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Rediff.com  » Sports » PIX: Haaland powers City into last 16; Milan down PSG

PIX: Haaland powers City into last 16; Milan down PSG

November 08, 2023 09:28 IST
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Images from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Tuesday night.

City cruise into last 16

IMAGE: Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates scoring their first goal against Young Boys at Etihad Stadium in Manchester. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters

Erling Haaland scored twice as holders Manchester City cruised into the last 16 of the Champions League with two group games remaining after a 3-0 victory over Swiss side Young Boys on Tuesday.

Pep Guardiola's side maintained their 100% record and lead Group G with 12 points from four games. Young Boys, who were reduced to 10 men when Sandro Lauper was shown a red card in the 53rd minute, are fourth in the group with one point.

 

"Still the job is not done because we have to finish first because it's better in the last-16 to have the weapon of the second game at home," Guardiola said.

"But the first step to qualify is done, (and) we scored two fantastic goals."

Haaland now has 39 Champions League goals from 34 appearances, and is on course to smash the record for fewest appearances to reach 40 goals, which is 45 games by Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The 23-year-old injured his ankle in Saturday's 6-1 trouncing of Bournemouth in the Premier League, raising questions about whether he would even play on Tuesday.

The one negative on the night was the loss of John Stones, who recently returned from a hip injury but was replaced at halftime after suffering what Guardiola said was a muscle issue.

"He will be awhile out, it's a pity, it's bad news for us," Guardiola said.

IMAGE: Erling Haaland scores Manchester City's first goal from the penalty spot. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters

City applied pressure from kickoff and Haaland broke the deadlock from a penalty in the 23rd minute after Lauper's tackle on Matheus Nunes in the box. The Norwegian striker pumped a fist in the air after sending goalkeeper Anthony Racioppi the wrong way.

Phil Foden doubled City's lead seconds before halftime when Jack Grealish spotted him out wide. The England midfielder cut into the box and beat Racioppi with a low shot.

Haaland's second goal - and fourth in two games against Young Boys - was a beautiful left-footed rocket from 20 yards out in the 51st minute.

Haaland, who had traded shirts with Young Boys captain Mohamed Ali Camara as they walked off the field at halftime, was substituted to a standing ovation from the home crowd a few minutes after his goal.

The score could have been more lopsided as City had numerous near misses including Rico Lewis's attempt that looked destined for the net before it was cleared off the line by Loris Benito.

Belgian forward Jeremy Doku sent in a pinpoint cross after coming on late in the game, but Nunes could not finish.

"We knew it's very difficult here, to get a point or a win, you need to have the kind of a game, the perfect game in every phase of the game," Young Boys manager Raphael Wicky said.

City are unbeaten in their last 17 Champions League games since losing 3-1 away to Real Madrid in the semi-finals in May 2022.

"To qualify with two games to spare, that is what we wanted to do," Grealish told TNT Sports. "He (Guardiola) gives us so much. In my opinion, he is the best manager in the world. He has shown that over the years. But you can have the best manager in the world, you also need the team.

"And that is what we have, a brilliant team on the pitch but also off the pitch we have a brilliant team that is so close. We love being with each other every day and playing with each other."

City host RB Leipzig on Nov. 28 and then cap the group stage with a visit to Red Star Belgrade on Dec. 13.

Milan rally to beat PSG

IMAGE:  Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring AC Milan's second goal against PSG. Photograph: Alessandro Garofalo/Reuters

AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud's powerful header early in the second half secured a 2-1 Champions League Group F home victory over Paris St Germain in a pulsating match on Tuesday for the first win in this season's competition by the Italian side.

Former Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar had put PSG ahead but their advantage lasted only three minutes before Rafael Leao netted an acrobatic equaliser and Giroud then sealed a precious victory just after the break in front of 75,649 at the San Siro.

Milan now have five points from four games in third behind second-placed PSG with six points. Leaders Borussia Dortmund have seven points after winning 2-0 earlier on Tuesday at home to Newcastle United who are bottom on four points.

The match in San Siro was played at a frenetic tempo in the first half with end-to-end action and, while the pace inevitably slowed in the second period, it was an absorbing clash in which Milan had to hold on at the end as PSG piled on the pressure.

"It was a high-level match, we knew the difficulty of coming to play here," PSG captain Marquinhos told Canal+. "The second goal changes the match because we were good at that moment.

