UEFA Champions League, Special Thread

[Eqlypz]

Cristiano Ronaldo marked his first Champions League appearance for Real Madrid with a brace as the Spanish giants won 5-2 at FC Zurich, but the match was closer than the scoreline suggested.

The £80 million man netted twice from free-kicks, the first a trademark strike and the second comically let in by Zurich goalkeeper Johnny Leoni, but Madrid's defensive failings were again evident.

The Portuguese opened the scoring in the 27th minute of the Group C clash and Madrid were three goals to the good by half-time thanks to further strikes from Raul and Gonzalo Higuain.

However their lead was reduced to one by Xavier Margairaz's penalty and Silvan Aegerter's header.

Ronaldo added a fourth with a free-kick which somehow found the net after a comical attempt to punch clear by Leoni and Guti chipped in a fifth right at the end.

Filippo Inzaghi struck twice to fire AC Milan to a 2-1 victory away to Marseille.

The veteran put his team ahead in the 30th minute before Marseille's top summer signing Gabriel Heinze equalised early in the second half.

However, Inzaghi made sure his team claimed all three points with 15 minutes remaining.

Paul Scholes popped up 13 minutes from time to ensure Manchester United's bid to reach a third successive Champions League final got off on exactly the right note against Besiktas in Istanbul.

Sent off at the weekend at Tottenham, the 34-year-old ghosted into the penalty area unseen to nod home after Hakan Arikan had saved Nani's blistering shot to seal a 1-0 win for the visitors.

Wolfsburg joined United at the top of Group B after they marked their Champions League debut with an assured 3-1 victory over Juande Ramos' CSKA Moscow at the Volkswagen Arena, Grafite the star of the show with a hat-trick.

The German side were in need of a European pick-me-up after three straight defeats in the Bundesliga and received just that as their Brazilian talisman hit the goal trail.

Grafite netted twice in the first half to put them in the driving seat and completed his hat-trick three minutes from time after Alan Dzagoev's effort for the Russians had threatened to spark a CSKA fightback.

In Group D, Nicolas Anelka proved Chelsea can survive and prosper without banned Didier Drogba as the France international earned the Blues a 1-0 win at home to Porto.

Anelka, given the task of filling a lone role in attack in the absence of the suspended Ivory Coast international, struck three minutes after the interval with a neat clipped finish.

Chelsea are in pole position in the group after Atletico Madrid were held to a disappointing goalless draw at home by Apoel Nicosia.

Thomas Muller made it four goals in four days as his double helped Bayern Munich open their Champions League campaign with a 3-0 win at Maccabi Haifa.

Muller, who only turned 20 on Sunday, netted twice in the final five minutes to end Maccabi hopes of a comeback in the Group A clash in Israel.

The Germany Under-21 international justified his inclusion ahead of Mario Gomez as his late brace made the game safe for Bayern just as Maccabi were threatening to cancel out Daniel van Buyten's 64th-minute opener.

Elsewhere in the group Juventus and Bordeaux shared the spoils with a 1-1 draw on a rain-drenched evening at the Stadio Olimpico.

Vincenzo Iaquinta gave the home side the lead in the 63rd minute, but Jaroslav Plasil equalised 15 minutes from time - despite strong appeals for offside - to earn the French champions a point in Turin.

 

[Oxlade-Chamberlain]

alafu vipi mbona Arsenal hawajawekwa kwenye hiyo picha sio favorites nini?

ni ukosefu wa heshima tu wa vyombo vya habari lakini tutafika mbali kama kawaida yetu.

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

Cristiano Ronaldo puts Real Madrid ahead with a trademark freekick!​

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

Ronaldo's brace lift Real Madrid

Real Madrid overcame a sluggish first half before running out comfortable 3-0 winners over 10-man Marseille at the Santiago Bernabeu.Manuel Pellegrini's star-studded side were slow out of the blocks and the French visitors more than held their own in the first half.

However, it was a different story after half-time with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice and Kaka's penalty adding the icing on the cake.Marseille were forced to play out the final 30 minutes of action a man light after Souleymane Diawara collected his second yellow card after fouling Ronaldo for Real's penalty.

The visitors had the first chance of the match at Santiago Bernabeu with Benoit Cheyrou sending a left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area just over Iker Casillas' crossbar.
Real were struggling to create chances so Karim Benzema dropped deep to find space and while he worked himself a sight of goal his long-range effort was never troubling Steve Mandanda's goal.

