After the amazement of yesterday,today was always going to be a bit of a comedown, but there were still plenty of talking points in todays Champions League. 17 goals across the 8 games isn’t a bad return, and right after that jump you’ll find a full round up and like yesterday, a roundup of the tables at half time.
1-0 CHELSEA vs ROMA
Roma might have been worried when a half-strength team took to the field against a free-scoring Chelsea, but the teams were seperated by just one goal Terry headed home from Frank Lampard's 77th-minute corner to keep Luiz Felipe Scolari's side top of Champions League Group A. Roma, struggling in the lower reaches of Serie A, were not expected to upset Chelsea's European momentum but they almost did so with a dogged defensive display which nearly earned them a share of the spoils. there was little sign of the beautiful game which Scolari desired as the home side were largely frustrated by the visitors. Scolari's touchline demeanour clearly demonstrated his distinct displeasure with Chelsea's inability to get on top.
1-0 BORDEAUX vs CFR CLUJ
Bordeaux finally got their Champions League campaign up and running as they recorded their first points in Group A with a narrow 1-0 win over the competition's surprise packages CFR Cluj.
Cluj were the orchestrators of their own demise as defender Ricardo Cadu turned the ball into his own net in the 53rd minute and Eugen Trica was sent off right at the death to add insult to injury. The game marks Cluj's first defeat in the competition after they beat Roma 2-1 and held Chelsea to a draw but the Romanians remain in second spot, three points behind the Blues. Les Girondins are a point behind them. Now this group is wide open.
The Table at Half Time
Chelsea 7
Chelsea 7
Cluj 4
Roma 3
Bordeaux 3
1-0 INTER vs ANORTHOSIS
Adriano was once again Inter Milan's Champions League hero as the Nerazzurri moved three points clear at the top of Group B with a solid performance in the 1-0 win over Anorthosis Famagusta. The goal came in just before half time on 43rd minute. Anorthosis, who were unbeaten going into the match, are now second in the group but they proved they are no lightweights. Inter were in full control of the match as the visitors were hardly able to venture out of their own half but the Nerazzurri lacked creativity and could not make their pressure tell.
2-2 PANATHINAIKOS vs WEREDER BREMEN
Hugo Almeida was the hero for Werder Bremen as he struck a late leveller to deny Panathinaikos a first victory in Champions League Group B following a pulsating 2-2 draw at the OACA Spiros Louis Stadium. Panathinaikos striker Vangelis Mantzios looked to have revived the Greek side's campaign after netting a superb double - both headers - to cancel out Per Mertesacker's opener for Thomas Schaaf's Bremen side. Now Bremen have 3 draws in row. The point means Panathinaikos are off the mark but that will be of little consolation to coach Henk Ten Cate, whose side were desperately unlucky not to take all three points after suffering two defeats against Inter and Anorthosis. And with skipper Georgios Karagounis and Brazil star Gilberto back in midfield it was the Greeks who bossed the opening half, passing the ball around with assured confidence against a Bremen team who struggled to gain any meaningful possession.
Inter 7
Anorthosis 4
Bremen 3
Panathinaikos 1
0-5 BASEL vs BARCELONA
If there were meant to be less goals today than yesterday, noone told Group C. Well one side anyway. Barcelona put 5 past Basel. Leo Messi, Busquets, Bojan (twice) and Xavi were the goalscorers. Who needs Eto’o and Henry eh? Barcelona made it three wins out of three in Champions League Group C.
0-1 SHAKHTAR DONETSK vs SPORTING LISBON
Sporting Lisbon stole all three points as they survived a barrage of attacks from Shakhtar Donetsk to win the Champions League Group C encounter 1-0. The Ukrainian side dominated the game from start to finish, but they were made to pay for their inability to score when Liedson finished with Sporting's first shot on target after 75 minutes.
Barca 9
Sporting 6
Shakthar 3
Basel 0
1-1 ATLETICO MADRID vs LIVERPOOL
Liverpool can count themselves very lucky, as not only did they open the scores with a questionable Robbie Keane goal, Atletico had a goal disalowed for offside even though it was legit. The game finished 1-1. So Liverpool were denied another three-point haul in the Champions League as Simao Sabrosa netted a late equaliser to earn Atletico Madrid a 1-1 draw. The unmarked Simao - once targeted by Reds boss Rafael Benitez - drilled home a low shot with seven minutes remaining to cancel out Robbie Keane's early opener for Liverpool as the two sides, having each won their first two games, remained unbeaten in Group D. Liverpool controlled the first half and held a deserved lead at the break but Atletico, who had been unbeaten in their previous six home meetings with English opposition, fought back to salvage a point which could ease the pressure on under-fire coach Javier Aguirre.
2-0 PSV EINDHOVEN vs MARSEILLE
Danny Koevermans scored a brace of second-half headers as PSV Eindhoven breathed new life into their Champions League Group D campaign with a victory over rudderless Marseille on Wednesday. The match was delicately poised with 19 minutes left when the Holland striker broke the deadlock, connecting sweetly with Stijn Wuytens' corner. And the 29-year-old made the game safe for the Dutch side five minutes from time when he stooped to glance a header past Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda following a right-wing cross from Edison Mendez. It was PSV's first points haul in three matches but they are still four points adrift of joint pool leaders Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, who drew elsewhere on Wednesday. Marseille are still without a point and, after three defeats in a row, they can only really hope for a third-placed finish and a place in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup. The two sides meet again in two weeks' time at the Stade Velodrome.
Liverpool 7
Atletico 7
PSV 3
Marseilles 0
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