Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the Champions League clash between Steaua Bucuresti and Basel.

The home side are in dire need of a win tonight to get their hopes of reaching the knockout round of the competition alive following defeats to Schalke and Chelsea in their first two games.

Basel could also do with a victory tonight to boost their hopes of reaching the next round of the tournament after their shock win over Chelsea put them in an excellent position to try and sneak through.

Bucuresti come into this game in excellent form and are currently top of the Liga 1 table in Romania following a 4-0 win at the weekend over Viitorul Constanta. They will need to find that form again tonight to have a chance to getting the three points.

Meanwhile, Basel also come into this game in good form off after securing back-to-back victories in the Super League in Switzerland with wins over Lausanne Sport and St. Gallen, which moved them to the top of the table over Grasshopper.

The team news has just been released and we'll start with the home side.

BUCURESTI STARTING XI: Tatarusanu, Szukala, Gardos, Latovlevici, Georgievski, Pintilii, Tanase, Stanciu, Bourceanu, Popa, Piovaccari.

BASEL STARTING XI: Sommer, Ivanov, Voser, Schar, Safari, Die, Stocker, Frei, Díaz, Salah, Streller.

Steaua make two changes to their side that won 4-0 at the weekend in Liga 1 as Laurentiu Reghecampf opts to drop Pârvulescu and Cristea and replaces them with Latovlevici and Tanase.

Basel make three changes to their side that beat St.Gallen as Ajeti, Delgado and Xhaka make way and are replaced in the lineup by Safari, Salah and Diaz.

Bucuresti manager Laurentiu Reghecampf has admitted that this is his side's last opportunity to push to get into the next round of the competition, he told reporters: "This is probably the last chance for us to qualify for the next phase. We have to win to remain in the race for second or third place. We will try to play more aggressively, and get two or three players around every opponent who has the ball."

Meanwhile, Basel boss Murat Yakin is aware that this could be a dangerous game for his side despite Steaua's struggles in Europe this season, he told reporters: "At this stage we know a lot more about our opponents. Even if Steaua have conceded seven goals, tomorrow night will be a different story. They won't make life easy for us. It's back-to-back games with six points up for grabs. With a positive result in the home fixture we can start dreaming of a place in the last 16. We played well against Chelsea and Schalke.

We have adapted to each of our opponents. I don't know if we can call ourselves favourites against Steaua because they are in desperate need of points. I have seen both of their games and they played particularly well defensively against Schalke. Tomorrow, we will try and play to our strengths."

BUCURESTI SUBS: Nita, Filip, Varela, Chipciu, Prepelita, Tatu, Kapetanos.

BASEL SUBS: Vailati, Ajeti, Sauro, Delgado, Elneny, Xhaka, Sio.

The players are making their way out onto the pitch and we should be underway shortly.

We're underway in Bucharest.

The home side are immediately on the attack down the right and Pintilii lifts a cross into the area and the ball is cleared but only as far as Latovlevici but his shot is deflected over the bar.

Bucuresti have started brightly and are spreading the ball around well in possession but are yet to really threaten Sommer so far.

A scrappy game so far as both teams are guilty of giving away cheap free kicks breaking up attacking moves.

CHANCE! Streller is put beyond the home side's defence and is through on goal but he fires a tame effort at Tatarusanu, who makes a comfortable save. That was a great opportunity.

Salah finds space down the right and drills an effort at goal but his shot is deflected wide of the post for a corner.

OFF THE LINE! Stocker whips in the corner and his delivery beats everyone in the area and comes to Ivanov at the back post, who manages to get a foot on it but Georgievski somehow heads it off the line and over the bar. An amazing clearance.

SAVE! Basel come close again but this time they are denied by Tatarusanu as he blocks Frei's header with his feet at the near post from Diaz's delivery from the left. It's all hands to the pump for the home side in defense at the moment.

The pressure finally relents on the Steaua goal when Stocker handles the ball down the right trying to keep an attack alive.

CHANCE! The home side threaten as Popa raids down the right and again he cross is cleared to the edge of the area where Stanciu shoots on the edge of the area but his shot goes just over the bar.

CHANCE! Basel hit back against the home side and nearly take the lead in a scramble in the box as Salah gets the ball down the right and raids into the area and gets a shot away his initial effort is poor but the ball comes back to him and he fires a powerful shot on target but Szukala makes an excellent block.

Diaz gives the ball away in a crucial area of the field to Stanciu and he races forward with two teammates in support but as he looks to thread a pass through Voser gets back at him and makes the tackle.

Basel have a chance to threaten again from a corner but this time Steaua clear their lines at the first attempt as Szukala heads the ball clear.

Steaua hit the visitors on the counter and Papa misses a golden opportunity to find Tanase free down the right but the ball comes to the striker eventually and he cuts inside on his left foot and drills an effort at goal, which is saved by Sommer at his near post.

CHANCE! Basel nearly take the lead as Safari and Streller exchange passes allowing the winger to get into the penalty area down the left and he shoots at goal but his effort goes into the side netting. A wasted opportunity.

The visitors have settled into a solid passing game and are trying to open space for their front men to move into but the home side are resisting at the moment.

CHANCE! Steaua work the ball nicely down the right and the Stanciu reverses play to the left where he finds Tanase in space, he shoots first time with his left-foot but Sommerm makes the save.

