MATCHDAY three and it is the halfway point of this season’s group stages in the UEFA Champions League. This week saw fond returns, possible goodbyes and the valuation of a Welshman that has gone up massively after a stunning individual performance at the San Siro.
However, we start off with the chaotic week at Old Trafford, and it was off-the-field decisions that were dominating the headlines. Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Turkish champions Buraspor will never be remembered as a classic, as Wayne Rooney took up the headlines, both on the front and the back pages. Rooney’s decision to leave Manchester United, confirmed by Sir Alex Ferguson at Tuesday’s media conference had dumbfounded and stunned fans across the world. On Wednesday night, banners at Old Trafford, such as ‘Colleen forgave you, we won’t’ summed up the fans attitude to Rooney’s immature behaviour. Although Rooney has now signed a new five-year deal, putting an end to the saga for now – it has been a very bleak week in Manchester. The match itself, which Rooney didn’t participate in, due to an ankle injury sustained in training, was settled by Nani’s stunning goal in the sixth minute. The young Portuguese winner has really grown into a talented player and has probably benefited the most from Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure eighteen months ago. The Group C encounter was not a stunner, with Buraspor coming looking for the draw, and only having one attempt at goal. It may be a slow start, but seven points from nine mean United should progress comfortably as group winners.
In the other Group C match, Rangers drew 1-1 with Spanish pacesetters Valencia at Ibrox. It was a mixed night for Maurice Edu, with the American scoring at both ends. His own goal was a horrendous misjudgement and it might cost Rangers in the final picture. Despite a very solid campaign so far, Walter Smith’s side will probably need at least a point in the intimidating Mestalla atmosphere in two weeks time, if they want to progress further in the competition.
Tottenham’s breathless maiden Champions League campaign continued, with a stunning individual performance from Gareth Bale, nearly rescuing an unlikely point in the San Siro against Inter. Spurs players looked totally lost by the occasion in the first half and Harry Redknapp could only look on with rage and fury, as his side was ripped apart by the European champions in the first half. Javier Zanetti scored his first goal since February 2008 after just 66 seconds, and from then on, the opening 45 minutes was a disaster for Tottenham. Seven minutes later, Hereulho Gomes was sent off, after bringing down Jonathan Biabiany. Samuel Eto’o coolly dispatched the penalty past Carlo Cudicini, and added a fourth goal ten minutes before half-time. In between that, Dejan Stankovic finished off a thirty-five pass move, stroking a beautiful shot past the despairing Cudicini from the edge of the penalty area. Tottenham looked dead and buried and for a while, Liverpool’s Champions League biggest win record (8-0 against Besiktas in November 2007) looked under severe threat. Cue Bale, who sparked a dramatic fightback, with a stunning solo effort in the 56th minute, then a similar effort in the 89th minute. Moments later, fine work from Aaron Lennon set the Welshman up for his first ever hat-trick, once again from a similar angle to his first two strikes. Luckily for Inter, time ran out on Spurs, but Rafa Benitez and his assistant Mauricio Pellegrino will be worried by the defensive frailties that Bale exposed on them in the second half.
On Tuesday night, Arsenal took a giant leap towards qualification, with a crushing 5-1 demolition of their Group H rivals Shakhtar Donetsk. Alex Song, Cesc Fabregas from the penalty spot and Marouane Chamakh were among those on target, and there was also a goal and another stunning performance from the wonder kid of the Emirates, Jack Wiltshire. Brazilian Eduardo made a substitute cameo in the last twenty minutes, and scored a consolation for the Ukrainian champions. It was brilliant to see the Arsenal fans all applaud Eduardo’s strike, still having a soft spot for their Brazilian striker who departed the Gunners in the summer, for a new life in the Ukraine.
It was plastic fantastic for Chelsea, as they all but wrapped up qualification from Group B, with a 2-0 win over Spartak Moscow in freezing Russia. Yury Zhirkov scored his first Chelsea goal, and it was a memorable strike too. Having spent four years at Spartak’s bitter rivals, CSKA Moscow, this was a moment that Zhirkov won’t forget. Nicholas Anelka added a second as it turned out to be a comfortable night for the Blues on the artificial pitch surface, scene of their heartbreaking 2008 final defeat to Manchester United on penalties. Also, without Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba through injury, Chelsea are only going to get stronger, and are now favourites with many football experts, to lift the trophy in Wembley in May.
Elsewhere in Europe, it may be odd to see Raul not playing anymore for Real Madrid, but he keeps scoring goals for his new club, Schalke 04. Two strikes from the veteran helped the Germans to a 3-1 win over Hapoel-Tel Aviv in Group B. It was his first two goals for Schalke in European competition, extending his Champions League scoring record to 68. Also in Group B, Lyon kept their perfect record up, with a 2-0 win over 10-man Benfica in France, courtesy of goals from Jeremy Briand and Lisandro Lopez. Raul’s former club Real Madrid won the showdown match against AC Milan in Group G, with something to spare in the Bernabeau. Cristiano Ronaldo and Meszut Ozil scored the two goals in the first fifteen minutes, as Jose Mourinho slowly starts to make his impression in Spain. Ajax beat Auxerre 2-1 in the other Group G game, with the French side being reduced to nine men, including a red card for one of their substitutes. Finally, well down to FC Basle, who recorded a surprising 3-1 win in Italy against AS Roma in Group E. Roma may now face a hard task to escape the group stages. The contenders have now been separated from the stragglers…and Matchday four can see the first ultimate knockout blows being made.
No comments:
Post a Comment