Champions League Report

Paris Saint-Germain 2-2 Barcelona

Last-gasp Valdes error keeps French side alive
Lionel Messi scored before succumbing to injury at half-time, and Xavi's late penalty appeared to seal the French side's fate, but Matuidi's even later strike leaves the tie open

 

 Two late, late goals saw Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain play out an enthralling 2-2 draw during the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday.

Tito Vilanova returned to the Blaugrana dugout for the first time in months after undergoing cancer treatment in New York, but his long-awaited comeback was tainted somewhat by the departure of Lionel Messi during half-time with a hamstring injury.

But the Argentine still managed to make his mark on the game before his withdrawal, slotting home from a glorious Dani Alves assist to give Barca a narrow lead at the interval, after PSG were the more threatening side during the first 45 minutes.

The French side would controversially find a way back into the tie in the 79th minute when Zlatan Ibrahimovic turned home a rebound from an offside position, but their fortune was short-lived as Xavi scored a late penalty on the stroke of injury time.

But the drama was not done, as Blaise Matuidi struck with the last kick of the game, leaving it all to play for during the second-leg at Camp Nou in eight days' time.

David Beckham was handed a start for the hosts with Lucas Moura and Ezequiel Lavezzi also making a swift return to their XI. Meanwhile, Victor Valdes, Jordi Alba and Xavi were restored to the visitors’ starting lineup after missing out over the weekend.

Whatever nerves PSG may have felt from the indomitable reputation of their opponents were quickly shaken off during an energetic start to the match, where they could have taken the lead twice inside the opening 20 minutes.

Lavezzi was first up with a deflected effort that cannoned off the far post, before Ibrahimovic forced a world-class save from Valdes, who saw his free-kick late after it was hammered through the wall.

Barca were not without their own early opportunities, as Andres Iniesta missed by inches with a curling shot, but it was PSG who looked like prime candidates to break the deadlock, as Javier Pastore’s 25-yarder called Valdes into action again.

But PSG could not build on their positive start, and as the first-half went on, their counterattacking threat diminished as Barca’s tiki-taka football became more of a feature.

And they were made to pay for their lack of ruthlessness five minutes before half time as Messi, anonymous until that point, drilled home from an absolutely breathtaking outside-of-the-boot pass from Alves.

The Argentine could have made it 2-0 minutes later, but could not keep his shot down after racing into a fantastic position inside the area.

And that would end up being Messi’s last notable contribution of the match, as a suspected hamstring complaint forced him off during the break, with Cesc Fabregas replacing him for the second period.

But in sharp contrast to the start of the match, the second-half saw PSG struggle to get into their stride as the tempo of the game dropped markedly.

Sergio Busquets’s long range shot was smothered convincingly by Salvatore Sirigu, and Alexis Sanchez’s poor first touch denied him a clear opening inside the box as Barca just about seemed to have the upper hand.

With 11 minutes remaining, Ibrahimovic would drag PSG back into the tie in contentious fashion, as he turned home a rebound from an offside position after Thiago Silva’s header took a ricochet off the post.

But in the 90th minute, their joy turned to despair as a moment of rashness from Sirigu sent Sanchez tumbling inside the area, leaving the referee with no choice, and Xavi stepped up to bury the resulting penalty.

It seemed like the end of PSG's European ambitions for another season, but with the last kick of the game, Matuidi managed to squeeze a shot past Valdes to blow the roof of the stadium and give the French side reason to believe.

 Bayern Munich 2-0 Juventus

Alaba & Muller net as German giants produce dominant display
Jupp Heynckes' men have one foot in the final four after dominating their quarter-final first-leg clash with the Italian champions from start to finish

 

 Bayern Munich took a significant step towards the semi-finals of the Champions League with a commanding 2-0 first-leg success over a strangely subdued Juventus side at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday evening.

After opening the scoring inside a minute courtesy of a deflected drive from David Alaba, the runaway Bundesliga leaders dominated what many felt would be the most closely contested of the four quarter-finals and were full value for a victory which was deservedly capped by a second-half strike from Thomas Muller.

Bayern had gone into the game on the back of a devastating 9-2 domestic defeat of Hamburg but even they could not have imagined that they would open the scoring against the tightest defence in the Champions League with such ease.

Less than 25 seconds had elapsed when an uncharacteristically sloppy pass from Andrea Pirlo allowed Bastian Schweinsteiger to put Alaba into space some 35 yards out. Even then, there appeared to be little threat to the Juventus goal, but the Austria international’s subsequent strike took a slight deflection off Vidal that deceived Gianluigi Buffon, who, having inexplicably committed himself to a dive to his right, was unable to scramble back across his line to keep out a bouncing ball that was not travelling at any great pace.

Credit to the visitors, they responded well to the concession of such an early goal, and Pirlo fired a free kick just over the Bayern bar seconds before midfield partner Vidal flashed a well-struck shot inches wide as the Bianconeri enjoyed a brief spell of dominance.

The loss of Toni Kroos to injury after 16 minutes appeared further cause for concern for Bayern but the introduction of Arjen Robben coincided with a sustained spell of pressure for the hosts, with the Dutchman very nearly doubling his side’s advantage with a snapshot volley that Buffon did well to block with his feet.

Franck Ribery then saw a low strike unluckily deflected wide by Bonucci, after the industrious Mario Mandzukic had brilliantly dispossessed a sleeping Andrea Barzagli, before Robben squandered another excellent opening on 32 minutes, dragging Muller's terrific cut-back wide of the right post with the entire goal at his mercy.

Juve served a timely reminder of their set-piece threat just before the break when Giorgio Chiellini headed a Pirlo corner just over, but it was clear that the Bianconeri, who had not managed a single shot on target in the opening 45 minutes, would need a drastically improved second-half showing if they were to save an unbeaten away record in European competition that stretched back to 2010.

As it was, Bayern continued to carry the far greater attacking threat and Mandzukic tested Buffon with a low strike after being released into space by Schweinsteiger. The crucial second goal that Bayern undeniably deserved arrived just after the hour mark.

