Tag: UEFA Champions League

Lewandowski hat-trick sends Germans through

Post author By Admin
Post date November 3, 2021

Robert Lewandowski marked his 100th appearance in the Champions League with his 79th, 80th and 81st goals in the competition as Bayern Munich sealed their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League by beating Benfica 5-2 at the Allianz Arena.

Further goals from Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane secured the win and confirmed Bayern as winners of Group E with two games still remaining.

The victory, in what was Bayern’s 500th game across all European competitions, means Julian Nagelsmann’s men have won all four of their group games, and it is now between Benfica, Barcelona and Dynamo Kiev to fight it out for the remaining qualifying spot.

Benfica started brightly, with Pizzi forcing a save from Manuel Neuer in the first minute, before the visitors had a goal disallowed for offside against the same man in the 15th minute.

Lewandowski headed in a floated cross from Kingsley Coman at the back post to give Bayern the lead on 25 minutes on his milestone evening, and Gnabry doubled the lead six minutes later with a neat flick after a delightful ball over the top from Joshua Kimmich was pulled back by Lewandowski for the former Arsenal man to finish.

Morato headed in an Alex Grimaldo cross on 38 minutes to halve the deficit, before Lewandowski saw a tame penalty saved by Odysseas Vlachodimos just before half-time.

The Bundesliga champions restored their two-goal cushion early in the second half as Sane lashed in after Alphonso Davies headed the ball down to him, before Lewandowski bagged his second and third goals of the night either side of Darwin Nunez’s consolation for the visitors.

It was yet another evening in the Champions League when the rest of Europe will have been sweating over the imperious form of the Bavarians.

In their four Group E games, Bayern have scored 17 goals, conceding just twice. That is on top of the 38 goals they have bagged in just 10 outings in the Bundesliga this season.

Lewandowski became the sixth player to mark his 100th game in the competition with a goal, after Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andrea Pirlo and Toni Kroos.

However, the former Borussia Dortmund striker also missed his first Champions League penalty after 14 successful attempts, and became the first player to score, assist and miss a penalty in a Champions League game since Diego Costa in November 2013 (Atletico Madrid v Austria Vienna).

The Portuguese outfit have failed to beat Bayern in any of their 12 meetings in European competition, with nine of those ending in victories for the German side (D3).

Benfica have also conceded 35 goals in those 12 games while only scoring nine themselves.

Tags Bayern Munich, Football News, Robert Lewandowski, UEFA Champions League

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Ronaldo rescues Red Devils again

Post author By Admin
Post date November 3, 2021

Cristiano Ronaldo once again proved Manchester United’s Champions League hero by scoring late on to rescue a crucial 2-2 draw at Atalanta on Tuesday.

The Portugal international completed United’s 3-2 comeback win against the same opponents from two goals down two weeks ago and also struck late on in September’s 2-1 recovery win against Villarreal.

Ronaldo’s latest rescue act arrived in the 91st minute at Gewiss Stadium when volleying in a sublime equaliser, having earlier struck to cancel out Josip Ilicic’s opener before Duvan Zapata put Atalanta back in front.

The draw keeps Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side top of Group F, level on points with Villarreal and two better off than Atalanta with two group games remaining, meaning their last-16 fate remains in their own hands.

After United had hit the post through a deflected Scott McTominay drive, Atalanta took the lead when Zapata pulled the ball back for Ilicic, whose shot squirmed under David de Gea – the goal allowed to stand after a VAR check for a possible Mario Pasalic offside infringement.

United lost Raphael Varane to injury before half-time, but the introduction of Mason Greenwood paid immediate dividends as he linked up with Bruno Fernandes, who in turn flicked the ball into the path of Ronaldo to fire home his first of the game.

Atalanta restored their lead when Zapata got in behind down United’s right, evaded a sliding challenge from Harry Maguire and finished past De Gea. The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but VAR rightly overturned that decision after a two-minute check to determine Zapata was indeed onside.

That left United on the brink of a fourth successive away defeat in the European Cup for the first time ever, only for Ronaldo to once again bail out his side by firing a first-time shot into the bottom-left corner after a loose ball popped up into his path with time almost up.

