Portuguese giants Sporting claimed a point midway through the first half when Carlos Saleiro headed home the rebound after Simon Vukcevic's shot had been saved.