2 October 2012

NORDSJAELLAND 0
CHELSEA 4 (Mata 33, Luiz 79 fk, Mata 82, Ramires 89)

Torres and Lampard combined to set-up Mata for the opener. Luiz began a late 10 minute rout with a fantastic free kick. Chelsea's intricate attempts to play one-touch football lead to a series of deflections but Mata got the final touch to score his second. Oscar drew out Nordsjaelland 'keeper Hansen leaving Ramires with a tap-in at the back post.

Attendance : 25,120
Assists : Lampard, Torres (won fk), n/a, Oscar


JUVENTUS 1 (Bonucci 25)
SHAKHTAR DONETSK 1 (Teixeira 23)

Barzagli blocked Willian's shot then fell under his challenge, Willian slipped the ball out wide to Teixeira, taking out the entire Juve defence, and Teixeira shot high over Buffon. Pirlo rolled a corner into the box and Bonucci whacked a first time shot past Pyatov.

Vialli predicted 1-1 before the game on Sky Italia, much to the amusement of the other pundits. Perfectly innocent I'm sure. This was Juve's 8th consecutive draw in the competition, a record.

Attendance : 29,368
Assists : Willian, Pirlo (ck)


BATE 3 (Pavlov 23, Rodionov 78, Bressan 94)
BAYERN MUNICH 1 (Ribery 91)

Pavlov turned in Volodko's miss-hit shot. Rodionov scored a brilliant second. With his back to goal Rodionov turned onto a Bordachev pass then played a one-two with Olekhnovich as he ran into the box, he took two gentle touches before blasting past Neuer at his near post. Ribery setup a grandstand finish from Shaqiri's magnificent pass around the Bate defence but the Belarusian's suckered Bayern on the counter. A strong tackle disposed Dante in the Bayern half and sent Mozolevski down the left chasing the back tracking Neuer, he could have ran the ball into the corner flag, as most cowards do, but charged into the box, put on the bakes and screwed a brilliant pass through Gustavo's legs for Bressan to blast in at the back post. Brilliant counter attacking goal.

Attendance : 24,636
Assists : Volodko, Olekhnovich, Shaqiri, Mozolevski


VALENCIA 2 (Jonas 38, Jonas 75)
LILLE 0

Soldado split the Lille defence with a lovely pass inside two players and Jonas arrived on the blindside to tap Valencia into the lead. His second was a complete fluke, a cross from the left which dipped under the crossbar.

Attendance : 28,517
Assists : Soldado, Feghouli


SPARTAK MOSCOW 2 (Emenike 41, Emenike 48)
CELTIC 3 (Hooper 12, Kombarov 71 og, Samaras 90)

Hooper showed more determination than two defenders in attacking Lustig's cross and gave Celtic the lead. Kallstrom found Ari with a brilliant cross over his shoulder, Ari volleyed the ball left for Emenike to equalise. A mistake from Celtic's goalkeeper gave Emenike what I'm sure many believed a lead they wouldn't relinquish. He spilled Ari's tame effort, de Zeeuw shot the rebound across goal and Emenike turned it in at the back post. Celtic equalised after a Forrest shot took a double deflection off Spartak goalkeeper Pesyakov and then Kombarov. Misfit Samaras remarkably headed in the winning goal from Izaguirre's deflected cross.

Celtic's first away victory in the competition for 26 years (19 games).

Attendance : 43,351
Red Card : Insaurralde 63 (Spartak Moscow)
Assists : Lustig, Ari, n/a, n/a, n/a


BENFICA 0
BARCELONA 2 (Sanchez 6, Fabregas 55)

Sanchez turned in a Messi centre. Messi picked up the ball on the halfway line and wriggled his way in between four players before playing in cry-baby Fabregas on the left for Barca's second.

Benfica are one of the few clubs in Europe with more debt than Barcelona, upto €450 million apparently.

Attendance : 63,847
Red Card : Busquets 88 (Barcelona)
Assists : Messi, Messi


CLUJ 1 (Kapetanos 14)
MANCHESTER UNITED 2 (Van Persie 29, Van Persie 49)

Bastos found Sougou in space down the right with a superb crossfield pass and Kapetanos, who is unfortunately not the Cluj captain, turned in his centre which the ever inept Evans should have cleared. Two mistakes by Cluj's shortarse goalkeeper Felgueiras (6ft is small for a goalkeeper) sparred United an embarrassing defeat. He came off his line for Rooney crosses and on both occasions was beaten by Van Persie.

Attendance : 16,259
Assists : Sougou, Rooney (fk), Rooney


GALATASARAY 0
BRAGA 2 (Micael 27, Alan 94)

Micael tapped in a rebound after Amorim forced Muslera into a save with a fiercely struck shot. Eder, who helped make the first with a powerful run, tore through Galatasaray's left flank on the counter and Alan hammered his centre over Muslera.

Attendance : 46,987
Assists : n/a, Eder