News Archive

Champions League, day 3

Real Madrid stay top of their group after a 0-0 draw at Paris Saint Germain on Wednesday evening. Both teams had won their opening fixtures, and the result takes them a step closer to qualifying for the knock-out stages. Atlético Madrid also lead their group after a comfortable 4-0 victory over Astana. Saúl Ñíguez and Jackson Martínez put Simeone’s side two up at the break, and an Oliver Torres strike and a late Dedechko own goal completed the scoring. Sevilla though fell to a last minute 2-1 defeat at Manchester City. Konoplyanka gave the Andalusians the lead on the half hour mark, but Rami put through his own net soon afterwards, and big-money signing De Bruyne got the winner for the Premier League side with the match already in time added on. (21.10.15)

Wins for both La Liga sides in the opening day of the third round of group games. Barcelona beat BATE Borisov 0-2 to extend their lead at the top of their mini-league, Neymar setting up Rakitic for both goals after the break. And Valencia won 2-1 against KAA Gent, a Mitrovic own goal giving them the three points after Foket had cancelled out Feghouli’s opener. The Ches stay in second spot in their group, behind leaders Zenit and now five points clear of the other two teams. (20.10.15)

Paris Saint Germain 0 - Real Madrid 0

Real Madrid stay top of their group after a 0-0 draw at Paris Saint Germain on Wednesday evening. Rafa Benítez was forced to make several changes due to injuries to key players such as Bale and Benzema, with Jesé, Lucas Vázquez and Casemiro given rare starts. Both teams had won their opening fixtures, and neither wanted to give anything away in a cautious start. The best chances in the first half though fell to the visitors, Jesé coming up against Trapp when free on goal, and the local keeper tipping a couple of dangerous headers from Ronaldo over the bar. Matuidi tested Keylor Navas with a long shot in reply, and after the restart Ibrahimovic and Di María both went close. With twenty minutes to Ronaldo fired an angled shot just wide of the far post, probably the best chance of the match, but in the end the two coaches settled for a point which takes them a step closer to qualifying for the knock-out stages. Another match this season without scoring for Benítez’s Madrid though, the first time in 41 games that they haven’t found the net in the group stages of the competition. (21.10.15)

Atlético Madrid 4 – Astana 0

Atlético Madrid finished week three at the top of their group, ahead of Benfica on goal difference, after a comfortable 4-0 victory over Astana on Wednesday evening. Their opponents were the first team from Kazakhstan to reach the group stage, and they made the long journey to Spain with a reduced squad of only 15 players, without much hope of success. Kabanaga did try to catch Oblak off his line with a long shot early on however, but Eric had to be at his best to keep out headers from Godín and Griezmann, and midway through the first half Saúl Ñíguez opened the scoring with a clever back-heel after Carrasco crossed in from the right. Soon afterwards Jackson Martínez had a strike disallowed for the positional offside of Griezmann, but with half an hour gone he finally netted his first goal in the Calderón stadium, his shot on the turn taking a deflection off Dedechko to wrong foot the keeper. Eric did save from Jackson and Carrasco either side of half time, but some twenty minutes in to the second half Gabi put Oliver Torres through for him to chip a shot into the net. Oblak finally had to make a couple of saves from Foxi later on, and with the game coming to an end the unfortunate Dedechko slid the ball into his own net trying to prevent a Juanfran cross from reaching Fernando Torres. (21.10.15)

Manchester City 2 – Sevilla 1

A brave Sevilla fell to a last minute 2-1 defeat at Manchester City, and they reach the midpoint of the group stage in third spot in the table, albeit with two home games to come. Emery’s team got off to a good start, Konoplyanka hitting the post with a wide free kick, and Krychowiak bring ing a good save out of Hart before Konoplyanka latched on to a Vitolo cross to open the scoring. Navas, Bony and De Bruyne had gone close for the locals though, and with ten minutes to go to the break they levelled the scores after Sergio Rico pushed out a shot from Sterling, Bony’s follow up hitting Rami and deflecting past the keeper into the net. Gameiro headed two good chances over the top though either side of half time, and Iborra and Krohn-Dehli also failed to hit the target later on in the second half. However Rico had to keep out Jesús Navas and Touré Yaya in reply, and with the game in time added on, big-money signing De Bruyne cut in from the right wing to beat Rico with an angled shot inside the far post. (21.10.15)

BATE Borisov 0 - Barcelona 2

Barcelona beat BATE Borisov 0-2 on Tuesday evening, and with the other group game ending in a draw, Luis Enrique’s side extend their lead at the top of their mini-league. As expected, Barça dominated for much of the match, Chernik having to save from Neymar, Luis Suárez and Munir, and Busquets going close a couple of times. Rakitic had started the match on the bench, but an early injury to Sergi Roberto brought him on, and just three minutes in to the second half he picked up a Neymar pass to open the scoring with an impressive shot into the top corner of the net. Neymar and Munir just failed to find the target soon afterwards, and a few minutes later Rakitic got his second of the night, the Croatian midfielder chipping a shot past the keeper after another assist from Neymar. Ter Stegen didn’t have a real save to make until he had to keep out Signevich with a quarter of an hour to go, and Neymar came close to increasing the lead when he volleyed over the bar in the last minute. (20.10.15)

Valencia 2 – KAA Gent 1

Valencia consolidated second spot in their group after a 2-1 victory against KAA Gent, and they are now five points clear of their opponents and of Olympique Lyon, who lost to leaders Zenit in the other group game. André Gomes, Santi Mina and Paco Alcácer all tried their luck early on, and with a quarter of an hour on the clock Feghouli got on the end of a long Cancelo cross to turn the ball past Seis. The visiting keeper had to make a string of saves from Mina, Parejo and Alcácer after that, but with five minutes to go to the break Foket equalized against the run of play, the full back controlling a long pass from Neto before firing a shot past Domenech. Depoitre caused some problems for the local defence after the restart as the Belgian side grew in confidence, but with twenty minutes to go a Cacelo cross came back off the bar, and Gayà picked up the rebound and fired in a shot which deflected into the net off Mitrovic. Seis had to keep out Rodrigo after that and Domench made a good save from Matton, but although not pretty, it was a second win in a row for the Ches. (20.10.15)