Team news

Moniz builds up Kharkiv tie Salzburg coach Ricardo Moniz has labelled the first leg of his side's Europa League last-32 clash with Metalist Kharkiv as a "final".

Moniz's men host the Ukrainians, who make the three-hour to Salzburg buoyed by an impressive away record in the competition this term.

Metalist are unbeaten in four away Europa League games this season and Moniz is certainly not underestimating the challenge to his team's hopes of progression.

"We're actually playing a final on Thursday and we know we need a top performance," the Dutchman said.

"We have grown; at the beginning of the season we showed little creativity and now we have more depth." Metalist have already taken an Austrian scalp this campaign in the form of Austria Vienna, who they beat home and way in the group stages on their way to the last 32.

Salzburg's only previous experience of Ukrainian opposition was a 3-2 aggregate loss at the hands of Shakhtar Donetsk in the third qualifying round of the 2007-08 Champions League.

Salzburg are a team in form, unbeaten in six games in all competitions, with just one defeat in their past six home European games.

Metalist coach Miron Markevich believes his side will come up against tough opposition on Thursday evening when the clubs meet for the first time ever in UEFA competition.

"I would not say that Salzburg has many weaknesses," Markevich was quoted as saying on www.salzburg.com.

"I'm sure this will be a difficult game, [Salzburg] are a quality team with physically strong and disciplined players." Salzburg last reached the round of 32 in 2009-10 when they were defeated by Belgium side Standard Liege, while Metalist have reached this stage for the third time in the past four seasons.

They previously beat Sampdoria in 2008-09 before losing to compatriots Dynamo Kiev. Last season they were knocked out by German team Bayer Leverkusen.

The winner of this tie will earn the right to play either Rubin Kazan or Olympiacos in the round of 16, on March 8 and 15.

Kazan currently trail Olympiacos 1-0 after the first leg.

SV Red Bull Salzburg vs FC Metalist Kharkiv

Last modified 21:22 16/02/12

Early goal has Metalist motoring Brazilian striker Taison opened the scoring after just 33 seconds as Metalist Kharkiv all but guaranteed their place in the last 16 of the Europa League with a 4-0 first-leg win in Salzburg.

Taison seized upon a defensive error to round home goalkeeper Alexander Walke and give his side a dream start, and two further first-half strikes from Jonathan Cristaldo effectively sealed the tie.

Marlos completed the rout at the death.

After two months without domestic football the hosts were understandably rusty, but the ease with which they allowed Taison to skip through and put the visitors ahead was still shocking.

David Mendes da Silva was most at fault for giving the ball away to the lurking Taison, and the defender could only watch as the Brazilian duly converted the simplest of openers.

Leonardo responded by hitting the bar from long range for the home side in the fifth minute, but the hosts were largely dominant with Jose Sosa and Cristaldo both coming close to extending their advantage.

Cristaldo got on the scoresheet in the 38th minute when he was fed by Fininho from the right side of the penalty area and struck home low past Walke from six yards.

And three minutes later Cristaldo once again proved lethal from close quarters as this time he was fed by Taison from the left and fired home from the same range to put his side out of sight.

Forced into peppering Aleksandr Goryainov's goal from long range in a vain attempt to find a way back into the match, Simon Cziommer fired over the bar for Salzburg early in the second half.

Walke prevented his side falling further behind when he punched away a header from Cristian Villagra on the hour, and shortly afterwards the home keeper was again called into action to save from Papa Gueye.

Sosa shot over the bar from 25 yards as Metalist continued to dominate while Salzburg struggled to respond, with Stefan Maierhofer repeatedly caught out by the visitors' tight offside trap.