McGeady sends Basle crashing
Basle led for 75 minutes of their Europa League tie against Spartak Moscow, but failed to add the crucial second goal before Aiden McGeady's 90th-minute equaliser won the tie outright for the hosts.
Having been beaten 3-2 at home in the first tie, Basle needed to win by two clear goals and things started well when Scott Chipperfield netted after 15 minutes.
The Swiss side could not fashion a second though, meaning their Russian opponents would have progressed on away goals before McGeady secured a 4-3 aggregate victory anyway in the closing moments.
Basle had been told to come out all guns blazing by coach Thorsten Fink and within three minutes they had forced a corner, goalkeeper Andrei Dikan punching Fwayo Tembo's inswinger clear.
Artem Dzjuba had Spartak's first attempt with a wayward shot from 20 yards, but it was Kirill Kombarov who made Franco Costanzo work with a strike from the edge of the area.
Both sides were eager to go for goal and with 11 minutes gone Dikan saved low with his feet from Tembo's driven effort.
Four minutes later Basle had their opener. Valentin Stocker was instrumental, turning over possession after a Spartak free-kick and finding Chipperfield, whose shot flew high into the centre of the goal.
Dmitri Kombarov twice fired on goal as the hosts looked for an instant reply, while the lively Tembo worked Dikan again soon after.
The frenetic pace slowed a little before half-time, though Chipperfield had time to go for a second.
After 10 minutes of the second period Basle had a chance to register the all-important second goal when Tembo's corner was met by the head of Genseric Kusunga, but he failed to keep it under the crossbar.
Basle were making the running but Spartak, knowing a goal would effectively send them through, still had the occasional sight of goal with Alexander Shyeshukov and Dzjuba both missing the target.
In the last 10 minutes Basle were frustrated in their attempts to create and instead Spartak finished strongest.
After a couple of near misses the leveller came just into added time, Dzjuba playing in McGeady to slot home from six yards.
Spartak Moscow 1-1 Basle: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game as it happened.
Source: DSG
