P W D L F A PTS
Chelsea 6 3 2 1 10 3 11
Hertha Berlin 6 2 2 2 7 10 8
Galatasaray 6 2 1 3 10 13 7
Milan 6 1 3 2 6 7 6
Top two qualify for Phase 2, third placed team for the UEFA Cup
3 NOVEMBER 1999
GALATASARAY 3-2 MILAN
Capone 27 Weah 20
Sukur 86 Giunti 51
Umit 89 (Pen)
Weah volleyed Milan in the lead from Shevchenko's cross. Capone punished a rare
mistake by Abbiati. Abbiati made a fantastic one handed save to keep out Popescu.
Shevchenko flicked on Abbiati's goal kick, Giunti ran onto the ball and calmly beat
the 'keeper. Milan sat back and were duly punished. Abbiati made a phenomenal
save to keep out Umit's free kick but his defence left him cruelly exposed as Suker
headed in Ergun's cross and minutes later it was all over, N'Gotty pulled down
Sukur, Umit converted the penalty, Milan, the Champions of Italy, are out of
Europe.
Attendance : 20,000
26 OCTOBER 1999
MILAN 1-1 CHELSEA
Bierhoff 74 Wise 77
It only took Chelsea 2 minutes to get past the Milan defence, Flo turning
Maldini and Ayala but hitting a shot straight at Abbiati and minutes later it was
Petrescu's turn to shoot at the 'keeper. Shevchenko went close for Milan with a
free kick. Chelsea strung together a brilliant 10 pass move ending with Flo blazing
over the bar from Wise's centre. Shevchenko headed against the post from
Serginho's free kick. Abbiati made a fantastic save to deny Ferrer from long range,
Leonardo flashed a half volley inches wide. Bierhoff wasted a great chance when
Lebouef slipped when miss judging a bouncing ball. De Goey made a great save
to keep out a drive from Ambrosini. Bierhoff headed over a miss-hit Guly shot from
close range. Abbiati made a miraculous save to keep from Poyet's point blank
header, Milan then charged downfield and Bierhoff headed in Serginho's cross,
the only ball Desailly missed all match. Wise ran onto a great through pass by
Di Matteo, got between 3 defenders and steered the ball under Abbiati's legs.
Lebouef and Desailly were absolutely World Class. Abbiati typically kept Milan
in the match with some great saves. Milan only came to life in the second half,
thanks largely to Serginho who was the only creative threat in stark contrast to
Chelsea who had no shortage of ideas.
Attendance : 74,855
HERTHA 1-4 GALATASARAY
Rekdal 36 (pen) Hakan 48, 66
Tugay 81
Okan 90
By Tim Leidecker
Hertha only needed 1 point to qualify but ran out of steam as
Galatasaray put on a Gala show in Turkeys biggest town after Istanbul
(even though it wasn't as blatant as in the Euro 2000 qualifyer between
Germany and Turkey there should have been around 20,000 - 25,000 Turks
in the stadium). Even though they didn't play well at all Hertha led
after the first half through a Rekdal penalty after Darius Wosz was
fouled in the box.
But in the 2nd half it was all Gala: Hakan Sükür, who had a very good
game and even received the best grade from Germanys sports magazine
kicker, first headed in Emres cross 3 minutes into the 2nd half and then
even turned around the game when he converted a Suat corner after the
ball coolly spun through the area. Berlin of course threw everything
into attack and had to swallow another two goals on the counterattack by
Toogay...erm...Tugay and Okan.
First time I'm not in the stadium for a Champions League home game and
they lose. But there was another reason: Even though coach Jürgen Röber
played almost the identical 11 who swept Milan off the pitch a week ago
there was one crucial change: Defensive midfielder Pal Dardai was
missing and with him an awesome workrate and the link between defense
and attack. Hertha now has to return from London with at least a draw to
ensure qualification.
Attendance : 71,520
20 OCTOBER 1999
GALATASARAY 0-5 CHELSEA
Flo 32, 49
Zola 54
Wise 79
Ambrosetti 89
Flo ran onto Zola's pass, made himself space in the box and squeezed a shot
into the corner. Suker headed against the crossbar. Zola and Poyet combined
for Flo's second, Flo beautifully taking the ball on his chest and sweeping a shot
past Mehmet. Zola added a third, Flo was walking back as the Galatasaray
defence stood appealing for offside, Zola burst through, turned Mehmet inside
out before tapping into an empty net. Another hugely fortunate offside decision
gifted Chelsea a fourth, Wise finishing Flo's centre. Ambrosetti complete the
rout.
