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Tuesday’s Champions League review …Rude Shock For Barcelona.

Eduoku — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:39:58 +0000

I bet a lot, and i make a lot of money in it, but i don’t like cup games for the obvious reasons. Pitting big teams against so-called-minows, whose only time for fame and fortune is when they play the big boys.

Before this season’s CPL, did you know a certain Kazan, Rubin Kazan actually. I bet you did not.I certainly never heard of them until they made it to the league stage of Europe’s elite cup affair.

Well, whether you heard of them or not, they have come to the party in style. And the big boys better sit up because they will bite you in the ass. And that is exactly what they did to Barcelona yesterday at none other place than the Camp Nou. Not an easy task you would say, but they did it.

That game was not the only game in match-day 3. Infact, yesterday was war. Inter could not beat Dynamo Kyiv. For a full load-down of all group games yesterday, read on.

GROUP E

Fiorentina moved above Liverpool and into second place in Group E following a dramatic 4-3 win against Debrecen as the Reds went down 2-1 against Lyon at Anfield.

Six of the seven goals came in the first half in Hungary.

Peter Czvitkovics gave the hosts an early lead after converting a Jozsef Varga cross, but a fine finish from former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu soon levelled the game.

Mutu then turned provider for Alberto Gilardino who calmly slotted home after 10 minutes, with Gilardino returning the favour by setting up Mutu to drill home from outside the box shortly after.

Gergely Rudolf curled into the top corner to bring Debrecen back to 3-2 but a powerful left-footed shot from Mario Santana restored the Italians’ two-goal cushion just before the break to cap an incredible first half.

Adamo Coulibaly headed home for the hosts late on to set up a grandstand finish, but Fiorentina held on for the points.

GROUP F

In an incredible night of action, Barcelona suffered an amazing 2-1 home defeat to Rubin Kazan, while Inter Milan were held to a surprising 2-2 draw by Dynamo Kiev.

There is now a three-way tie for top spot in the group table, with Kazan, Barcelona and Kiev all on four points. Jose Mourinho’s Inter are rock bottom with only three points from their three games.

But the result at the Nou Camp will send shockwaves around the footballing world after Kazan pulled off one of the greatest upsets in club football history.

Aleksandr Ryazantsev gave the visitors a shock lead after just two minutes, picking up the ball and letting fly from 25 yards with a stunning drive that flew into the top corner – the fastest ever Champions League goal scored by an away team at the Nou Camp.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic equalised with his first Champions League goal for his new club early in the second half after being set up by Xavi.

But Gokdeniz Karadeniz finished off a superb breakaway move following a mistake in the Barcelona midfield late on to stun the reigning European champions.

At the San Siro, Taras Mykhalyk gave Kiev the lead after five minutes before Dejan Stankovic smashed home an equaliser for Inter on the half-hour.

An own goal from Lucio restored the visitors’ lead but a Walter Samuel header secured a deserved draw for the Italian side just after the break.

GROUP G

Sevilla eased past Stuttgart 3-1 and qualified from the group stages in record time following Rangers’ 4-1 defeat against Unirea Urziceni .

The Spanish side only needed Rangers to draw to go through after just three games, providing they were victorious in Germany.

Sebastien Squillaci headed the visitors into the lead after a fine cross from Adriano after 23 minutes – the defender’s first Champions league goal in more than five years.

Jesus Navas made it two with a right-footed shot after 55 minutes before Squillaci (72) headed home his second to restore the cushion.

Brazilian Elson pulled one back for the hosts only a minute later but it was never going to be enough to stop a rampant Sevilla securing their passage to the next round.

GROUP H

Arsenal have had their lead at the top of Group H reduced to just one point after their 1-1 draw against AZ Alkmaar and Olympiakos’ late 2-1 win against Standard Liege.

The Greek side looked in trouble when Liege took something of a surprise lead in the first half – Igor de Camargo slipping the ball past home goalkeeper Antonios Nikopolis after being put through by Milan Jovanovic.

