Tuesday’s Champions League Round-Up
28th November, 2007
Arsenal and Manchester United went into last night’s Champions League games knowing that they had already qualified for the final 16 of the tournament, but both were hoping for wins to secure top spot in their respective groups.
Despite Arsenal taking the lead against Sevilla with a well taken goal from Eduardo da Silva after just 11 minutes, it did not take long for the Spanish side to get into their stride, with an equaliser just 13 minutes later from Keita. They went on to take the lead on 34 minutes when a great header from Fabiano. Late in the game Kanoute scored from the spot to give the home side a comfortable 3-1 victory, condemning Arsenal to their first loss in all competitions this season.
Manchester United did things the hard way, conceding a goal that stand-in keeper Kuszczak should have had covered, as Abel caught him out at his near post. It took more than an hour for United to find their feet at home, when Tevez turned in Ronaldo’s long-range shot to score a lucky goal. Late on in injury time, Ronaldo returned to haunt his old club by scoring a typically cool free kick to secure all three points and give United top spot in their group, at the same time rendering their final group game against Roma pointless. Sir Alex Ferguson said before the game they wanted a win, so that they would be able to rest some players against Roma, three days before the Premiership clash with Liverpool.
Elsewhere, Internazionale booked their place in the last 16 with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Fenerbahce, joining fellow Italians Roma who beat Dynamo Kiev 4-1. Barcelona, like United, secured top spot in Group E after drawing 2-2 away to Lyon.
Group E also saw Stuttgart get their first points of the Champions League group stages with a 3-2 win over Rangers, who now need a draw with Lyon to make it to the next phase. The visitors took the lead after 27 minutes, but Stuttgart levelled with a neat short corner just before half time to go into the dressing room on a high. Not long into the second half the German side took the lead as Pardo’s strike somehow found its way into the bottom corner. In typical Scottish fashion, Rangers fought back and got their equaliser as Ferguson capitalised on the Stuttgart keeper’s mistake. However it was not to be as Marica found the net with five minutes to go, costing Rangers a crucial point.
Slavia Prague secured their spot in the UEFA Cup with a 1-1 draw with Steaua Bucharest, and PSV kept their qualification hopes alive with a first half strike enough to beat CSKA Moscow 1-0.
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