With Villarreal on their way to a 2-0 win over Young Boys, United found themselves third in Group F with seconds remaining in Bergamo and yet more questions inevitably being asked of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

While Ronaldo’s brace does not entirely lift the pressure off Solskjaer’s shoulders, it does at least mean United remain top of their group with two games – away to Villarreal and at home to Young Boys – left to play.

Solskjaer could have had few complaints had his side fallen to just a second defeat in their past 12 games against Italian opposition in the Champions League – Atalanta had an expected goals value of 1.55 compared to United’s 1.04 – but with Ronaldo on the field anything is possible.

Ronaldo became the first player to score in four successive Champions League appearances for United since Ruud van Nistelrooy in April 2003 with his opener, which was a well-worked team goal involving Greenwood and Fernandes.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner added an even better second from range and in the process overtook manager Solskjaer’s tally of goals in all competitions for United with his 126th for the club, doing so in 63 fewer appearances.

United were once again shaky in defence and midfield, with the likes Maguire, De Gea and Paul Pogba in particular having off-days – the latter being replaced 20 minutes from time with his side chasing a goal.

The Red Devils have now failed to keep a clean sheet in 14 of their past 15 Champions League matches and have conceded in 13 of their 15 matches in all competitions this term.

Tags Atalanta, Cristiano Ronaldo, Football News, Manchester United, UEFA Champions League

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UCL: LAST-GASP CRISTIANO RONALDO HEADER COMPLETES STUNNING MANCHESTER UNITED COMEBACK

Post author By moshood
Post date October 21, 2021

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s comeback kings did it again as Cristiano Ronaldo secured Manchester United a thrilling 3-2 victory in a breathless Champions League clash with Atalanta.

There was intense scrutiny on the 1999 treble hero and his players heading into the Group F encounter after Saturday’s embarrassing loss at Leicester compounded recent poor performances.

United were staring down the barrel of a fifth loss in eight matches and were booed by some fans as they trudged off at half-time trailing by two goals, only for Solskjaer’s side to storm back memorably at Old Trafford.

Marcus Rashford struck on his first start since the Europa League final and Harry Maguire lashed home a leveller, setting up a box-office finish that Ronaldo delivered with a powerful header from Luke Shaw’s cross.

The victory provided a much-needed shot in the arm for United, who moved top of the group and welcome rivals Liverpool to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The stirring second-half comeback displayed the best of Solskjaer’s side but they have plenty of room for improvement, notably at the back after Mario Pasalic and Merih Demiral capitalised on poor defending in the first half.

Tags Atalanta, Cristiano Ronaldo, Football News, Manchester United, UEFA Champions League

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LE ROY SANE HITS BRACE AS RELENTLESS BAYERN CRUSH BENFICA

Post author By moshood
Post date October 21, 2021

Bayern Munich struck four times in a frantic 15-minute spell late in the second half to cruise past Benfica Lisbon 4-0 on Wednesday and make it three wins out of three Champions League Group E matches.

Leroy Sane whipped in a fierce free kick in the 70th minute and drilled in his second in the 85th after Benfica substitute Everton headed in an own goal in the 80th and Robert Lewandowski bagged their third goal two minutes later.

The Bavarians, with coach Julian Nagelsmann missing with flu, had earlier hit the woodwork and also had two efforts disallowed through VAR.

Bayern, who have now scored 12 goals in their three games and have conceded none, are top of Group E on nine points, with Benfica in second place on four. They are also unbeaten in a record-extending 20 consecutive Champions League away games.

But Benfica had their share of golden opportunities in an entertaining game before eventually running out of gas after the 70th minute.

Some 14 months after winning the Champions League title there, Bayern returned to Lisbon’s Da Luz stadium and went in search of an early goal with chances missed by Sane and Lewandowski.

Benfica gradually balanced things out and forced Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer, making his 100th appearance in the competition, to a fine save before Lewandowski put the ball in the net just before the break only to have his effort cancelled for hand ball.

Benfica keeper Odisseas Vlachodimos then denied them two minutes after the restart, deflecting Benjamin Pavard’s powerful shot onto the post.

Minutes later Bayern thought they had finally scored when Thomas Muller tapped in on the rebound after a solo effort down the wing from man-of-the-match Kingsley Coman. But a VAR review ruled out the strike as Coman was deemed to be offside.

