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Europa League | Group Stage
Sep 19, 2013 at 6pm UK
 
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Live Commentary: Zulte Waregem 0-0 Wigan Athletic - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's coverage of Wigan Athletic's trip to Belgium to face S.V. Zulte Waregem in the Europa League.
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Wigan Athletic started their first European campaign in their club's history when they faced Zulte Waregem on Thursday.

Despite starting the contest well, the Latics were soon on the back foot against a side that finished second in the Belgian league last season.

However, some valiant defending ensured that Wigan were able to earn a 0-0 draw and take a point back with them to England.

Read below to find out how the drama unfolded.


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It's an historic evening for Wigan Athletic. Supporters of the club get their first chance to travel across Europe to watch their beloved side play in a continental competition. Can the Championship side begin their campaign with a win?

Wigan certainly won't have everything their own way this evening. Zulte Waregem finished second in the Belgian league last season and they'll be confident in front of their home fans.

ZULTE WAREGEM XI: Bossut; De Fauw; D'Haene, Malanda, Duplus; O. Skúlason, Kums, Conté, Hazard; Naessens; Y Habibou

WIGAN XI: Carson; Boyce, Shotton, Perch, Crainey; McArthur, McCann, McManaman, McClean, Powell; Gomez


Plenty of changes for Coyle, who brings Ryan Shotton into his side for the first time. Nick Powell, James McClean and Callum McManaman all provide an attacking threat from midfield. The competition may not be Wigan's priority but there's certainly some good players in that team.

Zultse VV and KSV Waregem merged to create the team Zulte Waregem in 2001, so their rise to prominence has been very impressive. Thorgan Hazard, brother of Eden and on loan from Chelsea, will be a big threat for the hosts.

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has been speaking about his club earlier today to BBC 5Live: "It's a great honour to be part of a European game. We've come a long way in 15 or 16 years, from the old Fourth Division to playing in Europe. It's fantastic. It adds enormously to the prestige of this club."

Another British club are in action tonight. Swansea City travel to Spain to face Valencia and you can follow coverage of that match here: Valencia vs. Swansea. It's a busy night of European action, so make sure you stick around.

The players are heading out of the tunnel now. It's a massive night for the Lactics and 2,000 supporters have headed to Belgium for the game. Zulte Waregem, who have had to move this match due to poor facilities at their usual home ground, will be in the mood to spoil the party.

The final preparations have been made and we're ready to begin. It's a miserable, wet evening but I don't think the Latics supporters care too much. Wigan will start proceedings.

Wigan started the match well but Waregem look busy in midfield and they quickly win possession. Hazard displays some early quick footwork before being fouled by McManaman.

There looks like there could be an opening for Powell but he loses control at a crucial point. Bossut makes a mistake in the home side's goal to gift Wigan a corner.

CHANCE! Great effort from McArthur on the edge of the box as he unleashes a powerful effort but the ball drifts just wide of the top corner.

Jordi Gomez is operating as the central forward for the visitors but he hasn't seen much of the ball. Waregem are struggling to keep possession at the moment.

McManaman tricks his way past a couple of players before winning a free-kick on the right side of the midfield. Wigan have missed him so far this season. Nothing comes from the free-kick as the Latics decide against launching the ball into the box.

SHOT! Conte picks up the loose ball on the edge of the box but his effort is weak and Carson collects easily.

Powell wins the ball in an advanced position before finding McManaman. McClean wants it on the left wing but he gives up on a pass directed in front of him.

SHOT! Gomez finds himself in plenty of room inside the box but he fails to hit the target with a sliced effort. Promising start by Wigan.

Hazard bursts past a couple of midfielder before picking out Conte, who wins a corner when his cross is deflected behind.

CAHNCE! Malanda loses his marker in the area but it's a poor header which Carson watches travel over the crossbar.

Some of the players are finding it difficult on the wet pitch out there, with a few falls taking place. Wigan's defence have looked impressive so far and Habibou has barely had a sniff in attack.

YELLOW CARD! Habibou drops deep to collect the ball but he's hacked down by McCann. That's the first booking of the match and Wigan can have no complaints.

YELLOW CARD! The second booking of the match quickly follows when Skulason trips McClean after seeing the winger breeze past him.

UPDATE: Swansea have taken the lead in Spain, with Wilfried Bony putting them ahead against Valencia.