Again, there was some fortune involved. Mandzukic was offside when Luiz Gustavo hit a shot that Buffon was unable to hold, but the hosts deserved their good luck and Mandzukic had to be applauded for the way in which he coolly collected the rebound before leaving Muller with a tap-in.

The beleaguered Bianconeri managed to muster a shot on goal in the final quarter, with Manuel Neuer easily parrying a Vidal shot away to safety, but Muller very nearly added a third Bayern goal at the end of what was already a bitterly disappointing night for the Italians. They must now attempt to overturn a two-goal deficit in the second leg without Vidal and Stephan Lichsteiner, both of whom where booked in Bavaria. 

Source: goal.com

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Amazing Goal

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's miracle goal 'not his best'

Sweden star single handledly destroys England with a four-goal haul, including a bicycle kick that is being called one of the best ever strikes

A shirtless Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates his incredible fourth goal during Sweden's 4-2 victory over England in an international friendly.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic drew praise from every corner after he scored all four goals - including a long-range bicycle kick - in Sweden's 4-2 friendly win over England.

Ibrahimovic's 20th-minute opener made him the first player to score at Stockholm's Friends Arena, but England threatened to spoil the party by pulling ahead through Danny Welbeck and Steven Caulker.

Unfortunately for Roy Hodgson's side, it proved nothing but the cue for Ibrahimovic to take matters into his own hands.

After chesting down Anders Svensson's pass and volleying home a 77th-minute equaliser, he put Sweden ahead with a 30-yard free kick and then served up an extraordinary fourth goal in injury time.

England goalkeeper Joe Hart was drawn from his goal by a long ball but he could not get enough distance on his clearing header and Ibrahimovic capitalised to send an incredible bicycle kick into the unguarded net from 25 yards.

"When I got the long ball, I saw the goalkeeper come out, and I thought, 'Should I go in for the duel, or wait for him to put it out'?" the Sweden captain said.

"When he put it out, I had it in my mind to score - to try to score. I tried to put it in the goal and when I was on the ground, I saw a defender trying to get it, but it went in."

Ibrahimovic, who ripped off his shirt and sprinted along the touchline to celebrate the remarkable late goal, did not regard it as his best performance for Sweden, however.

"I think I've done many, many great games," said the Paris Saint-Germain striker. "It was important to play a good game in the new arena. But if you ask me which goal I liked most, I'd say the first goal, because it was a historic goal - the first goal in the new arena."

Having often struggled against their teams in European competition, Ibrahimovic has never enjoyed the best of relationships with the English fans and media but he certainly made new friends,

"That's the way it is with the English," he said. "If you score against them you're a good player, if you don't score against them you're not a good player.

"I remember Lionel Messi before the 2009 Champions League final for Barcelona ... then he scored against Manchester United and suddenly he was the best player in the world. Maybe now they'll say something like that about me."

Ibrahimovic's performance overshadowed Steven Gerrard's 100th England appearance, but the Liverpool midfielder could not help but admire the Sweden striker's display.

"I have been playing football a long time but Zlatan's fourth goal is probably the best goal I have seen live," he said. "I cannot pay a bigger tribute than that."

Sweden coach Erik Hamren said that Ibrahimovic's fourth goal was "not possible", and went on to laud his match-winner for his maturity as a captain.

"He has been really, really good," Hamren said. "Especially with the young guys - he was their hero when they were growing up, and now they are sitting beside him.

"Yesterday, after lunch, I saw him sitting with the three least experienced players; sitting and talking with them. And they were eating his words, listening so intently. It was really good."

Despite tasting defeat for the first time in his tenure as England coach, Hodgson expressed satisfaction with the performances of his six debutants.

Caulker, Leon Osman and Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling, 17, started the game, with Carl Jenkinson, Ryan Shawcross and Wilfried Zaha all entering the fray in the second half.

Hodgson reserved special praise for Sterling, saying he got "better and better", and describing him as "a young man for the future".

He also defended Hart after an uncharacteristically uncertain performance from the Manchester City goalkeeper.

"These things happen," Hodgson said. "The third goal got a slight deflection.

"On the fourth one, he got an unpleasant bounce - the ball really pitched up and he couldn't get any purchase on the header - and it led to Zlatan scoring his acrobatic goal.

"But we're not worried about Joe Hart. He's a very good goalkeeper. Tonight wasn't one of his absolute best days, but this happens.

"Some of the other senior players had a great game. Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson, Leighton Baines - they all played exceptionally well."

Source: scmp.com

Champions League Report

Ajax 3-1 Manchester City

Mancini's men on brink of Champions League exit

Nasri handed City the lead after a slow start at the Amsterdam ArenA, but goals from De Jong, Moisander and a deflected Eriksen effort have left their European hopes in tatters

Manchester City's chances of Champions League progression suffered a huge blow on Wednesday night after they were defeated by Ajax in a crucial Group D clash.

The visitors took their time to grow into the tie but made no mistake with their first opportunity - Samir Nasri slotting home. However, Siem de Jong netted a superb equaliser on the stroke of half-time to send Roberto Mancini's men into the break with a bitter taste in their mouths.

After a cautious start to the second 45, the Dutch side took the lead through Niklas Moisander before Christian Eriksen inflicted further pain with a deflected shot to bag the third, condemning City to a disappointing blow.

The result gives the Dutch giants their first victory in this year's group stage, while City have just one point from three matches and face a mountain to climb to escape this season's 'Group of Death'.

Danish playmaker Eriksen starred for the Dutch champions, with former Liverpool man Ryan Babel also among the recognised names in the starting XI.

Eden Dzeko was handed a start after his last minute winner against West Brom at the weekend, with Sergio Aguero partnering him in attack. Elsewhere, James Milner kept his place in the side despite being sent off against the Baggies. 

The hosts made the brighter start, keeping the ball with ease and working the first chance of the game just before the ten minute mark, but Eriksen fired narrowly wide of Joe Hart's post.

The dangerous Eriksen then flattened Yaya Toure with a hefty challenge, leaving the Ivorian down but not out, before the Dane made his mark in a different way, once more going close with a long-range effort after producing a delightful touch to set himself up.

However, somewhat against the run of play, Mancini's men took the lead in the 23rd minute. Micah Richards fed Milner with a beautifully weighted ball, with the midfielder passing it on to Nasri who opened his body to curl a shot past Kenneth Vermeer.

Aguero then twice found himself with space in the box, and may well have doubled the lead if it wasn't for two last ditch tackles, before, five minutes later, Vermeer made a fine save from Richards as the Premier League champions settled.

With half-time approaching City were made to pay for failing to press on, though. Ricardo van Rhijn delivered with a low cross from the right, picking out De Jong's run and allowing the midfielder to smash a first-time effort into the corner, giving Hart absolutely no chance and sending the teams into the break on level terms.

The visitors almost made the perfect start to the second period. Aguero broke into the Ajax box and, as Vermeer rushed out, tried to find a team-mate in the area but saw his chipped cross cleared.

However, after a quiet 15 minutes or so, the exact opposite happened. Eriksen whipped in a fantastic corner from the right-hand side, with Moisander then beating Joleon Lescott in the air to nod it past a helpless Hart.

Things went from bad to worse for Mancini, minutes after replacing Lescott with Aleksandar Kolarov and switching to a back three. The Dutch outfit's man of the match, Eriksen, embarked on a twisting run before unleashing a left-footed effort, the ball striking Gael Clichy on it's way into the goal - once again giving Hart no chance.

Tobia Sana then had a golden chance to put his side further ahead, Hart rushing off his line very quickly to smother the one-on-one. Then, as City rushed forward, Dzeko squandered two opportunities to give the visitors a lifeline - the Bosnian hesitating slightly on both occasions which allowed Vermeer to make the blocks.

For the final 15 minutes or so Mancini's side seemed to be playing with just two men at the back and two in midfield, with Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez both thrown into the fray. 

Nasri had a weak penalty appeal turned down and Aguero shot narrowly over, but ultimately there was no breakthrough and Ajax held firm to secure their first win of the tournament, leaving City in big trouble.

Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Real Madrid

Schmelzer the hero as Los Blancos' miserable record in Germany continues

The left-back netted the winner as BVB picked up their first ever win over the Spaniards, leaving them with one win in their previous 24 visits to the country in the process

Borussia Dortmund secured a fantastic 2-1 win over Real Madrid with an energetic display in their Champions League clash at the Signal Iduna Park.

In an evenly contested fixture it was the reigning Bundesliga champions who struck first through Robert Lewandowski but just two minutes later Cristiano Ronaldo equalised with a stunning strike.

Although being the away side, Jose Mourinho's men had a far greater ball retention but that counted for nothing come the final whistle as Marcel Schmelzer's second-half strike ensured BVB took all three points.

The attacking nature of both sides was displayed from the off as neither side sat back in a very open and stretched start. 

With five minutes played, a loose pass from Marco Reus offered Real Madrid their first chance to work the keeper.  Ronaldo charged down the left flank but Mesut Ozil was unable to connect with his cutback and steer the ball on target.

But this was by no means the start of an early Blancos onslaught as BVB proved themselves capable of linking a number of passes together in the opposing half. 

One such move in the 13th minute created space for Sebastian Kehl to try his luck with a shot from distance but a scrambling Iker Casillas managed to get across and parry the ball aside.

Sami Khedira was replaced by Luka Modric due to injury after 20 minutes and although Mourinho's side enjoyed the lion's share of possession, the hosts were relatively comfortable.

After seeing another impressive effort saved by Casillas, Kehl continued to be Dortmund's driving force and that his involvement was key when his side moved ahead. 

Having read the play to pounce on a loose pass from Pepe, he slid a first-time pass straight into Lewandowski. The striker raced through a gap in the defence and fired a low effort past the keeper with 36 minutes played.

Madrid responded to going behind magnificently and managed to restore parity just two minutes later. A long ball forward from Ozil found Ronaldo in space on the left and with Sven Bender unable to make up the ground he lifted the ball over Roman Weidenfeller for a superb finish.

The second half began in a similarly electric fashion to that of the first as Casillas was called into action within five minutes. Mario Gotze sent Lukasz Piszczek's cut back straight down the middle and, although unsighted, the keeper parried it aside.

Five minutes later Schmelzer put enough pressure on Angel Di Maria to stop the Argentine from finding the bottom corner and the BVB left-back then displayed his ability at the other end of the field. 

Casillas could only punch a cross from the left and it fell to Schmelzer 20 yards from goal and the Germany international showed fantastic technique to rifle a volley into the bottom corner in the 64th minute.

Dortmund managed to contain the Liga champions from then on, dispelling the accusations of naivety that were hanging over them following last season's premature exit.

The three points see Jurgen Klopp's men take charge of Group D as they move one point above the Spanish side and into pole position ahead of the return fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu in a fortnight.

Arsenal 0-2 Schalke

Huntelaar & Afellay gun down sloppy hosts

The visitors have leapfrogged the Gunners at the top of Group B as two second-half goals ensured a deserved victory at the Emirates on a disappointing night for Arsene Wenger's men

Schalke became the first foreign side to win at Arsenal in nine years as they took advantage of a pitiful display by Arsene Wenger’s side to take top spot in Champions League Group B.

Late goals from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Ibrahim Afellay settled a game that the German visitors dominated throughout, tearing Arsenal’s insipid defence to pieces, with left-back Andre Santos particularly guilty of complacency as he was torn to shreds by Schalke winger Jefferson Farfan.

As Stan Kroenke and Arsene Wenger watched from the stands and boos rung out from the few fans who stayed in the ground until full-time, you got the sense that Arsenal’s AGM on Thursday night became even more interesting with a result that leaves the Gunners second in the group with three matches to play. They remain one point behind Schalke and three above third-placed Montpellier.

It was the manner of the display that will really grate with supporters who made little attempt to hide their frustration as Arsenal fell to their second home defeat in 28 European matches at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners had just one attempt on target in the entire match, and neither of those were noteworthy. While no-one could be said to have played well, Santos was particularly dreadful at the back while Gervinho’s decision-making highlighted the lack of confidence in their attacking play.

Schalke - who have lost just once this season - took control of the game from the very start, with winger Farfan constantly exposing Santos.