It was by no means one-way traffic with Neuer again making a superb stop in the 55th, palming a curled Diogo Goncalves shot wide with his left glove. Roman Yaremchuk also came agonisingly close, with his shot a little later sailing just wide of the far post.

But it was Sane who broke the deadlock, whipping his 70th minute free kick in before they scored three more times in a rampant finale to remain on course of a spot in the knockout stages.

Tags Bayern Munich, Benfica, Football News, Leroy Sane, UEFA Champions League

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Mohamed Salah seals dramatic win

Post author By Admin
Post date October 20, 2021

Mohamed Salah made history by scoring in a ninth successive match for Liverpool to earn the Reds a dramatic 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid, who had two-goal Antoine Griezmann sent off and a late penalty contentiously overturned.

In-form forward Salah opened the scoring inside eight minutes in Tuesday’s breathless Champions League tie before Naby Keita volleyed in a second five minutes later as the visitors took complete control at Wanda Metropolitano.

That was the earliest Atletico had gone two goals down in a Champions League match, though they hit back before half-time through Griezmann’s double.

Griezmann was sent off early in the second half for a high boot on Roberto Firmino and Liverpool made the man advantage count when Salah scored a second of his own from the penalty spot.

Liverpool, who were given a late reprieve when a penalty awarded for Diogo Jota’s shove on Jose Gimenez was overruled following a check of the pitchside monitor, now hold a five-point lead over Atletico and Porto at the top of Group B.

At 29 years and 130 days, Liverpool fielded their oldest starting line-up in a match since September 1953 and their experience showed in a fast start that saw them open the scoring early on.

Salah’s left-footed shot from outside the box took a deflection on its way past Jan Oblak and was later credited to the Egypt forward after some initial confusion over who the final touch came off.

Atleti continued to be pushed back and they found themselves two goals behind soon after when Felipe’s poor defensive header fell nicely for Keita to thump home with a dipping first-time shot from 18 yards.

But the home side soon settled and were back in the game thanks to a slight touch from Griezmann to help Koke’s shot into the bottom-left corner, the goal allowed to stand after a lengthy VAR check for a possible offside in the build-up.

Griezmann was then denied by Alisson when played clean through on goal, but the France international made amends by taking Joao Felix’s pass in his stride and coolly slotting past the Liverpool goalkeeper.

Alisson and Oblak continued to be called into action in a frantic end-to-end match, but momentum shifted back in Liverpool’s favour with 52 minutes played with Griezmann’s straight red card.

Jurgen Klopp’s side made a spell of pressure count 12 minutes from time as Mario Hermoso barged into Jota inside the box and Salah, who missed a penalty against Milan in Liverpool’s opening group match, buried the spot-kick.

There was still time for more drama in the Spanish capital, with referee Daniel Siebert pointing to the spot for Jota’s challenge on Gimenez, but the decision was controversially overturned before substitute Luis Suarez could step up and take the penalty.

2+1 – Antoine Griezmann is the first player in UEFA Champions League history to score twice and be sent off. Comedown.

Liverpool had failed to beat Atletico in their previous four Champions League meetings prior to this thriller – only Basel had they faced more often without winning in their proud European Cup history. The Reds did it the hard way after giving up their lead, but maintained their record of scoring at least three times away from home in every away game this term – a run that now spans seven matches – and they now have one foot in the last 16 thanks to their five-point buffer at the top.

Salah’s incredible individual strike against Watford at the weekend saw him match Sam Raybould (1902-03), John Aldridge (1987-88) and Daniel Sturridge (2013-14) in scoring in eight successive games for Liverpool. He now holds the record outright with his latest strikes, with his double meaning he has also now scored in six straight away matches for the Premier League side in Europe.

Griezmann has taken his time to get going since returning from Barcelona but had a huge say in this game, with his brace the sixth he has managed for the club in the Champions League – no other Atleti player has managed more than two.

However, his red card for a perceived high boot proved pivotal. Griezmann had every right to feel aggrieved as he had his eyes on a looping ball and did not see Firmino, whom he caught in the face, but he nevertheless became the first player in Champions League history to score twice and also be sent off in the same match.