"We knew it (qualification for the knockout stages) would be hard if we didn't win today, but we must not give up. Everything remains in our hands."

Milan won a Champions League game in which they had trailed for the first time since beating Real Madrid in 2009.

IMAGE: Olivier Giroud scores the second goal for AC Milan. Photograph: Alessandro Garofalo/Reuters

PSG went ahead after nine minutes following a well-worked corner. Marquinhos flicked on the set-piece and Skriniar was left unmarked to head home his first goal for the Paris club.

They have scored in their last 48 group stage matches in the Champions League, the longest run in the competition’s history, having previously drawn a blank against Real Madrid in 2015.

But the home side were level three minutes later with an excellent finish from Leao.

Giroud’s initial shot was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma against his former club but as the ball looped into the air Leao produced an overhead kick.

Kylian Mbappe then found himself one-on-one with Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan but scuffed his shot wide before Ousmane Dembele struck the crossbar with a curling shot from 25 metres.

There was less goalmouth action in the second period but Milan led early when Theo Hernandez’s superb cross was met with a powerful trademark header by Giroud.

Lee Kang-In struck a post for PSG on a luckless night for the Parisians as their five-game winning run came to an end.

"The players played with their heart, with energy; it’s what we wanted. We managed to work as a team against a great side," Milan coach Stefano Pioli said.

"The team worked well together, and deserved the win. Now we need to perform well against Dortmund and overtake them."

Milan host Dortmund on Nov. 28 when PSG welcome Newcastle.

Dortmund outclass Newcastle

IMAGE: Borussia Dortmund's players celebrate after Julian Brandt scored the second goal against Newcastle United. Photograph: Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters

A dominant Borussia Dortmund scored once in each half to beat Newcastle United 2-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday and provisionally take over the lead in Group F with two games remaining.

Germany forward Niclas Fuellkrug drilled in from close range in the 26th minute for his first goal in the competition and Julian Brandt added another on the break in the 79th to kill off the game and dent Newcastle's chances of a top-two finish.

The result lifted Dortmund, who have beaten the Premier League club in both their group matches, to seven points in top spot. Newcastle have four while AC Milan, on two points, host Paris St Germain, who have six, later on Tuesday.

"It was very deserved with a great team performance," said Dortmund coach Edin Terzic. "We owed the fans something from Saturday."

"We beat Newcastle now twice, and twice kept a clean sheet. The seven points are not enough. It was a good step but more need to follow."

Newcastle coach Eddie Howe said his team had to win their remaining matches to have any chance of advancing.

"We’ve got to try and win our last two games (in Paris and at home to Milan)," Howe said. "We weren't far away tonight, that's the thing to take away. At our very best, even with the number of players we have out, we're good enough (to win here)."

The hosts were brimming with confidence from the start, showing no effects of Saturday's 4-0 home loss to Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich.

They were in control throughout, with the match briefly interrupted in the second half by fans throwing fake gold bars onto the pitch in protest at European governing body UEFA's planned competition reforms.

Dortmund's early pressure paid dividends when Fuellkrug combined well with Marcel Sabitzer and fired the ball left-footed into the roof of the Newcastle goal to give them a deserved lead.

They went close to another goal with a lightning-quick break while a Sabitzer shot flew over the bar a little later.

Newcastle, the first team to start eight English players in a Champions League game since Manchester United against FC Kosice in 1997, were missing key players through injury including Sven Botman, Alexander Isak, Harvey Barnes and Elliot Anderson.

But they came out fighting after the break, with the introduction of Anthony Gordon and Miguel Almiron adding pace to their game.

Joelinton missed their biggest chance in the 56th minute when his glancing header from a pin-point Tino Livramento cross whizzed wide.

Livramento's performance was one of the few highlights for Eddie Howe's team, with the 20-year-old making an outstanding competition debut.

Dortmund put the game to bed in the 79th when Karim Adeyemi found Brandt on the break and the Germany midfielder slotted in their second goal.

Atletico thrash 10-man Celtic

IMAGE: Atletico Madrid players celebrate after Alvaro Morata scores their second goal against Celtic. Photograph: Juan Medina/Reuters

Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata both struck twice to help thrash 10-man Celtic 6-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday, sending the Spaniards top in Group E.

Atletico made a strong start and Griezmann opened the scoring in the sixth minute, slotting in a low shot from the edge of the box.

Celtic were then reduced to 10 men when forward Daizen Maeda received a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on Atletico defender Mario Hermoso in the 23rd minute.