But a free-kick from Luciano Galleti was headed in by Kostantinos Mitroglou to bring the hosts back on terms and a late winner by Ieroklis Stoltidis sealed the victory, and prompted some wild celebrations from the home crowd.

The Greek side are now just one point behind the Gunners in the group table.

Arsenal Stun Holders Milan

Eduoku — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:17:00 +0000

It looks like Arsenal have finally shaken off the underdogs tag, as they superbly beat holders AC Milan 2-0 in an entertaining match at the San Siro. In a match the Gunners seemingly controlled from the 20th minute of the first half, Arsene Wenger’s side produced a virtuoso display but had to wait until the 84th minute before Cesc Fabregas fired in a low 30-yard finish.Emmanuel Adebayor then turned in Theo Walcott’s cross in injury time to send the holders crashing out. Fabregas hit the bar in the first-half as Arsenal dominated almost throughout.It was another famous Champions League win for Arsenal in Milan, following on from their famous 5-1 win against Inter in November 2005.
Milan opened brightly, with Fabregas clearing off the line from Paolo Maldini’s header at the near post, but once Arsenal found their stride they controlled the first 45 minutes in composed fashion.
Fabregas dictated affairs in midfield to even outshine Kaka, but the Brazilian escaped to set up Alexandre Pato after 18 minutes, only for the youngster to finish tamely.Arsenal were understandably furious after 32 minutes when Alexander Hleb was shown the yellow card for diving by Austrian official Konrad Plautz, even though he had been blatantly upended on the edge of the area by Alessandro Nesta.
And they were frustrated seconds later when Fabregas saw a rising drive from 20 yards rebound off the crossbar with Zeljko Kalac well beaten.Arsenal could have taken the lead seconds after the break when Fabregas’s corner landed at the feet of Philippe Senderos, but he could only send an instinctive finish straight at Kalac.Emmanuel Eboue then wasted another glorious chance as Andrea Pirlo sent an awful pass straight to Adebayor. He found Eboue in space only 10 yards out, but he shot wastefully wide.Milan had faded as an attacking force, but Pirlo kept Manuel Almunia on his toes with a dipping free-kick that was turned around the post by Arsenal’s keeper.Wenger made a bold substitution with 20 minutes left, sending on Walcott for Eboue.And within four minutes he almost set up a goal, only for keeper Kalac to stretch out a leg and block his cross with a collection of Arsenal players waiting to pounce.Arsenal almost paid the price for their profligacy in front of goal with 12 minutes left when Pato was only inches off target with an angled shot that took a deflection off Senderos.Arsenal finally got the goal they so richly deserved with six minutes left when Fabregas advanced and sent a low shot into the corner past the despairing dive of Kalac.And a stunning performance got the final flourish it deserved when Walcott crossed perfectly for Adebayor to turn in at the far post.

As Arsenal’s players celebrated, it marked a poignant end to European combat for the great Milan icon Maldini, who won five winners’ medals in this competition and is retiring at the end of this season.

Is Inter Milan In Crisis?

Eduoku — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:58:00 +0000

After being substituted in the 81st minute,Patrick Vieira refused to shake manager Roberto Mancini and the went on to kick some of the water bottles by the subsitutes bench.This happened during yesterday’s 1-1 draw with Sampdoria.
Just last week, fellow team mates Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marco Materazzi had a bust up, and we all know how this could easily go against the team.Inter play real good football in the serie A,though their Eufa Champions league form is anything but.They were beaten by Liverpool last week at Anfield.
We all that Inter bought many big name players including Vieira,making them the most star- studded team in the Italian top flight.This has given them the edge over almost all the teams in the league,but as we are now beginning to see,it has also started bringing them infamy with the players now openly expressing their big ego.
This inevitably brings to mind the situation Real Madrid faced with the Galacticos,a situation that led to the team going through a very lean spell of several seasons without trophies.
I just want to put in a few words here as regards our own player Zlatan Ibrahimovic.He can be a little hot tempered,and i just hope that he keeps his head as we approach the Euro Championships.