Champions League 2010, Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid progress
Leagues across Europe took a sabbatical for the UEFA Champions League and the competition did not disappoint as it was goals galore last night as all the usual suspects notched up key wins to take one step further towards their qualification into the knockout
rounds.
Chelsea, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Roma, Bayern Munich and Shakhtar Donetsk all won on the night.
Arsenal travelled to Serbia and maintained their 100% start in the competition as they saw off a 10 man Partizan with a 3-1 win at the FK Partizan Stadia.
Andrei Arshavin fired Arsenal ahead early in the first half but Partizan’s Brazilian born striker who just got his Serbian citizenship granted to him last week, leveled the score from the penalty spot after Denislon was found guilty by the referee for handling
the ball in the box.
Arshavin then missed a penalty after a foul on Maruane Chamakh that saw Marko Jovanovic sent off.
Chamakh, however, gave Arsenal the advantage in the 70th minute before Sabestian Squillaci doubled the visitor’s lead late in the game to make sure Arsenal were going to return with their 100% start intact.
The hosts got a penalty of their own in the last 10 minutes of the game but Fabianski made a brilliant save from Cleo to make sure there were no nervy moments at the end of the game in Belgrade.
Chelsea also made it two wins out of two as they defeated Marseille despite not being at full throttle.
Gael Kakuta was handed a rare start for Chelsea and the decision paid off as it was his corner that was toe-poked by the skipper, John Terry.
Nicolas Anelka doubled the visitors lead in the first half when they were awarded a penalty that looked generous at best.
Stephen Mbia handled the ball in the box and the replays showed it was not deliberate but the referee blew for the spot and Anelka finished with aplomb.
Chelsea had many chances in the second half to increase their advantage but could not find the back of the net and were twice guilty of hitting the crossbar and the post.
Real Madrid were winners too on the night, as Angel Di Maria proved to be a super sub for Jose Mourinho’s side that looked toothless in attack as the manager opted for a 4-3-3 formation with Alonso, Diarra and Khedira playing in the midfield. Higuain, Ronaldo
and Benzema started upfront but the team chemistry was missing as Real Madrid failed to break down the dogged Auxerre defense.
Real have not made it to the quarter finals of the Champions League for six years and they last won the trophy back in 2002 when Zidane’s logic defying volley won them the match against Leverkusen in Glasgow.
All of Real’s summer spending and multi million pound mega stars would count for nothing if they fail to at least reach the semi finals this time around and yesterday night they took a giant leap towards achieving their ambition.
Angel Di Maria found acres of space inside the Auxerre box, and Mesut Ozil’s cross was pin pointed for the Argentinean to slot past Sorin to spare Jose Mourinho’s blushes.
AC Milan drew their match against Ajax 1-1 on the night.
Ajax took the lead 23 minutes on when Mounir El Hamdaoui benefited from Luis Suarez’s smart work on the wings and finished gleefully.
Zalatan Ibrahimovic equalized for the visitors in the 38th minute from a Clarence Seedorf cross and both sides failed to add to the score line after that and had to be content with a point each.
In the other matches of the night Roma beat CFR Cluj 2-1, with goals coming from Mexes and Boriello for Roma. Bayern Munich beat FC Basel with the same score line with Bastian Schweinstiger grabbing both Bayern goals and Shakhtar Donetsk brushed past Braga
3-0 with Luiz Adrian grabbing a brace in that game.
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