Anticipation
​

Marseille were looking lively on the break and only some great anticipation from Casillas ensured Mamadou Niang was unable to get a shot away following a neat through-ball from the towering Stephane Mbia.

Slowly but sure Real were clicking up front, although Mandanda's save down to his left after good work by Kaka was his first real save of the contest 21 minutes into the match.Marseille should have got their noses in front soon after when Niang got the better of Pepe from Lucho's through-ball, but his near post shot was well covered by Casillas with Real's defence all at sea.

Ronaldo burst into life with two-long range efforts that had Mandanda scrambling to make a save, although the l'OM keeper managed to keep out the world's most expensive footballer.Benzema was unlucky to see an over-head kick float over while Niang's shot at the other end was easy for Casillas as the teams went in all-square at the interval.

Just minutes into the re-start Diawarra was rightly booked for a thumping challenge on Benzema, a yellow card that would prove costly.


Break through
​

Soon after Marcelo lashed a left-footed shot wide of Mandanda's far post the home side found that break-through goal and it was route one all the way.Pepe's long-ball picked out Ronaldo who coolly slotted home past the onrushing Mandanda for the simplest of openers.

Two minutes later they doubled their advantage when Kaka slotted home from the penalty spot after Diawarra, who was shown a second yellow card, was harshly punished for bringing down Ronaldo.

Real made the 10 men pay by adding a slick third that no defence in the world could handle. Benzema played a clever one-two with Kaka before squaring the ball for Ronaldo to tap home ahead of Laurent Bonnart.

Marseille, to their credit did not throw in the towel, although substitute Brandao's long-range left-footer was never seriously troubling Casillas, who only had a few token saves to make throughout the second half.

Real are now three points clear in Group C with a 100 per cent record following AC Milan's stunning home defeat to FC Zurich at the San Siro.​

 

[Eqlypz]

Ronaldo mwaka huu atawasaidia sana Real Madrid.

 

[Nyundo_tz]

Kitendo cha AC Millan kupigwa San Siro jana kwenye Champions Ligi kumeonyesha jinsi gani timu kubwa ambayo ilikuwa inasifa kubwa hapo mwanzoni kuwa "IS NO MORE"....

Nimehuzunika sana ila ndy hivyo...

KAMA HUJAFA HUJAUMBIKA.

FULL TYM:
AC MILLAN 0:1 FC ZURICH

 

[Magehema]

Still wana nafasi ya kuqualify, usife moyo ila omba Mungu wakiqualify wasikutane na timu za Uingereza!

 

[Dr. Chapa Kiuno]

Tunaiombea kila la kheri

 

[Mopao Josee]

Itapita dont be scared

 

[Bishanga]

Kitendo cha AC Millan kupigwa San Siro jana kwenye Champions Ligi kumeonyesha jinsi gani timu kubwa ambayo ilikuwa inasifa kubwa hapo mwanzoni kuwa "IS NO MORE"....

Nimehuzunika sana ila ndy hivyo...

KAMA HUJAFA HUJAUMBIKA.

FULL TYM:
AC MILLAN 0:1 FC ZURICH

Maumivu ya kichwa huanza poooooole pole, pole mazee hamia Arsenal kwa wataalam wa kabumbu!

 

[Kweli]

Kweli Milan imekwisha na inasikitisha sana 7 times Champions kuadhiriwa na katimu kama FC Zurich? Huyu Leonardo timu haiwezi na naona watamtimua dakika yoyote.
Mimi nimewaangalia hata katika Serie A walifungwa nyumbani 1-0 na Udinese halafu juzi wametoa sare hapohapo San Siro 0-0 na Bari? Timu ndio kwanza imepanda daraja!

 

[Pdidy]

Kaka umechelewa kusoma nyakati
hii timu siku nyingi ilikwisha sema watu walikuwa wanaishi kwa imani

 

[Victoire]

Naona real madrid wamerudi kwenye mstari

 

[Kigogo]

jamani ndo maana ikaitwa Champions League..kila timu iliyofika hapo ni bingwa so hakuna timu ndogo.

 

[Tuntu]

Kweli Milan imekwisha na inasikitisha sana 7 times Champions kuadhiriwa na katimu kama FC Zurich? Huyu Leonardo timu haiwezi na naona watamtimua dakika yoyote.
Mimi nimewaangalia hata katika Serie A walifungwa nyumbani 1-0 na Bologna halafu juzi wametoa sare hapohapo San Siro 0-0 na Bari? Timu ndio kwanza imepanda daraja!

