News Archive

Champions League, day 5

Both Madrid teams will be joining Barcelona in the knock-out stages after winning their respective matches on Wednesday. Real Madrid were already sure of a place in the last sixteen, but a 3-4 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk tied up top spot in group A. Rafa Benítez’s side raced into a four goal lead, Ronaldo opening the scoring in the first half, and Modric, Carvajal and Ronaldo adding three more after the restart. The Ukrainian side came back though to set up a frenetic finish, Teixeira converting a penalty and scoring again near the end, and Dentinho chesting a corner past Kiko Casilla in-between. Atlético Madrid share first place of group C with Benfica after beating Galatasaray 2-0, Griezmann scoring a goal in each half to tie up the three points. Simeone’s team will have to beat Benfica in their last match however if they are to finish first in their mini-league, as the Portuguese side won 1-2 in the Calderón stadium earlier this season. Sevilla’s Champions League campaign is over though after they lost 4-2 at Borussia Mönchengladbach, although they still have an outside chance of qualifying for the Europa League, a late strike by Vitolo and a Banega penalty giving them the head-to-head advantage over the German side. To do so however they will have to beat Juventus in two weeks’ time, and hope that Borussia don’t win at Manchester City. For the record, Stindl scored twice for the locals, and Johnson and Raffael got the other two goals. (25.11.15)

Barcelona made sure of top spot in their group after a resounding 6-1 victory over Roma on Tuesday night. A draw between BATE Borisov and Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the evening meant that Luis Enrique’s side were already sure of a place in the knock-out stage, but Luis Suárez and Messi put them two up in the first twenty minutes, and Suárez made it three before the break. Piqué, Messi and Adriano added three more after the restart, and Dzeko had a penalty saved by Ter Stegen before he finally headed a late consolation in injury time. Valencia though drop to third in their group after a 2-0 defeat at Zenit, strikes by Shatov and Dyzuba giving the Russian side a fifth win in a row. Gent’s victory over Olympique Lyon in the other group tie means that the Ches now have to beat Lyon in their last game and hope that the Belgians don’t win their’s against Zenit. (24.11.15)

Shakhtar Donetsk 3 - Real Madrid 4

Real Madrid were already sure of a place in the last sixteen, but a 3-4 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday night tied up top spot in group A. Rafa Benítez’s side raced into a four goal lead, Ronaldo opening the scoring in the eighteenth minute with the easiest of headers after Bale lifted the ball across goal. Ronaldo and Bale tested Pyatov again before the break, and early in the second half Modric made it two after Ronaldo played over a long Casemiro pass. Two minutes later Dani Carvajal scored the third with an angled shot over the head of the keeper, and Ronaldo got the fourth, connecting with another Bale cross and beating Pyatov at the second attempt. However the Ukrainian side came back with three goals themselves to set up a frenetic finish, Alex Teixeira scoring the first from the penalty spot after Casemiro tripped Taison in the area. Soon afterwards Dentinho chested the ball past Kiko Casilla on the far post after Stepanenko headed on a Bernard corner, and with two minutes to go Teixeira got his second of the night after Taison set him up. A win in the end for Madrid though, and a relief after the weekend debacle against Barcelona, although Benítez will not be happy about those three goals at the end. (25.11.15)

Atlético Madrid 2 – Galatasaray 0

Atlético Madrid made sure of their spot in the knock-out rounds with a 2-0 victory over Galatasaray, and they share first place of group C together with Benfica, who they visit in the last group game. The visitors only really troubled Oblak once all night, Sneijder firing a shot just wide of the post early on, but Muslera fumbled a long Gámez throw-in against his own post, and soon afterwards Griezmann gave the locals the lead with a well placed header from Gabi’s cross. Koke, Godín and Giménez went close before the break, and Muslera had to save from Filipe Luis, Carrasco and Koke either side of half time, and twenty minutes in to the second half Griezmann got his second of the night, turning another Gabi centre past the keeper. That wrapped things up, although the scoreline could have been bigger had Muslera not saved from Vietto, Fernando Torres, Koke and Oliver later on. A good win, although Simeone’s team will have still to beat Benfica in Lisbon if they are to finish first in their mini-league, as the Portuguese side won 1-2 in the Calderón stadium earlier this season. (25.11.15)