Some fine saves from Celtic's veteran goalkeeper Joe Hart from close-range efforts kept them in the game and the visitors almost found a shock equaliser in the 28th minute.

Atletico keeper Jan Oblak made a stunning one-handed save to deny what would have been a comical own-goal by Morata as he attempted to clear a corner from inside Atletico’s six-yard box.

Morata made amends in added time before the break, when Griezmann found Jose Maria Gimenez with a brilliant cross from the right touchline to the far corner and he headed it to the Spain captain to tap in.

Player of the match Griezmann than scored the third with an acrobatic volley in the 60th minute and substitute Samuel Lino netted the fourth with a fine curling strike into the top left corner six minutes later.

Morata blasted home an unstoppable strike from a rebound in the 76th minute and Saul Niguez wrapped up the scoring from close-range in the 85th.

"Sure, the red card gave us an advantage, but we had started the game on top, scored early, something that we were having difficulties doing lately," Griezmann told Movistar Plus.

"We need to continue like this. With respect to our opponents, we tried to play as well as we could, score as many goals as we could and not do anything stupid or disrespectful."

Atletico went top in Group E on eight points with two games remaining, one point ahead of second-placed Lazio who beat Feyenoord 1-0 on Tuesday.

The Dutch side are third on six points with Celtic bottom on one point.

Immobile strike gives Lazio victory

IMAGE: Lazio's players celebrate after winning the match against Feyenoord. Photograph: Remo Casilli/Reuters

A first-half goal by Ciro Immobile handed Lazio a 1-0 home win over Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday, keeping the Italians' knockout stage hopes alive as Maurizio Sarri's side moved up to second in Group E.

Lazio, who lost 3-1 in the reverse fixture last month, are second on seven points from four games, one point behind leaders Atletico Madrid who hammered Celtic 6-0 in the other group fixture.

A mostly uneventful first half sprung to life in stoppage time when captain Immobile put the hosts ahead after he rounded visiting goalkeeper Justin Bijlow and struck low from a tight angle towards the far post.

It was the 33-year-old's 200th goal for the Italian side having returned in the centre of the attack after coach Sarri made five changes to his starting lineup from the side that lost 1-0 to Bologna in the league on Friday.

Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez had the chance to equalise in the 67th minute following a free kick, but his header went inches wide.

The Mexican, who scored twice in the win over Lazio in Rotterdam, also had a good chance before halftime but home goalkeeper Ivan Provedel denied his close-range shot with the tips of his fingers.

Provedel then secured the win for Lazio in stoppage time when he kept out Ayase Ueda's towering header.

"We played a match in which we were at our best, even in moments of suffering," Sarri told Sky Sport. "(But) Against them we had to suffer, they are a goal machine and tonight we kept them dry.

"Let's hope we didn't pay a heavy price because we came away with some injuries. (Mattia) Zaccagni and Luis Alberto? There's a bit of concern."

Midfielder Zaccagni was replaced by Pedro shortly after the hour mark while Luis Alberto received medical treatment on the pitch just before fulltime after Lazio had used all their changes.

Feyenoord lost defender Bart Nieuwkoop through injury in the 20th minute.

The Dutch champions, who came into the game top of the standings, dropped to third on six points.

European champions in 1970, Feyenoord are in the group stage for the first time since 2017-18. However, they have never reached the knockout stage since the competition became the Champions League in 1992.

Leipzig reach Champions League last 16

IMAGE: RB Leipzig's players celebrate winning the match against Red Star Belgrade. Photograph: Marko Djurica/Reuters

Goals from Xavi Simons and Lois Openda gave RB Leipzig a 2-1 win against Red Star Belgrade in Champions League Group G on Tuesday to secure a place in the knockout stages.

Leipzig took the lead after eight minutes when Simons found space inside the box and curled a superb shot into the right corner for his second Champions League strike, having also scored against the Serbs a fortnight ago.

The visitors were dominant and could have doubled their lead before halftime, but Red Star keeper Omri Glazer twice denied efforts from Openda.

The Belgium international, however, found the net in the 77th minute in a blow to the hosts, who had looked more aggressive in the second half.

Red Star pulled one back through Benjamin Henrichs' own goal in the 81st minute but they could not find a leveller and fell to a third defeat in four games.

The German team remained second with nine points, three behind leaders Manchester City, who beat Young Boys 3-0. Red Star are on one point, the same as the Swiss side.

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