In the 14th minute, the German side had a legitimate claim for a penalty when Afellay was released by Farfan and went down under a challenge from Vito Mannone, only to be shown a yellow card for simulation. Replays suggested the Arsenal goalkeeper did make contact with the Dutchman’s foot.

Schalke began to believe in their chances of becoming only the second side to win a Champions League game at the Emirates Stadium. 

Just before half-time, Huntelaar struck wide of the near post from six yards after meeting Atsuto Ushida's cross when he should have scored.

The second period started in the same manner, Farfan again breezing past Santos and squaring for Schalke captain Benedikt Howedes, who made a mess of his attempted shot and blazed over the crossbar.

As the frustration of the Arsenal fans grew, so did the desperation of the players, with Gervinho booked for an outrageous dive as he tangled with substitute Jermaine Jones.

In the 76th minute, Schalke finally scored the goal they deserved and Arsenal were punished for their carelessness. 

It was far too easy for the visitors. Afellay was allowed to head unchallenged 25 yards from goal to Huntelaar, who was played onside by Santos and smashed the ball low past Mannone.

Four minutes before full-time, Schalke again struck on the break and Santos was again left chasing Farfan’s shadow before the Peruvian crossed for Afellay to slot home from inside the six-yard box. Too easy, too good.

Malaga 1-0 AC Milan

Three wins from three for Spanish side as Allegri moves closer to exit

Joaquin was the hero for the Andalusians, atoning for an earlier penalty miss with the only goal of the game in the second half, as Milan's season goes from bad to worse

Malaga's perfect start to its maiden Champions League campaign continued with a 1-0 victory over AC Milan at La Rosaleda on Wednesday.

The Andalusian outfit has three wins out of three, and remains the only side in this seeason's competition yet to concede a goal after a comfortable victory over the beleaguered Italians, who see more pressure heaped on coach Massimiliano Allegri after another disappointing result. 

The scoreline could have been greater had Joaquin not missed a first-half penalty, but the Spanish winger made amends just past the hour mark as he scored the only goal of the game with a cool finish.

Malaga now has nine points from its opening three games in Group C, and holds a five point lead over Milan, which is now looking over its shoulders at Zenit St Petersburg, only a point behind. 

With Nigel De Jong sidelined through injury, Massimo Ambrosini was handed his first Champions League appearance of the season, while Alexandre Pato continued his return from a long injury layoff with a place on the bench.

Malaga, facing an Italian side for the first time in its history, carried the momentum of the first half as the play of Joaquin and Manuel Iturra in particular kept Milan perpetually on the back foot.

Milan would slowly grow into the game though, and it managed to fashion the first real chance of the match on the half hour mark, as Urby Emanualson broke free down the right and teed up Stephan El Shaarawy inside the area, who fired over from a great position.

Malaga would hit back soon after, as a slick combination between Joaquin and Isco resulted in the latter bending a shot inches over the bar from the edge of the box.

With two minutes to go until halftime, the home side was presented with a golden opportunity to take the lead, after Kevin Constant tugged down Jesus Gamez just inside the area to concede a penalty.

Joaquin took responsibility from 12 yards out, but over-hit the spot-kick, which clipped the crossbar on its way out of play.

The match remained finely poised as the second half unfolded, but Malaga continued to shade matters, and Saviola nearly had a one-on-one after latching onto Isco’s brilliant cutback, but a superb tackle by Daniele Bonera halted him at the last.

With 64 minutes gone, however, Malaga would finally find a way through. Iturra was the architect, clipping a perfectly-weighted pass over Francesco Acerbi, from which Joaquin needed no second invitation to slot into the corner.

Eliseu nearly added a second moments after the restart when he lashed towards goal from 20 yards out, but the fingertips of Amelia denied him a great goal.

Milan launched a late and desperate charge during the final minutes. El Shaarawy saw a close range shot pushed away by Caballero, and Mexes fired wide after attacking in a good position from the resulting corner.

But there was nothing more to come from the Italians, as Malaga held on for a deserved victory, and now sits within touching distance of the knockout stages, while Allegri faces fresh speculation over his future. 

Montpellier 1-2 Olympiakos

Mitroglou strikes in injury time to give Greeks valuable win

Rene Girard's side belied their woeful domestic form to boss much of an entertaining encounter, but a leveller from their captain and a late winner saw the visitors grab victory

Olympiakos secured a dramatic late victory in Group B after goals from Vassilis Torossidis and Kostas Mitroglou cancelled out Gaetan Charbonnier's first goal for Montpellier at the Stade de la Mosson.  

The home side made a blistering start to the match, but despite playing some lovely football, Charbonnier's volleyed effort was La Paillade's only effort on target in the first-half. However, the 23-year-old summer signing nabbed his first goal for his new club right after half-time to put the hosts in the driving seat. 

In an entertaining end-to-end contest, Montpellier threatened to stretch their lead only for Olympiakos' skipper Torossidis to nod home an equaliser. Late drama ensued with Mitroglou turning home a last-gasp winner to steal the spoils. 

Although they currently lie 16th in the French top flight, Girard's Montpellier started the game confidently and set the tempo early on. Younes Belhanda served warning that La Paillade were keen to put their domestic woes behind them: the midfielder flashing a fierce drive just wide on the quarter hour mark. 

French striker Anthony Mounier looked particularly lively for the Ligue 1 champions in the opening stages, but the 25-year-old blasted a decent chance over after an imaginatively-worked free-kick. 

Olympiakos, on the other hand, did not resemble a side who have strung seven back-to-back victories together domestically: Leonardo Jardim's outfit looking shell-shocked by the classy start made by their hosts.

The Greek side offered no attacking threat whatsoever in the first 20 minutes, the tricky jinkings of Leandro Greco on the left offering the only early indication that they could cause their French opponents trouble.  

It was no surprise therefore when Greco created Olympiakos' first chance of note: the former Roma winger nutmegging Benjamin Stambouli before whipping in a dangerous cross that Algerian striker Rafik Djebbour was close to converting. 

Despite Jardim's side starting to settle, Montpellier remained firmly on the front foot with the interval approaching. 

