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PICS: Juve, PSG, Bayern seal last 16 berths

Last updated on: November 07, 2019 06:29 IST

Teenage striker Rodrygo 'tricks' as Real Madrid trounce Galatasaray.

A round-up of Wednesday's league stage matches in the UEFA Champions League.

Douglas Costa scores Juventus's second goal in the Group D Champions League match against Lokomotiv Moscow

IMAGE: Douglas Costa scores Juventus's second goal in the Group D Champions League match against Lokomotiv Moscow, at RZD Arena, Moscow, on Wednesday. Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters

Substitute Douglas Costa scored an exquisite stoppage-time goal to give Juventus a 2-1 win away to Lokomotiv Moscow on Wednesday, which clinched their place in the Champions League round of 16 with two games to spare.

 

The Brazilian collected the ball outside the area and raced past three defenders, exchanged passes with Gonzalo Higuain who backheeled the return to him and then left two more players in his wake before beating goalkeeper Guilherme to silence the Lokomotiv stadium.

Juventus top Group D with 10 points, three ahead of Atletico Madrid, who lost 1-2 away to Bayer Leverkusen later on Wednesday while Lokomotiv and Leverkusen have three points each. The Serie A champions remain unbeaten in all competitions under Maurizio Sarri, who took over during the close season.

Guilherme had gifted Juventus the lead after four minutes when he allowed Cristiano Ronaldo's powerful free kick from an unlikely position near the touchline to squirm through his legs before Aaron Ramsey touched the ball over the line.

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo was substituted in the second half for Paulo Dybala after feeling a twinge in his knee, according to Juventus coach Sarri.

"He's been feeling it for a few days and I preferred to take him off to avoid running any risks, even though he was angry," Sarri said.

"It wasn't one of our best performances. We allowed the opposition to win too many balls, we were too open in the first half and in the second we were too slow in moving the ball around."

Aleksei Miranchuk levelled eight minutes later for the Railwayman, scoring from the rebound after his own header hit the post.

On a rainy Moscow evening, Guilherme then atoned for his mistake by making two saves in quick succession from Higuain.

The Brazil-born goalkeeper was almost caught out after another Ronaldo free kick bounced awkwardly in front of him early in the second half but then made another brilliant save to turn away the Portuguese forward's powerful drive.

Far from outclassed, Lokomotiv nearly went ahead in the 78th minute but Joao Mario saw his shot cleared off the line by Leonardo Bonucci with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny caught out of his ground.

In the end, Sarri's substitutions paid off as Juventus took all the points thanks to an inspired moment from Costa.

Leverkusen spring to life with win over Atletico

Atletico Madrid's Felipe looks dejected after Kevin Volland scores Bayer Leverkusen's second goal.

IMAGE: Atletico Madrid's Felipe looks dejected as Bayer Leverkusen players celebrate their second goal, scored by Kevin Volland. Photograph: Thilo Schmuelgen/Reuters

Bayer Leverkusen sprang to life in their Champions League group as they picked up their first points with a 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in a bad-tempered game later on Wednesday.

Despite suffering a late fright and red card, Leverkusen were worthy winners and must have left their supporters wondering why they could not have produced similar displays earlier in the group.

Atletico would have clinched their place in the round of 16 with a win but failed to produce a single shot on target in the first half of the Group D game and fell behind to an own goal by Thomas Partey four minutes before halftime.

Charles Aranguiz lofted the ball over from the right and the Ghanaian headed into his own net as he tried to clear.

Leverkusen extended their lead 10 minutes after the break. Karim Bellarabi fired over a low cross from the right, Felipe failed to cut it out and Kevin Volland controlled the ball and drilled his shot past Jan Oblak.

There were ugly moments after that and, at one point, a huge scuffle broke out in the Atletico area involving around a dozen players which led to four players being booked.

Shortly afterwards, Leverkusen had Nadiem Amiri sent off for a late, sliding tackle, leaving the Bundesliga side to play the last six minutes with 10 men.

Alvaro Morata pulled one back in the fourth minute of stoppage time and, incredibly, Atletico nearly snatched an equaliser. In their next attack, the ball again fell perfectly for Morata in the penalty area but goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky saved the shot with his legs.

Leaders Juventus have qualified with 10 points from four games while Atletico have seven and Lokomotiv Moscow and Leverkusen three apiece.

Rampant Rodrygo leads Real rout of Galatasaray

Rodrygo celebrates scoring Real Madrid's first goal in the Group A match against Galatasaray

IMAGE: Rodrygo celebrates scoring Real Madrid's first goal in the Group A match against Galatasaray, at the Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid. Photograph: Susana Vera/Reuters

Real Madrid's teenage forward Rodrygo scored a blistering hat-trick as his side pummelled Galatasaray 6-0 at home to take a giant step towards qualifying for the Champions League knock-out stages.

The 18-year-old Brazilian put the 13-times European champions ahead in the fourth minute by turning two defenders in the area and firing into the bottom corner to score for the first time in Europe's elite competition.

Rodrygo struck again in the seventh by nodding home a cross from compatriot Marcelo, completing the fastest double in Champions League history.

