Real Madrid 8-0 Malmo

Laporan Pertandingan: Real Madrid 8-0 Malmo 

Real Madrid menutup kampanye mereka dalam fase grup Liga Champions musim ini dengan kemenangan telak 8-0 atas wakil Swedia, Malmo FF di Santiago Bernabeu, Rabu (9/12) dini hari WIB. Hasil tersebut kian menegaskan status mereka yang melenggang ke babak selanjutnya sebagai pemuncak Grup A.
Babak Pertama:
Bermain di hadapan publik sendiri, Real Madrid langsung melakukan upaya dominasi permainan sejak peluit awal dibunyikan. Tekanan beruntun langsung membuahkan hasil di menit ke-12, ketika Karim Benzema sukses menyambar bola pantulan hasil eksekusi Isco sebelumnya yang meneruskan kreasi Cristiano Ronaldo.
Selepas memimpin, pasukan Los Blancos semakin leluasa dalam memainkan alur bola. Malmo bukannya tanpa peluang, sejumlah kesempatan mereka dapat namun terkesan sporadis. Madrid menggandakan keunggulan di menit ke-24, kembali melalui aksi Benzema dengan tandukan terukurnya yang memanfaatkan umpan Ronaldo.
Hingga pertengahan babak, praktis tak ada perlawanan berarti dari Malmo, sementara Madrid tetap mempertahankan irama permainan mereka yang terus melakukan tekanan dengan motor serangan digerakkan oleh Ronaldo, di mana superstar asal Portugal itu kerap memaksa John Willand untuk berjibaku mengamankan gawangnya.
Ronaldo benar-benar mencatatkan namannya di papan skor saat laga memasuki menit ke-39 melalui sebuah tendangan bebas indah yang sukar dibendung kiper manapun termasuk Willand. Setelah itu pertahanan Madrid tak banyak mendapat kendala berarti dan menutup laga dengan keunggulan 3-0.
Babak Kedua:
Unggul tiga gol tak membuat para penggawa Madrid mengendurkan tekanan. Tuan rumah kembali langsung tancap gas dan semakin memperlebar skor menjadi 4-0 setelah Ronaldo mengemas gol keduanya di menit ke-47 dengan memaksimalkan umpan silang yang dilepaskan Danilo.
Hanya tiga menit berselang, Ronaldo membukukan hat-trick di laga ini kala tembakan kerasnya tak sanggup dibendung Willand. Ronaldo belum berhenti sampai di situ, bintang Madrid itu kembali mengemas gol di menit ke-59 usai meneruskan umpan silang mendatar Isco.
Tanpa ampun Madrid terus membombardir pertahanan Malmo dan mencatatkan gol ketujuh mereka melalui aksi pemain pengganti, Mateo Kovacic dengan sepakan jarak dekat di menit ke-70. Pesta gol pasukan Rafael Benitez dilanjutkan Benzema , yang tak ingin ketinggalan menorehkan hat-trick empat menit berselang.
Keunggulan delapan gol tanpa balas yang dibukukan Madrid di laga ini menyamai rekor kemenangan terbesar Liverpool. Bahkan berpotensi melampauinya andai kans Denis Cheryshev di menit akhir sebelum wasit meniup peluit panjang tidak digagalkan tiang gawang.

