Wednesday’s Champions League Recap

Tempers flared Wednesday night as three matches produced a red card.

 

GROUP E

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Benfica v Ajax

1-1

It was a tumultuous game for Ajax keeper Andre Onana, he went from villain to hero as the Dutch side drew 1-1 with Benfica. He gifted the hosts the lead after a double mistake saw Jonas through on goal, before making a brilliant save with literally the last kick of the game to rescue the point.

Dusan Tadic scored the equalizer for the visitors after Hakim Ziyech looped a tantalizing ball over the host defense for him to poke home in the 61st minute. The draw leaves Ajax on the brink of reaching the round of 16 for the first time since the 2005/06 season. They sit second with eight points from four games, four ahead of Benfica.

Onana came to the visitors’ rescue in stoppage time, blocking a shot from Rafa Silva and then, from the ensuing corner, making a point-blank save with his leg from Gabriel on what looked to a certain score.

 

Up Next:

Primeria Liga

Tondela v Benfica – Sunday November 11th (12:30pm)

Eredivisie 

Excelsior v Ajax – Sunday November 11th (8:30am)

Champions League

Bayern v Benfica – Tuesday November 27th (3pm)

AEK v Ajax – Tuesday November 27th (12:55pm)

 

 

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Bayern Munich v AEK Athens

2-0

Robert Lewandowski scored a double to ease the pressure on head coach Niko Kovač.

The Greeks made the better start, almost taking the lead when Vasilis Lampropoulos saw his fifth minute header sail just wide of Manuel Neuer‘s post. AEK stood their ground for 30 minutes, but a 31st minute penalty for a foul on Lewandowski allowed the Polish striker to score the opener.

Leon Goretzka almost scored for Bayern 10 minutes after the break but his header was pushed over the bar by Athens keeper Vasilis Barkas. The goalie then denied Lewandowski in a one-one-one before the Pole scored his second in the 72nd minute.

The Bundesliga side sit top of Group E with 10 points from four games. The Greek club sit bottom with zero.

 

Up Next:

Bundesliga 

Dortmund v Bayern – Saturday November 10th (12:30pm)

SuperLeague Greece

AEK v Atromitos – Sunday November 11th (8am)

Champions League

Bayern v Benfica – Tuesday November 27th (3pm)

AEK v Ajax – Tuesday November 27th (12:55pm)

 

GROUP F

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Olympique Lyonnais v TSG 1899 Hoffenheim

2-2

Lyon fans were left wondering what had just happened after 10-man Hoffenheim clawed their way back for a point. The Ligue 1 side had a 2-0 lead going into half time. Kasim Adams then saw red for the Bundesliga side. Despite the man disadvantage they scored two second half goals, one of which came in stoppage time.

It was a rain-sodden game in Lyon with the home side coping much better with the wet conditions. Nabil Fekir put the home side ahead after just 19 minutes, netting from close after a thundering Ferland Mendy effort came back off the goal frame. Eight minutes later Tanguy Ndombele made it two, capping off a nice pass by stroking home from Mendy‘s cut-back.

The sending off seemed to kickstart something in the German club as they played their best football after going a man down. Whether it was desperation or just finding their game, the draw seems them keep their slim hopes of extending their European campaign alive.

Lyon now sit second with 6pts, whilst Hoffenheim remain 3rd on 3pts.


Up Next:

Ligue 1

Guingamp v Lyon – Saturday November 10th (11am)

Bundesliga

Hoffenheim v FC Augsburg – Saturday November 10th (9:30am)

Champions League

Lyon v Man City – Tuesday November 27th (3pm)

Hoffenheim v Donetsk – Tuesday November 27th (3pm)

 

 

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Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk 

6-0

Man City recorded their biggest Champions League win with a 6-0 thrashing of the Ukrainian side.

Riyad Mahrez created the opener, running circles around the Shakhtar defense before his low effort across the face of goal was turned in by David SilvaGabriel Jesus scored a hat-trick, including two penalties, as the home side marched closer to the knockout stage.

Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez also got themselves on the scoresheet with 48th and 84th minute goals respectively.

Even with Argentina striker Sergio Aguero on the bench and Kevin de Bruyne injured, the Manchester club were too strong for Shakhtar. They now sit top of the table with 9 points, had Hoffenheim not made their comeback, City would have progressed Wednesday night.

The hosts can take their momentum from the start of the season and this incredible game all the way to the Manchester Derby on Sunday.

