By Justin Palmer
LONDON, April 28 - Chile striker Mauricio Pinilla
boosted Sporting's hopes of playing in the UEFA Cup final in
their own Alvalade stadium with a scorching winner in the
semi-final first leg against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.
The substitute unleashed a dipping shot from 30 metres that
blazed past Henk Timmer 10 minutes from time to hand the
Portuguese side a 2-1 win to take to the Netherlands next week.
The other tie between twice winners Parma and CSKA Moscow
ended in a tepid goalless draw at the Tardini stadium. Serie A
strugglers Parma, as in previous rounds, fielded a virtual
reserve side but CSKA were unable to take advantage in front of
just over 7,000 fans.
Sporting, who have not won a European Trophy since the Cup
Winners' Cup in 1964, needed a moment of sublime inspiration
from substitute Pinilla to forge ahead against a resilient AZ.
The injury-hit Dutch side, beaten finalists in 1981, soaked
up long periods of pressure but were always dangerous on the
counter-attack. Having never lost a European tie at their tiny
Alkmaarderhout stadium AZ are still very much in the tie.
AZ, who lined up with Robin Nelisse as a lone striker and
packed the midfield, went ahead against the run of play on 36
minutes with their first chance, a right-wing cross from Kew
Jaliens falling for Denny Landzaat to sweep a low first-time
shot past Ricardo.
The lead lasted barely a minute, however, as Cameroonian
Rodolph Douala took advantage of a lucky ricochet to lash home a
fierce low shot past Timmer.
Parma coach Pietro Carmignani has made no secret that his
side's priority is maintaining their Serie A place and he again
rested key players against CSKA.
Italy striker Alberto Gilardino and midfielder Domenico
Morfeo were not even on the bench as Carmignani fielded four
youth-team players.
Chances were few and far between, Parma's Fabio Vignaroli
bringing the first save out of either keeper with a thundering
20-metre drive that CSKA's Igor Akinfeyev parried out eight
minutes from time.