ARMENIA 0 – BELGIUM 1

Sportinglife.com, UK
Sept 6 2006

A Daniel van Buyten goal ensured Belgium returned to winning ways
with a hard-fought victory over Armenia on Wednesday.

Rene Vandereycken’s team could only draw 0-0 with Kazakhstan on August
16 in the Group A curtain-raiser, but managed three points in Yerevan
despite not having it all their own way.

The early exchanges failed to produce any clear-cut chances of
interest.

Armenia midfielder Hamlet Mkhitaryan hit a left-footed shot over the
bar, while at the other end Luigi Pieroni and Karel Geraerts fired
wide of Gevorg Kasparov’s goal.

The Armenians, playing their opening game after having been given
the day off on Saturday, held their own in the first half-hour.

Samvel Melkonyan’s right-footed effort flew wide of Stijn Stijnen’s
goal, and Koen Daerden became the first player to be cautioned after
fouling Melkonyan.

Pieroni forced the first save of note in the 30th minute, Kasparov
catching his left-footed strike from outside the box.

The Armenia stopper was called into action by the same player five
minutes later, this time denying Pieroni with his feet.

Standard Liege midfielder Geraerts then volleyed wide as the visitors
continued to pepper the hosts’ goal.

The Belgians reaped the reward for their pressure four minutes before
half-time when Van Buyten’s header from Jelle van Damme’s cross found
the top corner.

Stijnen opted to punch crosses from Mkhitaryan and Aghvan Lazarian
to safety as the Armenians pushed for a leveller after the break.

Feyenoord defender Pieter Collen was forced off through injury just
before the hour mark, with Anderlecht’s Anthony Vanden Borre coming on.

Van Damme was the second Belgian to have his name taken midway through
the second period for a foul on Mkhitaryan.

Vanden Borre and Pieroni were also booked as the Belgians’ frustrations
at failing to extend their lead grew.

But Club Brugge goalkeeper Stijnen coped comfortably with any efforts
Armenia could muster as Belgium stood firm to secure three valuable
points.

Teams

Armenia Kasparov, Hovsepyan, Arzumanyan, Dokhoyan,
Melikyan,Khachatryan, Karen Aleksanyan, Lazarian (Arman Karamyan
76),Mkhitaryan (Galust Petrosyan 81), Samvel Melkonyan,Shahgeldyan
(Aram Hakobyan 72).

Subs Not Used: Feliks Hakobyan, Bagdarasyan, Pachajyan, Tadevosyan.

Booked: Khachatryan.

Belgium Stijnen, Hoefkens, Simons, Van Damme, Van Buyten,Daerden
(Goor 65), Englebert, Collen (Vanden Borre 59),Geraerts, Dembele
(Defour 77), Pieroni.

Subs Not Used: Vandenbussche, De Decker, Huysegems, Vandenbergh.

Booked: Daerden, Van Damme, Vanden Borre, Pieroni.

Goals: Van Buyten 41.

Att: 8,000

Ref: Gerald Lehner (Austria).

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress