Lausanne-Sports will be aiming to keep their European adventure going on Thursday, when they try to overturn a one-goal deficit against the French side, Nantes.

Nantes pulled back two late goals to snatch a 4-3 victory in the first leg of their UEFA Cup third-round tie two weeks ago.

With their three vital away goals, Lausanne know they must score one goal more than the French side and not concede more than two.

On the evidence of the first leg, the decisive factor could be how well the respective defences cope with the attacking threat posed by both sides.

Nantes boast the dangerous Romanian international, Viorel Moldovan, while Lausanne are pinning their goal-scoring hopes on the Pole, Marcin Kuzba, and his Argentinian partner, Javier Mazzoni, himself a former Nantes player.

Apart from their European exploits, Lausanne are having a mediocre season. They finished the first half in a disappointing fifth place. Their coach, Pierre-André Schurmann, is reportedly facing the sack, if the team's performance does not improve.

Lausanne's troubles are in stark contrast to recent successes enjoyed by Nantes. The players are currently riding high at the top of the French first division, thanks in part to their impressive performances away from their Beaujoire ground.

If Lausanne manage a win on Thursday, it will be only the third time in their history that they have reached the fourth round. The canton Vaud team reached the semi-finals in 1958 and the quarterfinals in 1965.

by Roy Probert

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