Attendance : 30,000
HERTHA 1-0 MILAN
Wosz 41
By Tim Leidecker
Milan fielded their championship team from last season with the exception of
Serginho for Ziege and Shevchenko for Weah but were hopelessly outplayed,
outbattled and outsmarted in front of 75,000 at the Olympiastadion. I had just
taken my seat when Wosz who probably played his best match in the blue &
white shirt stripped Costacurta off the ball, passed in front of the goal and after
a scramble involving Preetz and Sala Abbiati deflected the ball onto the post.
And Milans n°26 was again the unlucky fellow when he tried to play the ball to
Costacurta with his head but Wosz splashed in between, raced towards the
Milan goal and fired the ball past Abbiati.
Great goal but also a grave mistake but noone can really blame Sala, he just
came back from injury and clearly lacked practise. And it also was Luigi who
had Milans best "chance" in the dying seconds when a clearance landed in front
of his feet inside the area but Kiraly had 0 problems in saving his weak shot.
Disappointing performance by Milan, even after the 1-0 they kept on playing
like it was still 0-0, no fire, no heart. Hertha continue their impressive streak
at home, I don't know where this will end if they keep on playing like that?!
Attendance : 75,000
28 SEPTEMBER 1999
CHELSEA 1-0 GALATASARAY
Petrescu 55
Galatasaray should have been awarded a goal when Sutton's attempted
clearance crossed the goal-line but was clawed out by De Goey. Tafarel was
sent off for handling the ball outside of the penalty area. Petrescu finally scored
at the second attempt after Mehmet spilt a typical poor Chelsea shot.
As usual Chelsea only managed to take one of many chances they created.
Galatasaray played very well until Tafarel's sending off.
Attendance : 33,426
MILAN 1-1 HERTHA
Bierhoff 74 Daei 69
By Tim Leidecker
Hertha stun the world as they take away a point from Milan at the San
Siro, a feat last achieved by a German team in 1955 (after that came 8
straight defeats). The biggest chance for the red & black in the first
half came when Leonardo curled a great free kick into the top left
corner but Kiraly was there to punch it out with a spectacular save !
Herthas Deisler was able to contain both Serginho and Maldini on the
right side alone and Gattuso VS. Dardai was a hell of a combat in
midfield. Costacurta and Helveg were total failures for Milan.
After 25 minutes into the 2nd half Irans Ali Daei recieved a long punt
by Deisler, held off Guly in the area and beat Abbiati at the near post.
What a shock for the Rossoneri as Hertha scored on their first chance !
5 minutes later Shevchenko was able to get rid of his marker Schmidt for
the only time in the game, pentrated into the area and his deflected
cross was met by Bierhoff who had no problem scoring. Leo then had a
regular goal disallowed in the very last minute for offside by the awful
French referee Veissiere.
Why does Milan keep themselves an "air-monster" when they're not going
to feed it?
Attendance : 40,944
21 SEPTEMBER 1999
MILAN 2-1 GALATASARAY
Leonardo 44 Umit 49
Shevchenko 45
Leonardo controlled a Bierhoff cross on his chest and drilled a half volley
past Taffarel and set up Shevchenko to put Milan 2-0 in front. Umit turned
in a cross at the start of the second half.
Attendance : 45,000
15 SEPTEMBER 1999
CHELSEA 0-0 MILAN
Petrescu wasted Chelsea's first chance after Guly lost the ball in midfield and
Zola played in the Romanian. Flo blazed a header well wide from close range
following a fantastic cross by Poyet and again headed wide minutes later from
Zola's cross. Costacurta made a hash of a clearance, Zola swapped passes with
Petrescu and his shot bounced off the post into Abbiati's arms. Abbiati then
pulled off great saves to deny Zola, again helped by a Costacurta hospital pass
and Petrescu after another mistake by Guly. Leonardo crashed a half volley off
the crossbar, easily Milan's best chance of the match.
Not a great match in terms of drama but both teams gave a master class on
clean, aggressive, tackling. The pressing by Milan early in the second half was
outstanding. Chelsea controlled the first half but created the better scoring
chances in the second. Gattuso rendered Deschamps, dominant in the first half,
useless. Zola tormented the Milan defence and Desailly and Lebouef were
impossible to pass. Leonardo had a miserable game and managed to give away
possession even more than the eternally hapless Albertini. Abbiati rescued Milan
once again. Chelsea dropped two points and better hope their finishing improves
during the rest of the campaign if they are to progress.
Attendance : 33,473
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