However, Montpellier coach Girard - watching from the stands due to a touchline ban received in their previous 2-2 draw with Schalke - must have been frustrated that his side were creating openings without testing Olympiakos' number one Roy Carroll. 

As the French side's early bluster started to flag, the Greek visitors appeared to grow in confidence. The Red and Whites backline looked solid and their midfield men were looking to cause problems: Portuguese midfielder Paulo Machedo firing a long-ranger over as the Greek champions trained their sights. 

After an attacking lull, however, Montpellier regained their verve and were close to taking the lead when striker Charbonnier latched onto John Utaka's cross to force a smart stop from Carroll.

The pressing question, as both sides emerged after the break, was whether Montpellier's brittle confidence would allow them to sustain the swagger they had shown first-half. 

An emphatic answer was delivered just minutes after the break by Charbonnier, who followed up his own flick-on to bury a low volley past Carroll to score his first goal for the French outfit. 

However, Charbonnier's delight was almost cut short immediately, his error near his own box aiding an Olympiakos attack that saw former Valencia midfielder David Fuster mangle a glorious headed opportunity. 

With the visitors stung into action, the game see-sawed: the Greek champions showing far more attacking intent, with Greco still to the fore, but Montpellier continuing to threaten through the outstanding Remy Cabella, Belhanda and Utaka.  

Just when the game seemed to be slipping away, however, Olympiakos' skipper Torossidis rose to the occasion: the right-back venturing forward and converting Jose Holebas' wicked inswinging free-kick at the second attempt on 76 minutes. 

A tense final quarter followed, but the game somewhat petered out with so much at stake for both clubs - only for substitute Kostas Mitroglou to win the match at the death.

The scene is set for a humdinger of a contest on November 6 when Olympiakos host the return fixture - the Greeks looking to secure a place in the Champions League knock-out phase and Montpellier realistically now playing for a Europa league spot.

Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 Paris Saint-Germain

Ibrahimovic and Menez secure Croatian cruise

The Sweden international hit home to send his side on the way to a routine victory, which puts it clear of Dynamo Kiev in the race to make the next phase

Paris Saint-Germain was given few problems in dispatching Dinamo Zagreb and taking a big step to qualifying from Group A of the UEFA Champions League, recording a 2-0 victory in the Croatian capital. Zlatan Ibahimovic opened the scoring with a neat close-range finish, before Jeremy Menez blasted home to leave Les Parisiens in the driving seat just before halftime. 

Needing a win to strengthen its chances of making the Champions League knockout stages after suffering defeat against Porto, PSG wasted no time in giving a strong sign of its intentions. With just three minutes on the clock Ibrahimovic expertly broke the Dinamo offside trap, but could not put the ball past Ivan Kelava who reacted quickly to keep out the Sweden international. 

Playing as a sole forward, Zlatan had several chances to open the scoring early on but was indecisive in front of goal, squandering several decent opportunities. Kelava was also called into action to deny Jeremy Menez, who saw his powerful effort palmed away by the young goalkeeper. Zagreb's few opportunities to get men forward invariably came from set-pieces, but an accomplished defensive display from the visitors meant Salvatore Sirigu was rarely troubled between the posts. 

The breakthrough for PSG came 10 minutes before the break. Menez did fantastically to beat Ante Puljic wide on the left, and his low cross met Ibrahimovic's outstretched boot and was diverted into the net, just out of Kelava's reach. The goal was a turning point, and ushered in a strong spell of domination for Carlo Ancelotti's charges. 

Dinamo was rapidly losing their grip on proceedings, and stared a third consecutive Champions League reverse in the face when Les Parisiens added a second. Christophe Jallet initiated a rapid counter from deep in his own half that went through Javier Pastore; the Argentine then released Menez on the left who burst into the area and smashed his effort through the legs of Kelava.

Pastore threatened to further extend the lead just after the restart, hitting into the side netting as the away team looked to pick up where it left off after its impressive end to the first period. Dinamo was also probing early on in its attempt to find a way back into proceedings, but both Thiago Silva and Jallet put themselves in the way of danger to thwart the hosts. 

The second half developed without too much goalmouth action, PSG seemingly content with the advantage and Dinamo short of ideas on how to penetrate its opponent's stout defensive line. Zlatan, however, was handed another excellent chance to add a third. The former Milan man was put clean through once more, but tried to be too cute in lobbing the ball over Kelava and drifted his effort wide with the goal at his mercy. The away team then did its best to submit its entry for goal of the season, slick passing between Menez and Jallet playing in Sissokho whose ripping volley flew just wide. 

There were to be no more goals for PSG, but the French team was left to celebrate as its recorded a comfortable victory in a potentially tricky encounter. The club stay in second place with six points from their opening three Champions League encounters, trailing Porto by three but enjoying the same margin over Dynamo Kiev at Group A's halfway point. Dinamo, meanwhile, stays at the foot of the table having failed to hit the net in any of its matches so far.

Porto 3-2 Dynamo Kiev

Jackson Martinez double maintains 100% Group A record

The Portuguese side secured maximum points in dramatic style on Wednesday evening, thanks to their Colombian attacker

Porto produced a 3-2 victory over Dynamo Kiev to maintain their perfect record in Champions League Group A. 

Silvestre Varela’s blockbusting opener provided the first goal in a terrific match, which saw the Ukrainians respond when Oleh Gusyev glanced home a corner kick. Jackson Martinez put the Portuguese side back into the lead before the break, but Brown Ideye’s effort seemed that it may have decisive for the visitors. Nevertheless, Martinez popped up again to score the fifth goal of an enthralling encounter.

Coming into the match having already seen off Dinamo Zagreb and Paris Saint-Germain, the home side showed plenty of confidence in the early stages , yet they had offered only a limited threat in the early stages of the clash.  That changed spectacularly when Varela picked up a seemingly innocuous ball on the edge of the box and rifled home an unstoppable shot.

The Ukrainians had offered little threat to this point, aside from dangerous crosses from Miguel Veloso. From one such chance they drew level as a wicked in-swinging delivery was knocked home by Gusyev.

Although Porto struggled to puncture holes in their opponents, Martinez had already threatened with a shot off the crossbar, and it would be the attacker who broke the deadlock for them 10 minutes before the interval. James Rodriguez was the architect, sliding a neat ball through for the striker to knock home in a composed manner.

