Tuesday’s Champions League Recap

There were 8 Champions League games and 3 of them had a sending off. Two of those teams went on to win, including CSKA Moscow who defeated reigning champions Real Madrid.


GROUP E

AEK v Benfica

A.E.K. Athens v Benfica 

2-3

Rúben Dias was sent off in stoppage time of the first half after receiving a second yellow card. Benfica were winning 2-0 at that point thanks to goals from Haris Seferovic and Álex Grimaldo.

It took Athens a while but they finally equalized with both goals scored by Viktor Klondaridis (53rd and 63rd minutes).

It wasn’t Athens’ night though, as, despite the man disadvantage, Benfica kept on fighting and substitute Alfa Semedo scored the 74th minute winner.

The win ended Benfica’s run of eight successive defeats in the Champions League, including all their group games last season.

Athens have lost both of their Champions League games so far.

 

Up Next:

Champions League

A.E.K v Bayern –  – Tuesday October 23rd (12:55pm)

Ajax v Benfica  – Tuesday October 23rd (3pm)

Superleague Greece

A.E.K v Olympiakos – Sunday October 7th (1:30pm)

Primeira Liga

Benfica v Porto – Sunday October 7th (12:30pm)

 

 

Bayern Ajax

Bayern Munich v Ajax

1-1

A misfiring Bayern Munich saw a youthful Ajax in full action. The German club took the lead through a Mats Hummels goal after just four minutes. Ajax weren’t going to let them take the win and scored a 22nd minute equalizer through Noussair Mazraoui.

The visitors had the better chances and came close numerous times to being the first Dutch team to beat Bayern in Munich.

Bayern have suffered a recent regression but they started well with Hummel‘s header, then they struggled to build on their advantage and the missed chances came back to haunt them.

A sprightly Ajax captained by 19-year-old Matthijs de Ligt, showed no signs of tiring and looked the stronger team on the night.
Both teams moved to four points from their two games.

 

Up Next:

Champions League

A.E.K v Bayern –  – Tuesday October 23rd (12:55pm)

Ajax v Benfica  – Tuesday October 23rd (3pm)

Bundesliga

Bayern v Mönchengladbach – Saturday October 6th (12:30pm)

Eredivisie 

Ajax v AZ Alkmaar – Sunday October 7th (10:45am)

 

 

GROUP F

Hoffenheim City.png

1899 Hoffenheim v Manchester City

1-2

Manchester City were left stunned in the opening minute as Kerem Demirbay found Ishak Belfodil, who ran clear to slip the ball beyond Ederson.

The visitors were hoping it wasn’t going to be a repeat of their first week loss to Lyon. They didn’t have to wait long for their luck to turn around with Sergio Aguero equalizing 7 minutes later.

After the equalizer Pavel Kaderabek had a penalty appeal waved off after going to ground under the pressure of City’s Kyle Walker.

The second half was more even than the first, City struggled to make the same headway and Hoffenheim looked more confident on the counter. Unfortunately for the home side they cracked with three minutes remaining. David Silva lashed past the goalie Baumann and the visitors ran away with the lead.

 

Up Next:

Champions League

Hoffenheim v Lyon – Tuesday October 23rd (3pm)

Shakhtar v City – Tuesday October 23rd (3pm)

Bundesliga

Hoffenheim v Eintracht – Sunday October 7th (9:30am)

Premier League

Liverpool v City – Sunday October 7th (11:30am)

 

 

 Lyon Shaktar.png

Lyon v Shakhtar Donetsk

2-2

It was a slightly different environment for this game than the players are used to. The game was played behind closed doors, Lyon had to serve a one-match crowd ban for trouble caused when they played CSKA Moscow in the Europa League in March.

It was an end-to-end game that home fans would have loved to have witnessed live. Donetsk took a 2-0 lead in the eerily quiet stadium but the French hosts fought back to get the point.

Looking nothing like the inspired nor organized club that defeated Manchester City 2-1 in England, Lyon were outplayed in the first half and deservedly fell behind just before the break to a marvelous left-footed strike from Moraes. The Brazilian then doubled the visitors’ lead with an even more spectacular effort.

It was only after Moussa Dembele got a goal back with a header in the 70th minute that the hosts came alive. Leo Dubois scored his first goal for the club just a couple of minutes later and the score was level.

Lyon still sit top of Group F but Shakhtar move down to 3rd after City’s win.

 

Up Next:

Champions League

Hoffenheim v Lyon – Tuesday October 23rd (3pm)

Shakhtar v City – Tuesday October 23rd (3pm)

Ligue 1

PSG v Lyon – Sunday October 7th (3pm)

Ukrainian Premier League

Shakhtar v Zorya – Sunday September 7th (12pm)

 

 

GROUP G

CSKA RM.png

CSKA Moscow v Real Madrid

1-0

A 10-man CSKA Moscow beat the defending European champions 1-0. Whatever is hitting Bayern Munich seems to be hitting the Spanish giants too, who are now without a win in their last three games and have only won 2 of their last 5 in all competitions.

A stunning win for the hosts was marred late on when goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev saw a second yellow just moments before the final whistle.