Real did not ease off after their rampant start and extended their lead in the 13th minute with a typically cheeky 'Panenka' penalty from captain Sergio Ramos.

Karim Benzema netted their fourth on the stroke of halftime, knocking the ball into the net after another thrilling piece of play from Rodrygo.

Benzema struck again from close range in the second half to move on to 50 Champions League goals for his club, moving ahead of Real great Alfredo Di Stefano as the Spanish side's third top scorer in Europe's top competition.

But the night belonged to Rodrygo, who rounded off a dream home European debut at the Santiago Bernabeu by completing his treble in added time, racing towards goal and exchanging passes with Benzema before tapping into the net.

The Brazilian, who became the second-youngest player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League after Real great Raul, was serenaded by the home crowd.

Real, who picked up only one point from their first two games in the competition, are second in Group A with seven points from four matches.

Their next opponents Paris St Germain are top with 12, with Club Bruges third on two and Galatasaray bottom on one.

Victory over PSG, who have reached the last 16, would send Real into the knockout stage with a game to spare.

Icardi strikes again as PSG reach last 16

Mauro Icardi celebrates with his Paris St Germain's teammates after scoring  in the Group A match against Club Brugge

IMAGE: Mauro Icardi, centre, is congratulated by his Paris St Germain teammates after scoring in the Group A match against Club Brugge, at Parc des Princes, Paris. Photograph: Christian Hartmann/Reuters

Mauro Icardi was again in the right place at the right time to earn Paris St Germain a 1-0 home victory over Club Brugge on Wednesday as the French champions booked their spot in the Champions League last 16.

Icardi netted his eighth goal in his last seven games to put PSG on a maximum 12 points in Group A, five ahead of Real Madrid, who thrashed Galatasaray 6-0.

Brugge, who missed a second-half penalty, are third on two points with Galatasaray eliminated on one point.

PSG travel to Real Madrid and the Belgian side face Galatasaray away in the penultimate round of matches on Nov. 26.

Icardi was preferred up front to Edinson Cavani alongside Angel Di Maria and Kylian Mbappe, and the Argentine forward struck in the 22nd minute, tapping in from Colin Dagba's cross.

Now unbeaten in their last 23 group home games in the competition, PSG showed little in the second half as the visitors pressed hard for an equaliser but Keylor Navas made sure the Ligue 1 side kept their perfect defensive record in the group.

Brugge were awarded a penalty in the 76th minute after Thiago Silva brought down Mbaye Diagne in the area, only for Navas to block the Senegalese's spot-kick.

While Icardi had another night to remember, Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick in the reverse fixture, proved clumsy throughout and was replaced by Julian Draxler seven minutes from time.

Atalanta fight back to draw with Manchester City

Mario Pasalic celebrates scoring for Atalanta in the Group C match against Manchester City

IMAGE: Mario Pasalic celebrates scoring for Atalanta in the Group C match against Manchester City, at San Siro, Milan. Photograph: Daniele Mascolo/Reuters

Manchester City were made to wait to book a place in the Champions League knockout stages, ending up clinging on for a 1-1 draw against Atalanta after a red card forced Kyle Walker to go in goal.

City had taken an early lead through Raheem Sterling but Mario Pasalic’s equaliser turned tables and substitute keeper Claudio Bravo's sending off late on left the visitors holding on for a point with defender Walker in goal.

Sterling finished off a flowing City move early on before Gabriel Jesus squandered a golden chance to double their lead by rolling a tame penalty wide on the brink of halftime.

Pep Guardiola’s side were made to pay for their profligacy when Pasalic’s bullet header levelled the scores early in the second half and the City manager was left frustrated by his side’s performance after the interval.

City remain top of Group C with 10 points, five ahead of Shakhtar Donetsk and Dinamo Zagreb, while the draw earned Atalanta their first point in the competition.

The Premier League champions took the lead with a sensational goal after seven minutes as Bernardo Silva’s pass was back-heeled by Gabriel Jesus into the path of Sterling to finish.

City dominated possession and carved out several promising openings throughout the first half but were given a gilt-edged chance to double their lead just before the break when they earned a penalty for handball following a VAR review.

Jesus stepped up to take the spot kick, but sent it harmlessly wide to leave the Italian side with a glimmer of hope as they headed into the changing rooms.

Gasperini’s side were transformed after the interval and took four minutes to draw level as the unmarked Pasalic powered home a Papu Gomez cross.

There was drama late on when Bravo, who had been introduced at halftime with Ederson carrying a knock, was shown a straight red for a sliding tackle on Josip Ilicic outside the box, forcing Guardiola to send on Walker as a goalkeeper for the final few minutes.

Shakhtar score twice in stoppage time to hold Zagreb

Tete scores Shakhtar Donetsk's third goal from the penalty spot in the Group C match against Dinamo Zagreb

IMAGE: Tete scores Shakhtar Donetsk's third goal from the penalty spot in the Group C match against Dinamo Zagreb, at Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia. Photograph: Antonio Bronic/Reuters

Shakhtar Donetsk scored twice in injury time, the second a penalty converted in the 98th minute, to force a dramatic 3-3 draw away to Dinamo Zagreb after both teams finished with 10 men in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Alan Patrick gave Shakhtar a 13th minute lead in the Group C game and Bruno Petkovic replied to make it 1-1 at halftime but the real drama came in the second half.