After the interval it was the erratic goalkeeping of Helton that offered Dynamo their greatest hope of a point, with the shot-stopper frequently showing nerves with slack punches from the crosses that were coming into his area. 

Nevertheless, Helton’s most painful moment came as he conceded to Ideye, whose thumping effort cracked into the net off his face.

Porto had created only a couple of chances to secure the points before that moment, so there was not great hope of them finding a winning goal, yet it arrived shortly after the leveller. Martinez was the hero with a simple finish, tapping home after Lucho Gonzalez beat a ragged offside trap and squared the ball to his colleague.

Victory was expected for Porto, but the drama surrounding this success was not. Nevertheless, head coach Vítor Pereira can be delighted with the progress of his side, who look all-but certain to progress to the knockout stages once more.

Zenit 1-0 Anderlecht

Kerzhakov penalty rescues unconvincing hosts

The Russians stole the result despite a very lacklustre performance at home, but nevertheless move off the foot of Group C thanks to a second-half spot kick

Zenit St Petersburg claimed the first points of their Champions League campaign after a narrow 1-0 win over Anderlecht at the Petrovskij Stadium on Wednesday.

With both sides needing a win to resurrect their failing European challenges, a penalty from Aleksandr Kerzhakov in the second half, given after a foul by Milan Jovanovic, was enough to send the Russian outfit to a victory that they barely deserved.

Anderlecht will rightfully be disappointed with the result, as they fashioned the best chances throughout the match, and fell victim to a momentary lapse at the back to leave them with one point from their opening three games. 

Zenit now move off the foot of the table with the win and sit three points behind Group C leaders Malaga, who square off with AC Milan later on Wednesday. 

With so much at stake, it was perhaps no surprise to see the match take a while to get off the ground, as both sides seemed determined to prevent a goal rather than score themselves.

The first opening went Anderlecht’s way after 12 minutes, as a delightful one-two between Tom de Sutter and Jovanovic saw the latter drag wide of the far post after going one-on-one with Vyacheslav Malafeev.

That chance seemed to spark Zenit forward, and a stinging free-kick from Hulk was whipped inches wide of the far post, with two of his team-mates close to getting a touch.

The hosts were able to sustain pressure in the opposition half for large spells, but their monopolisation of the ball did not result in any clear-cut chances, as their attack seemed woefully out of sync.

In fact, the best chance of the first half fell to Anderlecht after 26 minutes, when Guillaume Gillet turned Domenico Criscito inside out to find himself in point blank range, only to slide the ball across goal when it was begging to be hit.

That was about as close the match got to a goal before the break, as both teams were extremely laboured in their play, despite the 0-0 scoreline doing more harm than good to their flailing chances of making the knockout stages.

Anderlecht came close four minutes after the restart, after good work from De Sutter out wide saw him tee-up Jovanovic inside the area, but the Serbian, instead of attacking the cross, elected to go to ground in futile hopes for a penalty.

But the second half followed the pattern of the first, with both teams lacking any sort of initiative in attack, as goalmouth action remained elusive.

There was finally some action of note just past the hour mark, as a testing free-kick from Lucas Biglia was punched clear by Malafeev moments before Kanu was able to connect.

Not long after, substitute Vladimir Bystrov cut into space just inside the area, but his shot was fired disappointingly over the bar.

But Zenit were handed a huge stroke of luck with 18 minutes remaining, after Anyukov was hauled down by Jovanovic while attacking a free-kick, leaving the referee with little choice but to award a penalty.

Most of the players were unaware that the infraction had been called, but after matters had settled, Kerzhakov stepped up to send Proto the wrong way and give the home side a lead they scarcely deserved.

Anderlecht pressed forward in the time that remained, but despite a few spells of pressure, they could not strike a telling blow as Zenit ran off with the points, though with Malaga and AC Milan set to meet later in the day, their task in Group C remains monumental.

Source: goal.com

Euro 2012 Report Tuesday 19 Juni

England 1-0 Ukraine

Rooney header seals controversial top spot

The Three Lions top Group D following the three points and France's loss, but the co-hosts saw an equaliser denied despite replays showing that the ball had crossed the line

Wayne Rooney returned from suspension to fire England to the top of Group D and into the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 as a 1-0 victory over Ukraine set up a date with Italy on Sunday.

The co-hosts dominated much of the opening half and England were happy to get into the break level despite having the best chance through the Manchester United striker.

However, Roy Hodgson’s side came out with a much more impetus in the second half and Rooney scored the 29th goal of his international career to keep England’s unbeaten record in Poland and Ukraine intact.

England’s goal continued to lead a charmed life throughout the second period though and they were indebted to John Terry for a fantastic goal-line clearance in the 62nd minute following Joe Hart's save from Marko Devic, however replays showed that the ball had crossed the line.

Rooney’s inclusion in the starting line-up was the only change to the side who beat Sweden so James Milner continued on the right hand of midfield despite the impact made by Theo Walcott in England’s 3-2 victory over Sweden.

Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin was dealt a huge blow before kick-off as captain Andriy Shevchenko was not passed fit to start the game with a knee injury. Devic replaced the influential striker in one of four changes to the co-hosts’ side as Artem Milevskiy, Denys Garmash and Yaroslav Rakitskiy replaced Andriy Voronin, Serhiy Nazarenko and Taras Mikhalik. 

Cheered on by a vociferous home support, Ukraine began the game on the front foot but Hart’s goal was never really under threat as the England defence restricted them to shots from outside the area.

Andriy Yarmolenko had the first real sight of goal in the ninth minute from the edge of the penalty area, however the Dynamo Kiev midfielder had the ball taken off his toe as Terry executed a perfectly-timed challenge.

Midway through the half the co-hosts continued to dominate the game and a mistake by Ashley Young, as he attempted to deal with a cross-field pass, nearly gifted them the opening goal. Oleg Gusev was able to steal the ball away from the Manchester United winger, before cutting inside from the right wing and firing over the crossbar.

Rooney missed a golden opportunity to give England the lead in the 28th minute, but he mistimed his jump when trying to connect with Young’s inch-perfect cross, and the ball dropped harmlessly wide.