SHOT! Powell does well to create some space for himself but he wastes the opportunity by firing a wild shot over the crossbar. The youngster on loan from Manchester United is now playing as a centre forward.

A long goal kick almost cause problems for the hosts but play is stopped when McClean seems to win the ball fairly in the corner. No surprise to see the winger disappointed. Poor decision.

Wigan are beating Waregem to every 50/50 ball at the moment and are beginning to pile on the pressure. They must make better decisions in the final third of the pitch.

Calm defending from Crainey, who takes the ball down on his chest inside the penalty area. Hazard is beginning to look frustrated out there. That's good news for Wigan.

Hazard delivers a good corner but Wigan once again clear the ball. Waregem are being forced to attempt long balls at the moment.

Wigan are beginning to play some of the football we saw them play at times last season and it's a worry for the hosts. Gomez breaks through from midfield but his cross is cleared.

SHOT! Gomez picks out Powell, who loses the ball inside the box. McCann fires an effort towards goal but a deflection sees the ball go behind for a corner.

There's a couple of scary moments for Waregem from the corner but they finally manage to clear the ball. A counter attack looks promising when Hazard breaks with the ball but his long range effort is blocked.

Waregem enjoy a good spell of possession but Boyce ends a promising move with a typically robust challenge. It looks like McCann might have broken through but the assistant referee raises his flag and the move comes to an end.

Wigan are doing a great job of limiting Waregem's time on the ball and it's rushing the hosts into some bad decisions. It's been a good few minutes for the home side though.

Close! Naessens delivers an excellent low cross but Shotton does equally well to clear the ball. Hazard fires a shot at goal but it's deflected behind for a corner.

OFF THE BAR! The corner causes problems for Wigan when McClean heads the ball against his own crossbar. Big sigh of relief from the Latics supporters.

Wigan are being put under plenty of pressure now. Hazard and Conte combine well just outside the box before Shotton steps in to clear once again.

McCann is forced off the field after taking a blow to the nose. There's some blood but he should be fine to continue.

YELLOW CARD! Shotton has been excellent so far in this match and he defends well again by clearing the corner before advancing with the ball. Naessens stops his progress with a cynical foul and he's the third person to go into the book.

CHANCES! Wigan are close to a big chance when McManaman pulls the ball just beyond a couple of Wigan players. Waregem break quickly but a promising position is wasted when Hazard fires the ball wide.

SAVE! Carson comes to the rescue just before the break for Wigan. McCann is dispossessed just outside the area and Hazard then drills the ball across the area. The initial cross is cleared but Carson is forced into a save from Conte's powerful effort.

Wigan are just on the ropes at the moment, so half-time will come at a good time.

HALF TIME: ZULTE WAREGEM 0-0 WIGAN ATHLETIC

Coyle will be delighted with how Wigan started the match but Waregem have started to show signs why they have been so successful in recent seasons. Hazard and Conte are seeing a lot of the ball for the hosts.

A point would surely be a good result for Wigan tonight. However, they could be ahead if they had used the better in important areas. McManaman and McClean need to get in the game more and attempt those weaving runs we've seen from them in the past.

You can check the scores of the rest of the games here: Europa League.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Coyle turn to Marc-Antoine Fortune at some point in the second-half. The striker can hold the ball up well and allow Wigan's dangerous midfielders to advance from deep.

We're almost ready to begin again in Belgium. Big 45 minutes for both teams. Waregem will feel they need to take three points from this game.

The players have emerged from the tunnel. Will Waregem be on top again after the interval? Intriguing 45 minutes coming up.

Waregem quickly settle down early in the second half and are already looking good in possession.

Wigan haven't had the ball yet and Hazard is beginning to gain possession in some dangerous areas. His shot from long range is weak and the visitors finally manage to win the ball back.

Habibou threatens to pull the trigger on a number of occasions from the edge of the box before eventually being dispossessed.

CLOSE! Carson is caught in two minds when the ball is lofted into the box. A moment of hesitancy almost costs him when Habibou heads just wide under pressure from the goalkeeper.

CHANCE! Wigan finally relieve some pressure by winning a couple of corners. The second delivery is dangerous and Shotton pokes the ball just wide of the target. Big opportunity missed by the Latics.

Conte has looked very lively since switching to the left wing. His trickery will be a concern for Coyle. Hazard gets the ball 30 yards from goal and he shoots again, but the effort is poor.

SHOT! Habibou drifts out to the right before picking out Conte, who drills the ball well wide of the post.

