Evertons Lukaku has business to finish in Kiev

Last updated : 18 March 2015 By AFP

Romelu Lukaku's late penalty at Goodison Park last week gave Roberto Martinez's men a slender 2-1 first leg lead, and the Belgian striker could once again prove the key to furthering Everton's European adventure.

Everton warmed up for their 5,500 kilometre away day by brushing aside Newcastle 3-0 on Sunday

Lukaku, the leading scorer of the 16 teams left in the Europa League with seven goals, was again on the mark to lift the Toffees six points clear of the relegation zone.

"Everybody knows I want to win the Europa League and I also want us to finish as high as we possibly can in the league, so I will do my best to achieve my own objectives and the team's objectives," said the in-form 21-year-old.

"Now we have to do the business in Kiev

That will not be easy but I'm very confident in my teammates

Hopefully we can do the job there."

Martinez welcomed back on Sunday his left-back Leighton Baines, who managed the full 90 minutes against Newcastle after missing the last four games with a leg injury.

"Newcastle was a massive game," the 30-year-old told his club's website.

"We were on the front foot defensively and Rom and Arouna (Kone) were a handful up front, caused them plenty of problems and we were good value for the win in the end.

"So we've got the first of what we want to be three wins in a week

We know we can get away with a draw in Kiev but we want to go out there and try to win that game and the same at QPR."

Dynamo drubbed Mariupol 5-0 in their domestic warm-up on Sunday to leave the side coached by former Tottenham and West Ham forward Serhiy Rebrov seven points clear of Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukrainian first division.

UEFA have ordered part of Kiev's stadium to remain closed as punishment for ugly crowd trouble during Dynamo's last 32 clash with French side Guingamp.

Elsewhere Thursday, Napoli will fancy their chances of featuring in Friday's quarter-final draw after Gonzalo Higuain's hat-trick inspired the Serie A side to a 3-1 home win over Dinamo Moscow.

Holders Sevilla also have one foot through the last eight door after sauntering to a 3-1 win over La Liga rivals Villarreal, helped by the competition's all-time fastest 13-second goal from Victor 'Vitolo'.

Andre Villas-Boas' Zenit St Petersburg hold a 2-0 advantage in Torino, while Bundesliga highflyers Vfl Wolfsburg take a 3-1 lead to the San Siro to face three-time champions Inter Milan.

Inter coach Roberto Mancini issued a rallying cry to the club's players and fans after Sunday's disappointing 1-1 draw with Serie A strugglers Cesena.

"It's understandable the fans are angry or disappointed, because we're not doing well

But we need them at the stadium on Thursday," said the Italian.

"We need a special night where we make things happen

Wolfsburg are a good team, it's no surprise they are second in the Bundesliga.

"But if we put in a great performance we can get through to the next round."

In other ties, Club Brugge (2-0 first leg winners)are in Turkey to tackle Besiktas, former continental kings Ajax trail Ukrainian side Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 1-0, and the all-Serie A clash between Roma and Fiorentina is finely poised at 1-1.

The draw for the two-legged quarter-finals will be held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon on Friday.

Source : AFP

Source: AFP