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Tristan grabs a victory for Coruna
LA CORUNA, Spain -- A late goal from striker Diego Tristan allowed Deportivo Coruna to snatch a 1-0 win over Monaco in a delicately balanced Champions League Group C match. The striker justified his surprise inclusion in the starting line-up when his powerful close-range shot took a deflection off keeper Flavio Roma and squirmed into the net seven minutes from time. That allowed the Galicians to displace the French league side as group leaders. But Monaco came close to grabbing an equaliser as they pushed forward in the closing minutes when they were denied by some fine last-ditch defending and sharp saves from keeper Jose Molina. Tristan, who was selected ahead of the in-form Walter Pandiani, had missed the target on 15 minutes after Juan Carlos Valeron had danced his way past the Monaco defence. An enthralling battle ensued as Depor tried to tease open the well-organised Monaco defence, while the French side hit back on the break. Didier Deschamps's side finished the half strongly and looked to have gone ahead when former Real Madrid striker Morientes guided an Evra pass into the net only to see his goal disallowed for a borderline offside. A quarter of an hour after the restart Monaco defender Sebastien Squillaci was denied a goal by a splendid reflex save from Molina, who tipped his glancing header over the bar. Roma produced an even better stop for Monaco when he got his hand to a sharp back-heel from Tristan 15 minutes from time, but there was nothing he could do to stop Depor's winner. PSV Eindhoven re-ignited their group challenge with a scrappy 1-0 win over AEK Athens. The Dutch side's goal was a gift from inexperienced goalkeeper Christostomos Michailidis whose suicidal throw let in Theo Lucius to score in the 37th minute and put them on their way to their first win after two defeats. Michailidis left defender Michalis Kasapis with too much to do and Lucius robbed him to steer home a shot at the second attempt. It was PSV's only effort on target in the first half and aside from long range effort from Thodoris Zagorakis the hosts offered little threat on goal either. AEK's task was not helped by Kofi Amponsah's red card for a professional foul on Mateja Kezman midway through the second half.
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