Dinamo had Nikola Moro sent off for a second bookable offence in the 73rd minute but, instead of exploiting that advantage, their Ukrainian opponents then had Marlos dismissed, also for two yellow cards, six minutes later.

Petkovic cleverly laid the ball off for Luka Ivanusec to put Dinamo ahead in the 83rd minute and the Croatian champions thought they had won it when Arijan Ademi tapped in Dani Olmo's cross six minutes later.

The visitors had other ideas and Junior Moraes headed in Viktor Kovalenko's cross in the third minute of stoppage time before a penalty was awarded for a foul by Kevin Theophile-Catherine on Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov, who had come up for a corner.

Tete converted to complete an extraordinary finish and leave the two sides level with five points from four games. Manchester City lead with 10 points and Atalanta are bottom with one.

Bayern seal last 16 berth as Lewandowski strikes again

Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring Bayern Munich's first goal

IMAGE: Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring Bayern Munich's first goal in the Group B match against Olympiacos, at Allianz Arena, Munich. Photograph: Michael Dalde/Reuters

Bayern Munich clinched their place in the Champions League last 16 by beating Olympiakos 2-0 at home on Wednesday as second-half strikes from Robert Lewandowski and Ivan Perisic secured their fourth win in Group B.

Playing their first game since coach Niko Kovac was sacked after the humiliating 5-1 drubbing at Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern out-played the Greek champions but lacked composure in the area for large parts of the game.

They finally broke the deadlock in the 69th minute through Lewandowski, who continued his remarkable run of scoring in every Bundesliga and Champions League game this season.

The Polish striker prodded home a cross from Kingsley Coman from close range for his 21st strike in all competitions, setting interim boss Hansi Flick on the way to victory in his first game since being put in temporary charge.

Croatian winger Perisic claimed Bayern's second in the 89th to seal the win, slamming the ball home with his first touch less than 60 seconds after coming off the bench.

Bayern top Group B with 12 points from four games and will be confirmed as group winners if Red Star Belgrade's match with Tottenham Hotspur later on Wednesday ends in a draw.

"I'm very happy with the performance and that we have progressed. The situation hasn't been easy for the team but we managed to put into practice all the things we have been working on in training," Flick said.

"I think in the first half we didn't create enough clear-cut chances, so we need to try to do better there.

"The win was important as we wanted to qualify for the last 16 today. We managed that. It was also important how we played."

Olympiakos coach Pedro Martins was not pleased with his side's display as they struggled to work Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

"Bayern pressured us a lot, constricting us on the pitch," he said. "We should have been faster in order to escape their stranglehold. We lost many balls. I was expecting more from my team. We could have done better."

Spurs close in on last-16 berth with rout of Red Star

Son Heung-min scores Tottenham Hotspur's third goal in the Group B match against Crvena Zvezda

IMAGE: Son Heung-min scores Tottenham Hotspur's third goal in the Group B match against Crvena Zvezda, at Rajko Mitic Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Reuters

Tottenham Hotspur closed in on a berth in the Champions League knockout stages after two goals from Son Heung-min and one each by Giovani Lo Celso and Christian Eriksen gave them a resounding 4-0 Group B win at Red Star Belgrade.

The result left Spurs second in the group on seven points from four games, five behind leaders Bayern Munich, who sealed a last-16 berth with two games to spare after a 2-0 home win over Olympiakos Piraeus.

Third-placed Red Star have three points and Olympiakos one.

Tottenham, who thrashed Red Star 5-0 in the reverse fixture a fortnight ago, almost fell behind in the 23rd minute after Red Star striker Milan Pavkov powered his into the penalty area before keeper Paulo Gazzaniga denied him with a reflex save.

Lo Celso, who is on loan from Spanish side Real Betis, fired the visitors ahead in the 34th with his first goal for Spurs after a pinball-styled scramble in Red Star's six-yard box which left both sets of fans momentarily baffled.

Harry Kane hit the post while Son had one shot cleared off the line and saw another crash against the underside of the bar before Lo Celso turned the ball in from close range.

Red Star came closing to equalising on the stroke of halftime in almost identical fashion as Dutch forward Rajiv Van la Parra hit the post and the rebound cannoned off Spurs defender Davinson Sanchez on to the crossbar.

Son made it 2-0 in the 57th minute when he buried a left-footed shot from eight metres into the roof of the net from a flowing move as Spurs broke out of their own half, with Dele Alli feeding the Korean forward.

With Red Star reeling, Son added the third four minutes later after another lightning Spurs break, blasting in a first-time shot at the far post following an inch-perfect low cross by left back Danny Rose.

Late substitute Eriksen added the gloss when he tucked the ball past goalkeeper Milan Borjan after another fine assist by the lively Rose.

Many Red Star fans left the acoustic Rajko Mitic stadium in a hurry before the final whistle, with several hundred visiting Spurs supporters in full swing.

Source: REUTERS
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