Borussia Mönchengladbach 4 – Sevilla 2

Sevilla’s Champions League campaign is over after they lost 4-2 at Borussia Mönchengladbach, although they still have an outside possibility of qualifying for the Europa League if things go their way on the last day. Only a win would have kept the Andalusians in the competition, and they started well, Gameiro and Konoplyanka testing Sommer, and Gameiro having a strike ruled out as the referee ruled that Vitolo had run the ball out of play in the build up. However with just under half an hour gone Stindl got on the end of a wayward Xhaka shot to turn the ball past Sergio Rico, and midway through the second half Johnson made it two with a shot from the edge of the area. Ten minutes later Raffael picked up a square pass from Stindl to score a third, and although Vitolo got one back after Llorente put him through, Stindl took advantage of a hesitant defence to restore the three goal cushion a minute later. With the game in injury time though Banega converted a penalty after Krychowiak was brought down in the area, giving Emery’s side a head-to-head advantage over the Germans. However to be able to defend their double title in the Europa League they will have to beat Juventus in two weeks’ time, and hope that Borussia don’t win at Manchester City, a remote chance at best. (25.11.15)

Barcelona 6 – Roma 1

Barcelona made sure of top spot in their group after a resounding 6-1 victory over Roma on Tuesday night. A draw between BATE Borisov and Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the evening meant that Luis Enrique’s side were already sure of a place in the knock-out stage, but the coach still put out a strong line-up, with Messi in the starting eleven after coming on as substitute in Saturday’s victory at Real Madrid. With the game only minutes old, Neymar had a strike ruled out for a questionable offside, and Messi fired a shot wide before Dani Alves collected a pinpoint Neymar pass to set up Luis Suárez for the opener. Dzeko had headed an easy chance over the top just before that, but soon afterwards a brilliant passing move ended with Messi chipping the second past Sczesny, and with half time looming Suárez volleyed home a spectacular third after Keita headed clear another Neymar centre. After the restart the visiting keeper had to make saves from Messi and Neymar, and Ter Stegen saved from ex Barça B winger Iago Falqué at the other end. A minute later however Piqué got on the end of Messi’s cross to make it four, and with an hour gone Messi got the fifth, running the ball into the net after Sczesny pushed out his previous shot. Neymar himself had a chance to get in on the act when Ucan brought him down in the area, and although Sczesny saved his spot kick, Adriano was on hand to drive the rebound back into the net. With ten minutes to go it was Ter Stegen’s turn to save a Dzeko penalty after Vermaelen fouled the ex Manchester City man in the area, but the striker did finally get his reward when he headed a Diagne cross past the keeper in the dying seconds. (24.11.15)

Zenit 2 - Valencia 0

Valencia though drop to third in their group after a 2-0 defeat at Zenit, the Russian side ensuring top spot after a fifth win in a row. The match was played in freezing temperatures, and Gayà headed a deflected shot off the line before Hulk and Dyzuba combined to put Shatov through to open the scoring in the fifteenth minute. Nuno had surprisingly included 18-year old forward Rafa Mir in his line-up, and the youngster went close a couple of times, as did Paco Alcácer, who was pulled up for a non-existent offside when free on goal, and then just failed to connect with a Dani Parejo assist shortly before the break. After the restart however Domenech had to save from a Criscito back-heel and a Hulk corner, and Graya headed another chance just wide. Substitute Santi Mina had a strike ruled out for another borderline offside decision, but with a quarter of an hour Dyzuba put the game beyond Valencia’s reach after a quick passing move with Danny and Shatov. Any possibility the Ches had of salvaging something ended when Rubén Vezo was sent off for a late tackle on Shatov, and Gent’s late victory over Olympique Lyon in the other group tie means that they now have to beat Lyon in their last game and hope that the Belgians don’t win theirs against Zenit. (24.11.15)