CSKA opened the scoring within two minutes when Croatian winger Nikola Vlasic, on loan from Everton, attacked Toni Kroos‘ poor backpass and slotted home. It was his second goal in as many games in the Champions League this season.

Real Madrid didn’t lose through lack of trying. They mounted attack after attack with Casemiro seeing his shot bounce off the post and Karim Benema‘s effort hit the bar just before half time.  They did, however, waste many chances in the first half.

Luka Modric, who started on the bench, came on in the second half but the Croatian could not turn the match around for Real Madrid.

CSKA now top Group G on four points, one point clear of second placed AS Roma, with Real Madrid in third.

 

Up Next:

Champions League

Roma v CSKA – Tuesday October 23rd (3pm)

Real Madrid v Plzeñ – Tuesday October 23rd 3pm)

Russian Premier League

CSKA v Lokomotiv – Sunday October 7th (12pm)

La Liga

Alavés v Real Madrid – Saturday October 6th (12:30pm)

 

 

Roma Plzen.png

AS Roma v Viktoria Plzeñ

5-0

The Italians came in to the game fired up, inspired and filled with confidence after beating Lazio 3-1 in the Rome Derby on Saturday.

Former Manchester City striker Eden Dzeko scored a hat-trick for the hosts, his third coming in the 94th minute to add even more insult to injury for the visitors. The Bosnian has long been a thorn in the Czech club’s side, he put three past them in the Europa League group stages two years ago, having previously found the net against them twice while he was at Man City.

The visitors rarely threatened throughout the game and the thrashing was put beyond doubt in the 64th minute when Cengiz Ünder placed the ball beyond goalkeeper Matus Kozacik. Plzen’s misery didn’t end there, Kozacik passed to Justin Kluivert, who tapped it in to score his first goal for Roma.

Roma moved up to second place, one point behind CSKA Moscow and level on three points with Real Madrid. Plzen sit bottom with just one.

 

Up Next:

Champions League

Roma v CSKA – Tuesday October 23rd (3pm)

Real Madrid v Plzeñ – Tuesday October 23rd 3pm)

Serie A 

Empoli v Roma – Saturday October 6th (2:30pm)

Czech First League 

Plzeñ v Teplice – Sunday October 9th (1pm)

 

 

GROUP H

Juve Young Boys.png

Juventus v Young Boys

3-0

Cristiano Ronaldo who? Whilst the Portuguese was serving a one-match ban for his sending off in week one, Paulo Dybala scored a hat-trick to secure all three points for Juventus and their ninth straight win in all competitions this season.

Juve went ahead after five minutes when Dybala timed his run perfectly to volley gently past David von Ballmoos. His second of the night was pretty easy too, tapping home from a rebound after von Ballmoos could only rebuff Blaise Matuidi‘s shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Dybala became only the fourth Juve player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League when Juan Cuadrado was released on the right and the Argentine tapped it in.

To make matters worse for the Swiss side they had to finish with 10 men after defender Mohamed Ali Camara was sent off in the 78th minute following two yellow cards in three minutes.

The win leaves them top of Group H with six points, while group stage debutants Young Boys have yet to pick up a point or score a goal. A stark contrast to their Swiss league record of nine straight wins.

 

Up Next:

Champions League

Man United v Juventus – Tuesday October 23rd (3pm)

Young Boys v Valencia – Tuesday October 23rd (12:55pm)

Serie A

Udinese v Juve – Saturday October 6th (12pm)

Swiss Super League

Young Boys v Luzern – Saturday October 6th (1pm)

 

 

United Valencia.png

Manchester United v Valencia

0-0

Manchester United’s shocking run continued when Valencia held them to a stalemate at Old Trafford.

It was the visitors who created the first threat after two minutes, Geoffrey Kondogbia played Rodrigo into space before Eric Bailly got across, and shortly after keeper David De Gea was off his line to intercept when a deflected Goncalo Guedes pass almost fell for Rodrigo.

Under-pressure United almost had a breakthrough thanks to Marcus Rashford, who won the ball back inside the Valencia area as Cristiano Piccini was unable to find a teammate. Rashford tried to lift United again, but sent his low strike wide.

With United struggling to generate momentum, a subdued Old Trafford crowd showed frustration over a cynical challenge on Rashford by Francis Coquelin, who was booked.

The home fans were becoming increasingly frustrated by United’s lack of conviction but almost had a goal to cheer about when a loose ball dropped to Paul Pogba, alas the France international’s shot was bravely blocked.

Rashford was by far the best player for the home side racking up the chances but not being able to convert.

The Manchester club sit second in Group H, two points behind leaders Juventus and three ahead of Valencia.

 

Up Next:

Champions League

Man United v Juventus – Tuesday October 23rd (3pm)

Young Boys v Valencia – Tuesday October 23rd (12:55pm)

Premier League

Man United v Newcastle – Saturday October 6th (12:30pm)

La Liga

Valencia v Barcelona – Sunday October 7th (2:45pm)

 

 

 

ALL TIMES U.S. EASTERN

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