Steaua win a free kick as Streller brings down Stanciu just outside the area, Latovlevici takes the free kick with his left foot and puts the ball wide of the post. That was a chance to test Sommer.

CHANCE! Steaua work the ball again through the midfield and Szukala comes up from the back with a hit and Sommer makes a decent stop to deny the defender. The home side are coming more and more into this game.

OFF THE BAR! The visitors come within inches of taking the lead as Stocker raids forward from midfield and shoots at goal from distance, his effort is deflected by Gardos and loops over Tatarusanu but the ball hits off the underside of the bar and Bourceanu clears the danger.

The visitors miss a chance to put Steaua under pressure late in the half from a corner but Stocker lifts his delivery straight into the hands of Tatarusanu.

It's all square at the break but it shouldn't be as the visitors somehow didn't get on the scoresheet in the first half as they hit the bar and had an effort cleared off the line.

Steaua have had their moments as well but this game should be out of sight for Basel and they may come to regret their missed chances in the second half.

The players are back out for the second half and we should be underway shortly.

We're back underway in this Group E clash.

The visitors take the lead as they capitalise on an error from Latovlevici as he gives the ball away for Diaz 20 yards from his own goal and the midfielder makes his pay with a wonderful finish as he curls the ball into the top corner leaving Tatarasanu with no chance.

Steaua run straight up the field to try and get an equaliser as Tanase is threaded through down the right but the ball is too quick for him and he can't keep it in play.

The home side look shell shocked by that goal and have lost all their confidence in their play. They need to tough this spell out and avoid going two goals behind.

SUBSTITUTION: Stanciu is replaced by Tatu for the home side.

CHANCE! The visitors raid forward and Streller links up well with Die in midfield, creating room for a shot from Die, which forces Tatarasanu into a save, which he makes with ease.

CHANCE! Latovlevici misses a great chance to get his side level as Popa lifts a cross to the back post and the ball evades every defender and comes to the left-back, he takes a touch inside and scuffs his shot with his right foot, putting his effort wide.

Diaz dribbles through the Steaua defence and tries to find the run of Streller but Gardos gets his foot to the ball and clears the danger, making a vital interception.

The home crowd are not happy with their team as Tatu gets the ball down the left and tries an impossible ball over the top for
Kapetanos and Basel collect with ease. Boos echo around the Arena Nationala.

CHANCE! Steaua break forward in numbers and the ball comes to Filip just outside the area and he drills an effort at goal, which looks to be heading into the bottom corner but Sommer makes an excellent save to beat it away.

Basel are trying to take the pace out of the game, going down with injuries from fairly innocuous challenges from the home side. That frustrates the supporters and Reghecampf on the sidelines.

The visitors threaten with a corner as Stocker takes it quickly and knocks it out to Voser but his delivery is terrible as he goes well above everyone in the penalty area and out for a goal kick.

CHANCE! Tanase finds space down the left-hand side, he looks up into the area and spots the run of Kapetanos, he cuts back onto his right foot and fires at goal but Kapetanos get to the ball to fire wide. The striker was in an offside position and should have left his teammate's goalbound effort there.

Diaz nearly gets behind the Steaua defence again but this time he's held off by an excellent challenge from Georgevski, who manages to get himself between the attacker and the ball and eventually wins a free kick.

CHANCE! Popa gets down the right for the home side and drills a cross into the area and Tatu surges into the area and meets it on the volley but he sends his effort well over the bar from 10 yards out. They can't afford to keep spurning these opportunities.

Basel have done well again to take the pace out of the game, every time the home side start to build a period of pressure the visitors respond with a couple of minutes of solid possession to keep them at bay.

Basel win a free kick just outside the penalty area as Streller is hauled down by Szukala and the defender goes into the book. Diaz will line this kick up from 20 yards out.

Diaz drills his shot straight into the wall and Steaua clear the danger. That was a chance to kill the game right there spurned by the visitors.

SHOT! Steaua nearly make the visitors pay as they raid forward and the ball comes to the skipper Bourceanu, who shoots first time with his left foot but his effort goes just wide of the post.

The hosts win a free kick down the right and Bourceanu lifts the ball into the area and Sommer does well to come into a crowd of players to punch the ball clear.

It's getting a bit desperate for the hosts as the moment as they are throwing everything at Basel and Popa sums this up as he tries to do too much and loses possession in the penalty area.

Steaua get their equaliser at long last and they deserve it as Popa finally gets a reward for all of his endeavour down the right as this time his cross is met by Tatu who guides the ball into the top corner at the near post. A good finish.

Popa looks inspired after his goal and chases down a long clearance from Tatarusanu and wins a corner for his side in a battle with Voser.

Basel defend well from two corners from the left and that might be it for the home side's chances of winning this game.

A long ball is pumped into the penalty area by the hosts and Popa gets a volleyed effort away but it's deflected behind for a corner.

Popa meets the corner with a header but he directs it well over the bar, that could be Steaua's last chance.

Steaua earn their first point in the Champions League this season thanks to Tatu's last strike which is what they deserved for their second-half efforts.

Murat Yakin's side will look at their missed opportunities in the game as the reason for their dropping of two points which could be crucial for their chances of reaching the knockout stages of the competition.

Thanks for joining Sports Mole this evening, we'll be back with all the action from the Champions League tomorrow. Until then, goodbye.