Tags ATLETICO MADRID, Football News, Liverpool, Mohamed Salah, UEFA Champions League

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Lionel Messi scores twice to complete comeback

Post author By Admin
Post date October 20, 2021

Lionel Messi scored twice in the space of seven minutes as Paris Saint-Germain grabbed a 3-2 victory over RB Leipzig in a thrilling Champions League encounter.

Kylian Mbappe had fired PSG into a ninth-minute lead, yet Andre Silva deservedly pulled Leipzig level in what was another laboured and imbalanced performance from PSG on Tuesday.

Shorn of the injured Neymar, Mauricio Pochettino’s team looked set to be punished when Nordi Mukiele scored Leipzig’s second to put them ahead just prior to the hour at Parc des Princes.

However, Messi was on hand to stem Leipzig’s hopes of a first Champions League win of the campaign with a somewhat fortuitous finish, before the former Barcelona superstar chipped home the winner from the penalty spot.

Mbappe slammed a second penalty high over the bar in stoppage time, though PSG still moved to the top of Group A.

Preferred to Gianluigi Donnarumma, Keylor Navas had to be alert early on, denying Konrad Laimer and then Silva.

But PSG struck first as Julian Draxler fed Mbappe who, after isolating Willi Orban, wrongfooted Peter Gulacsi with a superb low finish to cap off a supreme counter-attack.

Silva was inches away from restoring parity with a fantastic volley that clattered off the post, though PSG’s luck ran out when the Portugal forward stole in unmarked to tuck in Angelino’s cross.

PSG’s defensive frailties were exposed again after the restart – Angelino whipping in another fantastic cross that was side-footed home by his fellow wing-back Mukiele.

Yet Leipzig’s hard work was undone when Mbappe latched onto a loose ball and turned it back for Messi. His shot was palmed onto the post, but he followed in to nudge home on the line.

The turnaround was complete in the 74th minute. With Mbappe having drawn a clumsy push from Mohamed Simakan, Messi stepped up to send a Panenka down the middle from 12 yards.

Messi seemed all set to round off his hat-trick when a second spot-kick was awarded PSG’s way for a foul on Achraf Hakimi, only for Mbappe to take it instead, with the France forward blazing over.

With Leipzig dominating after their second goal, Pochettino brought on Danilo Pereira and switched to a back three.

The change in shape worked, matching their opponents and freeing up Messi to play alongside Mbappe, with the two working in tandem to level proceedings.

Defensively, PSG were far too porous, allowing 18 attempts on their goal. However, they had the quality up top to pull through, while Jesse Marsch’s Leipzig sit bottom of Group A, and seem almost certain to be heading out.

Messi makes the difference

While Messi’s first PSG goal – a sublime strike in the win over Manchester City – was of the calibre you would expect from the world’s greatest player, his second effort was rather scrappier, with Gulacsi making a mess of getting the first shot away.

Messi’s third goal, however, displayed all the quality and composure the mercurial 34-year-old has at his disposal. He is level with Mauro Icardi and Neymar in terms of PSG players with the most Champions League goals in their first three appearances in the competition, but really, he should have been given the opportunity to move clear in that regard.

Mbappe adds sour note with dreadful spot-kick

It would be wrong to suggest Mbappe had a poor game. In fact, alongside Marco Verratti, he was probably PSG’s best player. His opener was a sensational finish, and brought up his 40th direct goal involvement in the Champions League for the Parisians.

He then won PSG’s first penalty, after setting up the goal that made it 2-2, but perhaps his ego got the better of him when he denied Messi the chance of a hat-trick. There were no protestations from his legendary team-mate, though if he is going to pull rank in such a situation, he had to at least hit the target.

Tags Football News, Lionel Messi, Paris Saint-Germain, RB Leipzig, UEFA Champions League

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Palmer nets as slick visitors win big

Post author By Admin
Post date October 20, 2021

Teenage midfielder Cole Palmer scored his first Champions League goal as Manchester City produced a slick performance to secure a 5-1 win over Club Brugge in Belgium.

Full-backs Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker both found themselves on the scoresheet, the former scoring the first on the half-hour mark with a composed finish from Phil Foden’s pass.

Riyad Mahrez calmly tucked a penalty away before half-time and, soon after the restart, Walker got in on the action, drilling into the bottom-left corner after Kevin De Bruyne – playing in his home country – set him up.