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Sevilla 1-0 Juventus

Laporan Pertandingan: Sevilla 1-0 Juventus 

Kehadiran mantan memang terkadang menyakitkan. Hal itulah yang dirasakan oleh Juventus ketika Fernando Llorente, mantan pemain Bianconeri, membobol gawang mereka dan mempersembahkan kemenangan 1-0 untuk Sevilla, Kamis (9/12) dini hari WIB tadi.
Pertandingan berjalan ketat dari awal hingga akhir. Adapun Llorente berhasil memanfaatkan satu peluang terbaik Sevilla lewat sepak pojok. Tandukan sang penyerang pun membobol gawang Gianluigi Buffon dan menjadi satu-satunya gol dalam pertandingan di Ramo Sanchez Pizjuan.  Hasil ini sekaligus memastikan Juventus tergeser dari puncak klasemen Grup D.
Babak Pertama
Juventus langsung menggempur pertahanan tuan rumah Sevilla sejak peluit dibunyikan. Alvaro Morata yang kembali bermain sukses menebar ancaman lewat pergerakan tanpa bola yang mematikan. Berkali-kali ia menemukan ruang di kotak penalti Sevilla dan menerima umpan dari Claudio Marchisio. Sayang, sentuhan akhir sang penyerang masih majal.
Gagal memanfaatkan dua peluang, Morata gantian membuka ruang bagi rekannya. Eks penyerang Real Madrid itu melepaskan umpan terobosan pada Paulo Dybala. Tanpa pikir panjang, penyerang Argentina itu menembakkan bola, tetapi masih meleset dari sasaran.
Memasuki menit 30, Sevilla mulai mendapatkan irama permainan mereka. Pasukan Unai Emery berhasil mencatatkan rentetan peluang dan memaksa Gianluigi Buffon bekerja keras bagai kuda. Salah satu peluang terbaik dicatatkan oleh Coke. Tandukan bek itu sebenarnya sudah mengarah ke sudut gawang Juventus, tetapi Buffon meregangkan tubuhnya dan melakukan penyelamatan gemilang.
Transaksi serangan terus terjadi setelahnya. Juventus mencatatkan sembilan tembakan dengan akurasi 33 persen, sementara Sevilla delapan tembakan dengan akurasi 38 persen. Adapun tak ada pemain yang berhasil memaksimalkan peluang yang tercipta di paruh pertama. Hasil imbang tanpa gol bertahan hingga jeda turun minum.
Babak Kedua
Setelah jeda turun minum, Juventus langsung mengambil kendali pertandingan. Mereka mendikte permainan Sevilla dan memaksa juara Liga Europa itu mapan di areanya sendiri. Beberapa ancaman dilepaskan oleh Paul Pogba dkk, tapi Sergio Rico sukses menghentikannya.
Laskar Emery yang kehilangan arah mulai bangkit secara perlahan. Tuan rumah kini memanfaatkan kedua sayap untuk menggempur pertahanan Juventus. Namun mereka masih tak kunjung menciptakan gol karena rapatnya pertahanan sang juara Italia.
Adapun di menit 65 kebuntuan berhasil dipecahkan. Serangan balik Sevilla berujung pada sepak pojok dan Yevhen Konoplyankan memanfaatkannya dengan baik. Ia melambungkan bola ke tengah kotak penalti dan Fernando Llorento sudah siap di sana untuk menyambutnya. Penyerang Spanyol itu sukses menanduk bola ke gawang mantan klubnya, membawa Sevilla unggul satu gol.
Juventus coba meningkatkan intensitas serangan di menit-menit akhir. Hal ini tentu membuat Sevilla sukses menciptakan peluang lewat serangan balik. Namun tidak ada perubahan skor hingga peluit panjang dibunyikan.
Hasil akhir ini tidak mengubah nasib Sevilla. Bianconeri memang tergeser dari puncak Grup D, tapi Sevilla dipastikan tersingkir sebagai juru kunci.

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Zagreb 0-2 Bayern Munich

Laporan Pertandingan: Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 Bayern Munich 

Bayern Munich menegaskan status mereka sebagai juara Grup F Liga Champions setelah menggilas Dinamo Zagreb dua gol tanpa balas, Kamis (10/12) dini hari WIB. Robert Lewandowski menjadi satu-satunya pencetak gol Munich kali ini.
Babak Pertama
Bayern berinisiatif menguasai permainan sejak peluit tanda mulai dibunyikan. Mereka melakukan umpan-umpan pendek dan memaksa Dinamo bermain di areanya sendiri. Belum ada peluang bersih di sepuluh menit awal pertandingan, tetapi performa apik Bayern mencerminkan kalau mereka hanya perlu menunggu sebelum ruang kosong tercipta.
Menit 15, Bayern sukses membelah pertahanan Dinamo. Operan matang Lewandowski berhasil diterima dengan baik oleh Ribery, yang langsung melepaskan tendangan kencang ke arah gawang. Sayang, sentuhan akhir winger Prancis itu terlalu lamban sehingga Eduardo masih mampu menjangkaunya. Bayern gagal membobol gawang tuan rumah di percobaan pertama.
Di tengah dominasi Bayern, Dinamo memberikan sedikit kejutan. Klub asal Kroasia itu menciptakan dua peluang berurutan lewat serangan balik cepat. El Arbi Hillel Soudani menjadi ujung tombaknya. Pertama, ia berhasil memperdaya Rafinha, tapi tembakannya masih melebar. Kedua, ia menemukan ruang di kotak penalti dan menyambut umpan Domagoj Antolić, namun sepakannya mampu dihentikan Sven Ulreich.
Dua serangan itu jelas tidak membuat Bayern panik. Mereka tetap menjaga tempo permainan tanpa menurunkannya sedikit pun. Satu peluang berhasil diciptakan oleh Philipp Lahm, ia memberikan bola lambung pada Lewandowski, tapi tandukan sang penyerang mampu diamankan oleh Eduardo. Dominasi Bayern terus berlanjut walau tak berbuah gol hingga jeda turun minum.
Babak Kedua
Dominasi kembali diambil alih oleh Bayern Munich di babak kedua. Tanpa ampun, raksasa Bundesliga itu menghujani gawang tuan rumah dengan ancaman. Joshua Kimmich dan Thomas Muller nyaris membuka keran gol Bavarians, tetapi sentuhan akhir kedua pemain itu masih belum mampu mewujudkannya.
Tekanan Bayern baru berbuah manis di menit 61. Sudah diduga, Lewandowski yang membuka keran gol tim tamu. Penyerang Polandia itu berhasil menempatkan diri di posisi apik, lalu dengan tenang menanduk umpan silang Muller. Eduardo sudah bereaksi cukup cepat, tetapi bola terbang melewatinya dengan sangat cepat, mengoyak gawang tuan rumah.
Tiga menit kemudian, mantan bomber Borussia Dortmund ini sukses menggandakan keunggulan. Kali ini ia menaklukkan Eduardo setelah memanfaatkan operan matang dari Sebastian Rode. Bayern pun merayakan keunggulan dua golnya di markas lawan.
Dominasi Bayern terus berlanjut. Lewandowski bahkan nyaris mencetak hat-trick andai berhasil meneruskan crossing Rode dengan sempurna di mulut gawang. Di menit akhir, Thomas Muller juga mendapat kepercayaan untuk mengeksekusi penalti, tetapi gagal dimaksimalkan.
Ancaman demi ancaman terus menghujani tuan rumah, tetapi keunggulan dua gol ini bertahan hingga peluit panjang dibunyikan. Bayern menegaskan kelolosan mereka sebagai juara grup.