Mtamuonea Leonardo bure, hii team tatizo lake ni wachezaji...,wengi wao walishafikia peak zao,hivyo kwa team hii ata aje Hiddink ni maumivu tu!!!

 

[Kweli]

jamani ndo maana ikaitwa Champions League..kila timu iliyofika hapo ni bingwa so hakuna timu ndogo.

Ndio kinadharia sawa ni mabingwa lakini ni minor kwa Milan. Milan wanacheza Serie A ambayo ni moja ya ligi kubwa na hao Zurich ligi yao ni dhaifu sana, angalau timu kama inatoka kwenye premiership,La Liga, Bundesliga ama ligi ya Ufaransa tungeelewa. Kwa Theory yako hata Yanga kwa vile ni mabingwa wa Tanzania saizi yao timu kama Milan.

 

[StaffordKibona]

Kwei Mkuu TUNTU AC ni wazee mno kasi ya vijana hawaiwezi.

 

[Eqlypz]

​

A late strike from two-goal hero Alexandre Pato gave AC Milan a shock 3-2 win over Real Madrid in their UEFA Champions League clash at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night.

The Brazilian scored in the 88th minute of a match that was strewn with goalkeeping errors, including two uncharacteristic mistakes from Real's Iker Casillas on his 100th appearance in Europe.

Madrid skipper Raul capitalised on an early howler from Milan keeper Dida to open the scoring and equal Gerd Müller's record of 66 European goals before Andrea Pirlo equalised with a 35-yard strike that caught Casillas napping.

Then on 66 minutes the Real keeper rushed out of his area and missed the ball to gift Pato with his first goal. Royston Drenthe equalised for the home side in the 76th minute before Pato struck again late on.

Salomon Kalou scored twice as Chelsea virtually secured their place in the knockout phase with a 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid at Stamford Bridge. With striker Didier Drogba sitting out the final game of his three-match UEFA ban, his Ivory Coast team mate Kalou scored either side of halftime to put his side in charge.

Frank Lampard then ended his lean spell in front of goal with Chelsea's third and Atletico's miserable night was complete when Luis Perea scored an own goal in stoppage time.

A late strike by winger Antonio Valencia gave Manchester United a 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow at the Luzhniki Stadium.

The £18 million summer signing, who scored his first goal for the Red Devils against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, hit the crossbar in the 81st minute and then netted from close-range five minutes later. The win extended United's unbeaten run away from home to 14 matches.

Bordeaux defender Michael Ciani turned from villain to hero as Les Girondins secured a 2-1 home win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday. Ciani scored an own goal after only six minutes but made amends on the half-hour with a superb goal, scoring with his right heel with his back to the goal.

Bayern had playmaker Thomas Muller sent off for a second booking and five minutes from the break defender Marc Planus scored the winner for Bordeaux from close range. The French club then missed two penalties and Bayern had another player sent off in defender Daniel van Buyten.

Juventus ended a run of five games without a win when Giorgio Chiellini's header sealed a 1-0 victory over Maccabi Haifa. The Italy centre back nodded in Diego's free kick from close range just after the break to give the hosts five points from their opening three games.

Maccabi, bottom of the group, had substitute Tiago Silva sent off midway through the second half for a studs-up tackle on Chiellini.

Brazilian forward Hulk scored twice to help Porto come back from a goal down and beat APOEL Nicosia 2-1. Porto dominated the first half but APOEL stunned the home side when they scored with their first attack on 22 minutes when Alvaro Pereira deflected the ball into his own net.

The Portuguese champions took 11 minutes to react and equalised when irrepressible Colombian striker Falcao stole the ball on the edge of the Cypriot box and passed to Hulk who scored with a well-placed left-footed drive on 33 minutes.

In the first minute of the second half, Elias handled the ball in the box and Hulk converted from the spot to give the hosts a deserved win.

VfL Wolfsburg missed a series of chances and hit the woodwork before having to settle for a 0-0 draw with Beskitas. The Germans, who dominated the game until striker Grafite was sent off for hitting an opponent, could have taken the lead through an early Edin Dzeko header.

A rare moment of quality from Gabriel Heinze settled a poor game between FC Zurich and Marseille as the French club won 1-0 in Switzerland. The former Manchester United centre back volleyed home after 69 minutes to settle the match.