Well crash out of Europe

Murphy misses penalty
By grabar
August 26 2010

Motherwell battered Odense for the bulk of the 90 minutes but couldn't find the net while Utaka netted for the visitors to go through to the group stages.

Motherwell started on the front foot and Sutton and Humphrey had great chances in the early stages but neither trouble Roy Carroll in the Odense goal.

The visitors were rattled at this stage and two of their players were shown yellow cards with Ruud and Christensen being booked for fouls on Murphy and Blackman.

But the visitors held their nerve and scored on 28 minutes when a Ruud corner was palmed out to Utaka by Randolph and he fired straight back high into the net.

Motherwell started the second half as well too with Hammell seeing a free kick saved, and Carroll gathering a cross from Sutton with players waiting to pounce.

With twenty minutes to go Blackman was given a great chance, a long throw from Craigan was headed on by Sutton but the ball fell at an awkward height for Blackman to head past Carroll and the keeper gathered comfortably.

Odense were reduced to ten men with 15 minutes to go when Ruud was shown a second yellow for a foul on Blackman, but all this did was allow the Danes to sit in and allow Motherwell to come on to them.

Well were denied a certain penalty when Andreasan turned the ball out for a corner with his hand. But the penalty did come on 85 minutes this tiem when Christaensen handled, and this led to his second yellow and they were reduced to nine men.

Murphy stepped up to take the kick but all he could do was send the ball to the keeper's left and off the post and it bounced clear.

After all the effort and excellent football Motherwell's European dream was over for another year and we are left to concentrate on domestic football once again!