 

Up Next:

Premier League

Man City v Man United – Sunday November 11th (11:30am)

Ukrainian Premier League 

Vorskla v Donetsk – Sunday November 11th (12:30pm)

Champions League

Lyon v Man City – Tuesday November 27th (3pm)

Hoffenheim v Donetsk – Tuesday November 27th (3pm)

 

 

GROUP G 

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CSKA Moscow v AS Roma 

1-2

Roma put themselves on the brink of a place in the knockout stage with a 2-1 win over 10-man Moscow.

Lorenzo Pellegrini scored his first goal in the competition to win the game for the visitors in the 59th minute after Hordor Magnusson saw red. Previous to that Kostas Manolas opened the scoring after just four minutes to give the Italians a 1-0 lead, which they kept until the 51st minute, Arnór Sigurdsson then equalized for CSKA before Magnusson saw red.

The win sees Roma tie with Real Madrid for first place, they sit second however with two less on goal differential. The loss for the Russians sees them third, five points behind the leaders.

 

Up Next:

Russian Premier League

CSKA v Zenit – Sunday November 11th (11am)

Serie A

Roma v Sampdoria – Sunday November 11th (9am)

Champions League

CSKA v Plzen – Tuesday November 27th (12:55pm)

Roma v Madrid – Tuesday November 27th (3pm)

 

 

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Viktoria Plzen v Real Madrid

0-5

Real Madrid took a massive step toward clinching a spot in the Final 16 with a 5-0 demolition of Viktoria Plzen as Karim Benzema scored two of the Spanish giant’s four first half goals.

Benzema opened the scoring after 20 minutes when he beat two defenders before slipping the ball through Plzen goalie Ales Hruska‘s legs, claiming his 200th Real Madrid goal. Casemiro doubled the visitors lead out-jumping his marker and heading home from a corner. That goal was followed up by a second for the unmarked Benzema, with a redirected header in the 37th minute, assisted by Gareth Bale, who scored shortly after when Benzema returned the favor.

Toni Kroos completed the thrashing in the 67th minute when he calmly chipped over the goalkeeper after a counter-attack involving Vinicius, who’d just come off the bench for his Champions League debut.

The victory was interim coach Santiago Solari’s third consecutive in all competitions since taking over.

 

Up Next:

Czech First League

Plzen v Pribram – Sunday November 11th (9am)

La Liga

Celta Vigo v Madrid – Sunday November 11th (2:45pm)

Champions League

CSKA v Plzen – Tuesday November 27th (12:55pm)

Roma v Madrid – Tuesday November 27th (3pm)

 

 

GROUP H

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Valencia v Young Boys

3-1

Valencia’s Carlos Soler had a fantastic game. He had a hand in all three goals as the La Liga side boosted their last 16 hopes with their first home win of the season.

The Spanish side have struggled domestically, finding themselves 15th in La Liga, but their home win over the 10-man Young Boys, after Sekou Sanogo was sent off late for a high tackle, gave the fans something to cheer about.

Valencia took the lead after just 14 minutes when Soler surged through on goal and saw his attempt come off the post to Santi Mina, who found the back of the net and later scored a second.

The Swiss side struck back in the 37th minute when Roger Assale took a quick, clever touch to put the ball on his right foot, driving it into the bottom corner. They were only level for four minutes though as Soler finally put himself on the scoresheet to wrap up the win just 10 minutes after the break.

The winners trail second-placed Manchester United by two points and travel to Juventus knowing they have to get something from that fixture, as the English side are heavy favorites to beat the now eliminated Young Boys at home.

Up Next:

La Liga

Getafe CF v Valencia – Saturday November 10th (10:15am)

Swiss Super League

FC St. Gallen v Young Boys – Sunday November 11th (10am)

Champions League

Juve v Valencia – Tuesday November 27th (3pm)

United v Young Boys – Tuesday November 27th (3pm)

 

 

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Juventus v Manchester United

1-2

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first Champions League goal for Juventus, and his 121st in the competition, in stunning style against his former club, who fought back for a 2-1 win in Turin.

The Portuguese smashed home an incredible volley after a long ball over the top from Leonardo Bonucci, but Juan Mata‘s 86th minute free kick leveled things, before Alex Sandro‘s own goal in the final minute sealed a much-needed win for the visitors, who can take the momentum from this game into Sunday’s Manchester Derby.

United looked the more confident side for most of the game, despite going 1-0 down, but it was the Italians who had the most chances to win the matchup.

The victory sees United sit in second place, with 7pts, two behind leaders Juve and two ahead of third-placed Valencia.

 

Up Next:

Serie A

AC Milan v Juve – Sunday November 11th (2:30pm)

Premier League

Man City v Man United – Sunday November 11th (11:30am)

Champions League

Juve v Valencia – Tuesday November 27th (3pm)

United v Young Boys – Tuesday November 27th (3pm)

 

 

 

ALL TIMES U.S. EASTERN

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