Moments later, Hart was called into action as Milevskiy found some room 25 yards out. He played a neat pass into the path of Yarmolenko, who had escaped the attentions of Ashley Cole. The winger’s curling shot was on target but it was easy for Hart who was able to drop on the ball and make the save.

The half-time break gave England a chance to regroup and within three minutes of the restart they were ahead.

A Steven Gerrard corner was cleared only as far as Glen Johnson, who returned the ball to his captain to deliver a dangerous cross right across the six-yard box to send the Ukraine defence into a scramble and allow Rooney to head in for a yard out.

England’s goal only served to inspire the Ukrainians and they had two fantastic chances in the space of two minutes on the hour mark. The first came from a quick corner from the left but Milevskiy was unable to keep his header down from Yarmolenko’s cross despite getting in front of Joleon Lescott.

A minute later a piece of heroic defending from Terry kept England ahead as his acrobatic clearance denied Devic, although replays appeared to show the ball had actually crossed the line and the striker was, in fact, offside in the build-up.

Ukraine continued to push for the equaliser and they were denied by the impressive Manchester City duo of Hart and Lescott ten minutes later. Yevhen Konoplyanka unleashed a powerful shot from just outside the area that Hart could only parry away, but before another Ukraine player could get onto the loose ball, the centre-back had tidied up for his goalkeeper and averted the danger.

England finished the game playing on the counterattack but spent the majority of the final ten minutes in their own half as Ukraine threw everything they had at their opponents, even the introduction of Shevchenko couldn’t inspire the co-hosts and their elimination was confirmed.

Sweden 2-0 France

Stunning Ibrahimovic goal condemns Les Bleus to Spain test

Hamren's men finally held onto a lead at the third time of asking to pick up their first points of the tournament, while defeat means Blanc's side finish second in the group

France will play Spain in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals after surrendering their Group D top spot to England by losing 2-0 to Sweden.

Erik Hamren's men, who already had their elimination confirmed after losing both of their first two games, frustrated the French side in the first half and through Ola Toivonen had two excellent chances to take the lead.

Les Bleus looked very flat in the first half, with Franck Ribery forcing Andreas Isaksson into his only save of the period, as they looked nothing like the attacking threat that beat Ukraine 2-0.

After the break it was Sweden who looked the better side and deservedly took the lead when Zlatan Ibrahimovic volleyed home superbly, with Wilhelmsson nearly adding a second soon after. The Swedes then defended well and scored a second through Sebastian Larsson, forcing France to qualify as group runners-up with England beating Ukraine.

Laurent Blanc made two changes from the 2-0 win over co-hosts Ukraine, with Hatem Ben Arfa starting for the first time in the competition in place of Jeremy Menez, who is a booking away from suspension. Yann M'Vila returned from injury to replace another Newcastle man in the French ranks, Yohan Cabaye, who has been struggling with a leg problem this week.

The Swedes also made two replacements from their last game, a 3-2 defeat at the hands of England, with Rasmus Elm (knee) and Johan Elmander (foot) being forced out with Toivonen and Emir Bajrami coming into the side.

The opening stages saw France create a number of chances for themselves as firstly Karim Benzema slipped Ben Arfa beyond the last man but the Magpies man tried an ambitious shot from a tight angle, skewing the ball off-target. 

Toivonen then wasted a golden opportunity to deal a blow to Blanc's men, the forward challenging Philippe Mexes in the air, and got the better of the centre-back getting himself one-on-one with the French keeper. However he lost control of the ball with a poor touch, and allowed Hugo Lloris to force him wide with the eventual shot into the side netting.

France began to stamp their dominance on possession as the first-half progressed, but with 25 minutes passed they were yet to carve out any more clear chances. Adil Rami tried his luck with a long-range free-kick, but fired over, and then Jonas Olsson made a terrific block to deny Benzema a shot on goal.

Minutes before the break Ribery thought he had finally dribbled free of the Swedish defence, only for Olof Mellberg to get back and slide in with a fantastic tackle, sending the ball out of play for a corner. Toivonen nearly managed to get in behind the French back-four twice more before the whistle, but strayed carelessly offside on both occasions.

The second-half nearly started disastrously for France, as substitute Wilhelmsson would have been in on goal had the linesman not ruled him offside. The 32-year-old, who injected some energy into Sweden's line-up, then nearly knicked the ball from the hesitant Rami's toe but was just about muscled off it by the defender.

Five minutes in and Benzema timed his tun perfectly to beat the Swede's offside trap before cutting in and attempting a curler into the far corner, however the forward didn't get the connection he was looking for and missed the target.

Wilhelmsson continued to make a big impact on the game by controlling a long ball with a magnificent touch before beating Debuchy, he then delivers to the back post where Larsson tested Lloris with a good volley. 

The French keeper saved well but was helpless to deny Ibrahimovic from scoring the opening goal. The Sunderland winger who went close moments earlier crossed from the right and the AC Milan star acrobatically volleyed into the back of the net.

Sweden immediately searched for a second as Ibrahimovic nearly turned provider by holding up the ball before teeing up Wilhelmsson, but Lloris to parried his effort behind.

With Blanc surely aware of the news that England had also taken the lead against Ukraine, and Hamren's side looking dangerous, he needed his side to respond and decided to bring Florent Malouda on for the wasteful Ben Arfa. Soon after Nasri narrowly missed the target from the edge of the box but it was more woe for the manager as Mexes picked up a yellow which sees him miss their next game.

With 20 minutes left to find the two goals that would send them top, at that stage, Benzema was denied a shot on goal thanks to brilliant tracking from Jonas Olsson before M'Vila tired his luck from outside the box, stinging the palms of Isaksson and winning a corner in the process - which France wasted.

Sweden's defence continued to hold firm at time ran-out for Les Bleus, with Mellberg denying Mexes with a brave last-ditch tackle with 10 minutes remaining. Then, Jeremy Menez was thrown into the fray, and he would have made an instant contribution if it wasn't for Isaksson's foot. Another substitute, Oliver Giroud, also almost scored with his first touch from the resulting corner, but headed over the bar.

