The blaugrana lose 3-0 with Benfica, United stretch Villarreal 2-1 thanks to CR7. Goleade of Bayern and Zenit
Cristiano Ronaldo blows up Old Trafford in Champions League. The Portuguese scores the 2-1 goal in the 95th minute and gives the victory to the United against the Villarreal. If CR7 celebrates, the Barcelona cries, humiliated 3-0 on the field of Benfica and still dry of points. On the other fields the Bavaria Monaco, 5-0 to Dynamo Kiev, and Zenit, 4-0 in Malmö. The Salzburg beat Lille 2-1 with two penalties, Wolfsburg 1-1 Sevilla.
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GROUP E
BAYERN MONACO – DINAMO KIEV 5-0
Bayern Munich demolishes Dynamo Kiev with a resounding 5-0 and maintains the top of the group. The Germans asserted the higher quality and unlocked on 12 ‘, when Lewandowski converted a penalty awarded for a handball by Sydorchuk. The Pole repeats himself in the 27th minute, taking advantage of Müller’s precise verticalization to free himself from the opponent’s marking and coldly sign his personal double. The Ukrainians try to sell their skin dearly and call Neuer to the miracle to protect the 2-0 before the interval, with a great save on Carlos de Pena’s shot. In the second half Dinamo is discovered to try to shorten the distance and Bayern does not forgive with the deadly counterattack of Gnabry, who receives from Sané, rides in the opponent’s half and slips under the crossbar. The Germans spread in the final with Sané, who in the 74th minute put the seal of 4-0 with a great shot from outside the area, and Choupo-Moting, headed on Pavard’s cross from the right. It is the 5-0 goal, which launches Bayern Munich to 6 points, leading the group. Dinamo, on the other hand, remains at one.
BENFICA – BARCELONA 3-0
Tragedy Barcelona in a Champions League that seems bewitched for the blaugrana, humiliated 3-0 on the field of Benfica. The Portuguese found the advantage after less than two minutes. Darwin Nuñez runs off on the counterattack on the left, focuses and with a couple of feints he frees up the space to kick and put Ter Stegen. The Blaugrana respond on the De Jong axis, but Luc badly wastes two delightful (and selfless) assists from Frank from a great position. Benfica are likely to double as soon as the second half begins, when Ter Stegen comes out empty well away from his penalty area and is jumped by Nuñez, who, with an empty net from a tight angle, only hits the outside post. The Catalans attacked with few ideas and confused, the Portuguese punished in the 69th minute with a 2-0 by Rafa Silva, the fastest on Ter Stegen’s short counter shot by Joao Mario. At 79 ‘Benfica gave the coup de grace scoring the trio with a brace from Nuñez, which displaces the German goalkeeper on the penalty whistled by Orsato for Dest’s handball. In the end there is the right time for the useless expulsion of Eric Garcia, another negative element of an evening to forget. Benfica breaks the Barcelona curse and flies to 4 points, the Spaniards see the ghosts and remain at zero after two days.
GROUP F
MANCHESTER UNITED – VILLARREAL 2-1
In the group of Atalanta, Cristiano Ronaldo launches Manchester United with the goal of 2-1 in the 95th minute that decides the match against Villarreal. At Old Trafford everyone is waiting for the stars to play, but the real star of the Red Devils in the first half is goalkeeper De Gea. The Spanish extreme defender opposes Danjuma twice in the opening, then raises Alcacer’s header over the crossbar and just before the break reflexively opposes Yéremi Pino’s diagonal. The Spaniards concretized the push in the 53rd minute with an excellent counterattack, which Alcacer concluded by slipping Danjuma’s low cross into the net. The slap wakes up United, who equalized after just 7 ‘with the amazing left-footed volley of the former Inter Telles, perfect in crossing the soft free-kick from Bruno Fernandes from outside the box. Manchester changed their attitude and pushed decisively until in the 95th minute Cristiano Ronaldo found the flash of victory, sending under the crossbar with a powerful blow on Lingard’s bank. It is the goal that brings the Red Devils his first three points, level with the Young Boys and a length from Atalanta before. Villarrral, despite playing a great game, remains at one.
GROUP G
SALZBURG – LILLE 2-1
After the three penalties in the first game, Salzburg beat Lille 2-1 with two more penalties. Tactical and not very exciting game for at least half an hour. To wake up the Red Bull Arena comes Botman’s intervention on Adeyemi, launched on the counterattack, in the middle of the penalty area. The Turkish referee Meler concedes the penalty, confirming even after a long on field review. From the spot the same Adeyemi aims for the corner, Grbic touches the ball but fails to avoid the advantage for the Austrians. Before the break, Salzburg nearly doubled with Kristensen, whose header slammed right on the post, and Wober, imprecise in the retort. The second half opens with another penalty, the second for Salzburg (fifth in two games), this time for Yilmaz’s handball. Adeyemi confirms himself as a cold shooter and central kicks, signing his personal double. Lille reopened the game in the 62nd minute with Yilmaz’s powerful right-footed free-kick on which Kohn had more than a few blame for managing the trajectory of the shot. The guests try but fail to find the equalizer: with 4 points Salzburg is first in the group, Lille last at 1.
WOLFSBURG – SEVILLE 1-1
Sevilla grabbed the draw in the final against Wolfsburg, with a 1-1 among the controversies. At the Volkswagen Arena, the first stage certainly does not offer the spectacle worthy of a Champions League match. The hosts limit themselves to phrasing, without ever becoming dangerous, while the guests rely on Suso’s shots from outside and some flashes of Ocampos. Neither of the two former Milan manages to produce sensational dangers, and the first half slips away with an insipid 0-0. As soon as the second half began, the Germans found the advantage: Steffen sent a loose ball to the corner after a short detour by Arnold to anticipate Weghorst. The Wolves became masters of the field and nearly doubled several times, but were mocked in the 85th minute, when the Bulgarian referee Kabakov whistled a penalty for a foul by Guilavogui, who hit Lamela in the momentum of his return. The half is also sent off for the sum of yellow cards, while the whole stadium whistles the decision. From the spot Rakitic is icy and marks the 1-1. The final assault of the Spaniards, in numerical superiority, is not enough and the tie holds until the final whistle. Both teams go to two points and remain in full battle for any result in the group.
GROUP H
ZENIT ST.PETERSBURG-MALMÖ 4-0
In the Juventus group, Zenit St. Petersburg demolish Malmö with a clear 4-0 and raise their chances of fighting for a place in the round of 16. The Russians move forward after just 9 minutes with Claudinho, who opens the right platter on Santos’ low pass and slips into the corner. The Swedes try to reply with Christiansen, whose shot ends just above the crossbar. The match takes a very precise turn in the second half: after just 4 ‘Kuzyayev heads Rakitsky’s soft cross to the far post, doubling the score. Malmö signed their final sentence shortly after, when Ahmedhodzic was sent off for a bad intervention. In numerical superiority, Zenit spreads: in the 80th minute Sutormin finds the blow to the corner from outside the area, in the 94th minute Wendel drops the final 4-0 with a short counter. The Russians rise to 3 points, the Swedes remain dry.
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