Palmer struck within three minutes of coming off the bench, taking a neat touch before rifling a left-footed effort past Simon Mignolet from just inside the area.

While captain Hans Vanaken grabbed a late consolation for Brugge, a controlled outing for City was capped by Mahrez scoring his second of the night.

City started with plenty of intent, seeing two goals ruled out before full-back Cancelo opened the scoring with a centre-forward’s finish, taking Foden’s ball over the top on his chest and prodding through the legs of Mignolet.

There were ugly scenes as the Portugal international celebrated by the corner flag, with projectiles thrown towards him and his City team-mates by Club Brugge fans.

Stanley N’Soki tripped Mahrez just inside the box and the Algeria winger dusted himself off to take the spot-kick, which he slotted coolly into the bottom-left corner, sending Mignolet the wrong way to give the visitors a deserved 2-0 lead shortly before the break.

The third came eight minutes into the second half as City’s other full-back, Walker, made a smart run into the box and lashed a low effort across goal to finish off a neat team move.

De Bruyne was received warmly by the home faithful as Pep Guardiola replaced the Belgian with 19-year-old Palmer, and the substitute promptly added a fourth, lashing inside the left-hand post on 67 minutes after being found by Raheem Sterling.

Vanaken found the bottom-right corner to deny Ederson a clean sheet with nine minutes of normal time remaining, but Mahrez responded with City’s fifth just three minutes later, racing in behind and steering the ball into the top-right corner to round off the scoring, with Fernandinho getting the assist.

City suffered a blow in their quest to finish top when they lost 2-0 to Paris Saint-Germain on matchday two. However, last season’s Champions League finalists clicked into gear tonight and looked very impressive, despite losing their clean sheet towards the end.

This is the 19th time a Pep Guardiola side has scored five or more goals in a Champions League match, more than twice as many times as any other managers’ sides have done so (Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson, eight).

Mahrez’s composed penalty and late strike mean that the winger now has five goals in just three Champions League appearances against Club Brugge – his best record against a single opponent in the competition.

It is also a continuation of the Algerian’s excellent form in the Champions League, taking him to seven goals in his last seven appearances in the tournament.

Palmer has become only the third teenager to score in the Champions League for Manchester City after Foden and Kelechi Iheanacho.

Aged 19 years and 166 days, Palmer is the 10th youngest Englishman to score in the competition.

Tags Football News, manchester city, UEFA Champions League

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Vinicius shines as talk cruise

Post author By Admin
Post date October 20, 2021

Vinicius Junior scored twice as Real Madrid got their Champions League campaign back on track with a commanding 5-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk.

Having suffered a shock defeat by Sheriff last time out in Group D, Carlo Ancelotti’s men endured no such difficulties at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev.

Sergey Krivtsov’s own goal got the ball rolling for the visitors seven minutes before half-time, while Vinicius’ quickfire double put them in control after the break.

Further strikes from Rodrygo and Karim Benzema completed the rout as coach Ancelotti claimed his fifth straight victory over Donetsk in this competition.

Despite a bright start at the scene of their 2018 Champions League final triumph over Liverpool, Madrid had a scare in the 23rd minute.

Indeed, Ferland Mendy was forced to clear Ismaily’s dangerous cross with Mateus Tete lurking for a tap-in.

But it was the 13-time European champions who hit the front in extremely fortuitous circumstances after 37 minutes, as Lucas Vazquez’s hopeful ball towards Benzema was sliced beyond his own goalkeeper by skipper Krivtsov.

Benzema was involved again as Madrid doubled their lead within six minutes of the start of the second half. After Donetsk were caught in possession from a throw-in, the skipper found Luka Modric, whose perfectly weighted first-time ball was delicately finished by Vinicius.

The Brazilian grabbed his second in emphatic fashion just five minutes later.

Receiving the ball from Benzema on the left flank, he embarked on a jinking run into the heart of the hosts’ defence before sweeping the ball past Anatolii Trubin.

Vinicius then turned provider in the 65th minute, demonstrating tremendous vision to cut the ball back for Rodrygo to thump into the roof of the net. Benzema completed the scoring with a neat finish in the dying moments of the contest.

Tags Football News, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, UEFA Champions League, Vinicius Junior

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Palmer nets as slick visitors win big

Post author By Admin
Post date October 20, 2021