Wigan keep the ball impressively for a sustained period and they get numbers forward but Gomez wastes the good work by losing the ball in midfield.

Gomez almost redeems himself by inviting Powell to chase a through ball but Bossut rushes out of his goal to stop the move progressing.

YELLOW CARD! Hazard is the latest player to be booked when he hauls down Boyce on the right side of midfield.

CLOSE! Superb from Naessens on the right wing as he delivers a brilliant cross into the six yard box. Habibou looks set to tap in from close range but he can't get a toe on the ball. Inches away from an opening goal there.

Waregem look like a different side to the one we saw in the first 30 minutes. Coyle might be thinking about a change soon. I don't think they can afford to fall behind.

SHOT! McClean threatens to go down the left before cutting inside and dragging a shot wide of the post.

UPDATE: Swansea are running riot in Spain at the moment. Goals from Michu and Jonathan de Guzman has seen them move into a 3-0 lead against Valencia.

CLOSE! Waregem launch the ball forward and Hazard collects on the edge of the box before firing a shot just wide of Carson's post. It feels like a goal could be coming.

CLOSE! Malanda misses the target for the second time this evening when he heads a corner wide of the post. The Wigan defenders are left asking questions about who was marking him. Big let off.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Gomez and McManaman head off the field to be replaced by Ben Watson and Marc-Antoine Fortune as Coyle looks to regain some control.

SAVE! Powell insists that he's had his shirt pulled just outside the box but he must settle for a corner. Watson delivers a good cross but Waregem seem to clear. However, Perch curls a shot towards the bottom corner to force Bossut into a good save.

Kums is forced off the pitch for a few moments when McCann catches him on the Achilles heel. Painful one for the midfielder.

Powell latches onto a long ball before advancing into the box. He can't get his shot away though and Waregem clear. Wigan are looking dangerous again.

SUBSTITUTION: Habibou departs and he's replaced by French striker Raphael Caceres

SHOT! Caceres is immediately involved in the action but his low shot is well saved by Carson.

Fortune can't help but smile when he's adjudged to have fouled Duplus just before he threatened to advance towards goal. 15 minutes left.

SHOT! De Fauw is allowed far too much room on the right side of midfield but he wastes the opportunity when he drags a weak effort wide of the target.

McCann plays an excellent pass to Powell on the right wing but a poor touch means a promising counter attack breaks down.

There's been plenty of possession for Waregem since the interval but they haven't created as many chances as they would have liked. Hazard has been more interested in shooting than unlocking the visiting defence.

Wigan are defending impressively late on in Belgium, with both Crainey and Shotton making vital interventions in the last few moments.

Powell's frustrating night continues as he loses the ball inside the box after beating a couple of defenders. That looked like a good chance.

SUBSTITUTION: Powell heads off with seven minutes left of normal time and he's replaced by Nouha Dicko.

Conte leaves a couple of Wigan defenders on the floor when he digs into his bag of tricks but his pass comes to nothing when Naessens slips at a vital moment.

SHOT! Hazard's clever flick eventually finds Caceres, who sees his shot deflect behind for a corner.

CHANCE! Superb defending from McCann! A lose ball drops to D'Haene and the defender looks like he'll certainly score from close range until McCann dives in the way to block the ball. Excellent stuff.

McCann finds himself near the corner flag with very little support and nothing comes from his hopeful cross into the area.

SAVE! It's desperate times for Wigan now as Carson pushes the ball to safety following more great work from Conte on the right wing. Can the Latics secure a point?

Hazard tricks his way past a couple of defenders before slicing open the Wigan back line. Carson sprints out of his goal to clear the danger. Three minutes of stoppage time remaining.

SHOT! Conte collects the ball 25 yards from goal and he fancies a moment of glory. However, his effort doesn't dip enough and Carson watches the ball sail over the crossbar.

De Fauw gives away a needless free-kick on the left side of midfield. It's a good chance for Wigan but Watson's delivery is poor and the pressure is relieved when Fortune commits a foul.

There's time for one last Waregen attack but Wigan stay strong to clear the long ball. It looks like the visitors have claimed a point.

FULL TIME: WAREGEM 0-0 WIGAN

That's a very good point for Wigan. Coyle will be happy with his side for their performance tonight.

That's all from me tonight but make sure you stay with Sports Mole as coverage of the Europa League continues this evening.

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