Twente throw lead away

Hannover came from two goals down to claim a hard-fought point in their Europa League Group L opener at FC Twente.

Hannover came from two goals down to claim a hard-fought point in their Europa League Group L opener at FC Twente. Steve McClaren's men looked to be in control following goals early in each half from Willem Janssen and Nacer Chadli. However, Artur Sobiech reduced arrears before Peter Wisgerhof added an own goal as the German visitors hit back with two strikes in four minutes at De Grolsch Veste. Hannover had fired a third-minute warning to their Dutch opponents with Leon Andreasen's drilled effort gathered by goalkeeper Nikolay Mihailov. However, it was Twente who took the lead five minutes later through Janssen, who raced on to a pass from Chadli before smashing a shot low into the net. Dusan Tadic tried his hardest to add a second goal after 14 minutes but could only turn a Roberto Rosales cross past the left post. The Serbian midfielder had another go moments later and this time fired over the bar from the edge of the area. Hannover weathered the storm well and gave Mihailov something to think about after 32 minutes with a free-kick from Szabolcs Huszti which had to be punched clear by the home goalkeeper. The Bundesliga side continued to grow in strength as the half wore on, but had nothing to show for it at the interval after Martins Felipe missed the target with his header from Jan Schlaudraff's corner. Twente came out positively after the break and Chadli made it 2-0 after 54 minutes when he smashed home from 20 yards with his left foot. Hannover responded with a chance from Schlaudraff which was fisted away by Mihailov, but the goalkeeper could do little to prevent the visitors scoring after 68 minutes. Konstantin Rausch saw his effort half cleared by Denny Landzaat in the Twente defence, but Sobiech picked up the loose ball and slammed a shot into the bottom left corner. The German club were then level five minutes later thanks to another defensive lapse when an unfortunate Wisgerhof turned a threatening ball from Rausch into his own net. Both sides had chances to win it in a tense finale. Mihailov pulled off two excellent saves to keep out a Huszti free-kick and his follow-up shot, while Luc Castaignos saw his stoppage-time strike saved by Hannover keeper Ron-Robert Zieler's feet.