The French loss was confirmed when Sweden added a late second in injury time through Larsson who smashed a volley into an empty net after Wilhelmsson's initial effort hit the crossbar, giving the Swedes their first victory against France since 1969 and handing Blanc an unenviable quarter-final with Spain.

Source: goal.com

Serie A Reports

AC Milan 2-1 Roma

Ibrahimovic brace saves Rossoneri as Thiago Silva suffers injury

Massimiliano Allegri's team were given a run for their money, but their star striker once again delivered a world-class performance to secure the three points

 

AC Milan made an important step towards defending their Serie A crown as they came back from a goal down to secure a 2-1 win over Roma at San Siro on Saturday.

Pablo Osvaldo opened the scoring in the first half, but the Rossonerri responded with a brace by Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the break as Massimiliano Allegri's team bagged three important points.

AC Milan started the game brightly, dominating possession and pressing the opposition deep in their own half. Urby Emanuelson was the first to threaten Maarten Stekelenburg's goal as in the 8th minute he saw a low shot from the right wing saved by the Netherlands international.

The Rossoneri received some disturbing news as in the 10th minute Thiago Silva was forced to leave the pitch after suffering a muscle injury. This did not stop AC Milan's attacking momentum, however, as Massimiliano Allegri's men were dominating the proceeding.

Ibrahimovic forced Stekelenburg into a fine save in the 11th minute with a powerful free-kick and moments later Stephan El Shaarawy narrowly missed to the left with a skillful volley from inside the penalty area.

The tempo dropped in the following minutes as most of the action commenced in the centre of the pitch. Roma, however, were slowly improving and looked more threatening on the counter by the minute.

In the 40th minute El Shaarawy rattled the post with a superb finish from outside the box, and the rebound fell to Antonio Nocernio, who failed to connect properly with the ball and convert. AC Milan were tightening the grip on Roma, but against the run of play the Giallorossi took the lead.

A long-range strike by Daniele De Rossi was deflected by Osvaldo into the net from just outside the six-yard box as Christian Abbiati was caught by surprise in the 44th minute. The goal meant the Rossoneri had to withdrew at half-time with a one-goal deficit, much to the dismay of the fans and players alike.

The restart saw Roma continue to take advantage of mistakes by AC Milan in the build-up of their attack. In one such instance, Abbiati gifted the ball to Francesco Totti with a stray pass, but luckily for the goalkeeper the Roma veteran could not find the target with his chipped finish.

El Shaarawy saw a powerful shot blocked in the following attack, but the real trouble for the Giallorossi was yet to come. In the 51st minute De Rossi handballed in the box, conceding a penalty, which Ibrahimovic duly converted to draw the game level.

AC Milan continued to press forward in remaining time to the final whistle, but were repeatedly frustrated in their search for a winner. Sulley Muntary struck the bar with a powerful finish, but it was Ibrahimovic who bagged the winner as in the 83rd minute he powered past Stekelenburg and Simon Kjaer to complete his brace and secure the three points.

Following today win, AC Milan are first in the standings with 63 points, while Roma sit sixth with 45. The Rossoneri's next league game is a visit to Catania in a week, while the Giallorossi host Novara the following day.

Juventus 2-0 Inter

Caceres and Del Piero settle Derby d'Italia and close gap to leaders AC Milan back to four points

Goals from the Uruguayan and the Italian veteran after half-time were enough to give the Bianconeri all three points, in what was a captivating encounter in Turin

 

Second-half goals from Martin Caceres and Alessandro Del Piero were enough to give Juventus a 2-0 win over Inter at Juventus Stadium on Sunday.

A header from the Uruguayan defender and a delightful first time finish by the veteran Italian striker gave the Old Lady a valuable win in their hunt to chase down leaders AC Milan at the top of the Serie A table.

With Juventus fresh off the back of that Coppa Italia semi-final aggregate win over Milan on Tuesday, it was clear that Antonio Conte's men were brimming with confidence, and they started the game as such.

The Bianconeri dominated possession in the early exchanges, but were nearly made to rue their lack of chances created on 13 minutes. Maicon made a trademark run down the right, cut inside, found the run of Diego Milito, and played the Argentine forward in on goal. Unfortunately for the Nerazzurri though, the former Genoa striker couldn't make the most of the opportunity, firing his shot straight at Gianluigi Buffon.

Conte's men still had the monopoly on possession, but were now starting to create chances on goal, and they perhaps should have opened up their account on two occasions midway through the half. First, Alessandro Matri had a header from eight yards saved by Julio Cesar, and then just a few minutes later, a low cross from the right found Matri again, but the Italian forward could only hit his shot over the bar.

Claudio Ranieri's side slowly started to impose themselves on the game; putting pressure on Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal. And it was that leg-work that almost led to Inter opening their account for the night.

Dejan Stankovic dispossessed Marchisio in the centre circle, and played a long, diagonal ball to Milito. The Argentine forward brought the ball down superbly, took it into the box, and fired a shot straight at Buffon, only for the ball to arrive back at his feet for a second attempt. Regrettably for the Nerazzurri though, that effort was also missed, and the sides went into the break all square.

The second half began in almost the exact opposite way to the first, with Inter controlling the play but struggling to create any clear-cut chances. Milito was, as usual, full of running, but the Nerazzurri midfield four were finding it difficult to pick out the Argentine forward's darting runs.

That lack of incisiveness came back to haunt Inter on 57 minutes. A corner from the right was whipped in by Pirlo, and the ball found Caceres, who, unmarked inside the six yard box, headed home easily for his first Serie A goal of the season.

The Nerazzurri starting pushing desperately for an equaliser, but all that pressing left them exposed at the back, and Juventus took full advantage on 70 minutes. A delightful through ball by Vidal found the run of Del Piero, who, just inside the area, gently slipped it past the on-rushing Julio Cesar to make it 2-0.

Late chances for Fabio Quagliarella and Giorgio Chiellini almost made the final scoreline even more resounding, but Conte's men had to settle what they had, as they closed the gap on leaders Milan back to four points. Inter remain in eighth, meanwhile, and now trail third-placed Lazio by 10 points.

Source: goal.com