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A last minute goal from Stelios Giannakopoulos gave Bolton a lucky 1-1 draw against Greek side Aris. The visitors took the lead just before half-time and looked likely to hold on for the victory before Stelios' late strike. With Liverpool coming up this weekend, Gary Megson opted to leave Nicolas Anelka and El-Hadji Diouf on the substitutes bench, a move which backfired as the Greeks took control of the game in the first half. The visitors were the brighter side from the off, and Sergio Koke went close with a header with only seven minutes on the clock. Chances were few and far between, with Kevin Davies' header for the hosts deflecting to safety midway through the first half, before Aris replied immediately, with Rogrig Sison curling wide of Jussi Jaaskelainen's left hand post with the goalkeeper looking beaten. Gavin McCann was forced off with a head injury after 13 minutes, and his replacement Mikel Alonso was part of a lively exchange with Stelios, whose cross found Kevin Davies who could only head his effort straight at Konstantinos Chalkias in goal. Alonso was next to try his luck, but he found the stands with a 25-yard strike. But Aris took a deserved lead a minute before the break through Spanish forward Calvo Aran. Abdoulaye Meite's attempted headed clearance from an Aris cross fell straight to Calvo who volleyed expertly past Jaaskelainen into the bottom corner. However, the lead was almost short-lived as Andy O'Brien met a Davies flick-on but his header hit the crossbar and the Wanderers defender stayed down for treatment after appearing to catch a boot on the nose. Bolton again went close in the 52nd minute, Danny Guthrie picked up on Alonso's blocked shot and crossed for Davies who couldn't poke the ball past Chalkias. Kevin Nolan was next up for the home side, but the midfielder placed his shot wide from the edge of the area after being teed up by Stelios. Abdoulaye Meite headed wide soon after, before Nolan tried again but ended with the same outcome, firing wide of goal. Despite being limited chances wise, Aris almost sealed the points in the 82nd minute when Karabelas spotted Jaaskelainen off his line, he attempted a chip from 40-yards but the Finn just managed to get back and divert the shot over the bar for a corner. That save proved to be vital, as Greek midfielder Stelios, once of Olympiakos, gambled on Alonso's cross, beating off competition from his marker and firing past Chalkias to give Bolton a share of the spoils. The performance merited the equalising goal but Bolton can count themselves fortunate as it was the last kick of the game as Spanish referee Gonzalez blew staight after the restart. Wanderers now get back to domestic duties with a trip to Anfield on Sunday to face unbeaten Liverpool before they conclude their UEFA Cup group games with a trip to Serbian side Crvena Zvezda next Thursday. |
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