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Wolfsburg 3-2 Manchester United

Laporan Pertandingan: Wolfsburg 3-2 Manchester United

 

Langkah Manchester United dalam gelaran Liga Champions musim ini dipastikan terhenti usai takluk 3-2 di markas Wolfsburg dalam laga pamungkas fase grup, Rabu (9/12) dini hari WIB. Hasil ini membuat Red Devils menempati posisi ketiga Grup B dan harus hijrah ke Liga Europa, sementara Die Wolfe menjadi pemuncak klasemen grup.
Babak Pertama:
Manchester United yang dituntut harus memenangkan laga ini justru tampil dalam tekanan sejak awal permainan. Tiga menit laga berjalan, Wolfsburg bisa saja unggul andai sepakan Andre Schurrle yang lolos dari kawalan pemain belakang United berakhir melesat di atas mistar.
Dominan dalam mengurung pertahanan United membuat Wolfsburg lengah dan kecolongan lewat sebuah serangan balik cepat di menit kesepuluh. Umpan terobosan Juan Mata menjangkau Anthony Martial yang lolos dari jebakan offside, tak terkejar pemain lawan dan berhasil memberdaya Diego Benaglio dengan sepakan terukur.
Hanya saja keunggulan Red Devils hanya bertahan empat menit usai Naldo menyamakan skor lewat tembakan yang meneruskan tendangan bebas Ricardo Rodriguez. Usai momen tersebut, permainan kedua tim lebih terbuka. Fellini nyaris membawa United kembali unggul, akan tetapi sundulannya yang meneruskan sepak pojok di menit ke-27 diselamatkan Benaglio.
Dua menit berselang, skema serangan rapi Wolfsburg membuat pertahanan United kocar-kacir lewat pergerakan trio Robbie Kruse, Julian Draxler dan Vieirinha , nama terakhir merupakan pembobol gawang David De Gea. Menit ke-39, giliran Draxler beraksi namun diamankan De Gea. Gol Lingard sesaat sebelum turun minum dianulir akibat offside, skor pun bertahan 2-1.
Babak Kedua:
Perlahan United mencoba untuk memberikan perlawanan lebih ketat selepas jeda pertandingan. Intensitas serangan berhasil mereka tingkatkan dan sejumlah peluang tercipta, akan tetapi dalam sepuluh menit pertama paruh kedua permainan tak banyak tercipta peluang-peluang yang mengarah ke gawang Benaglio.
Menit ke-60, Benaglio membuat sebuah penyelamatan cemerlang yang mencegah United menyamakan kedudukan lewat tembakan jarak dekat Memphis Depay. Empat menit setelah itu, gantian De Gea yang menyelamatkan gawang United dari gol ketiga tuan rumah yang dilesakkan lewat tendangan jarak jauh Schurrle.
Selepas momen tersebut, Wolsfburg sempat memiliki beberapa kesempatan untuk memperlebar jarak di papan skor namun gagal diwujudkan. Situasi dimanfaatkan United untuk mengembangkan permainan dan meluncurkan sejumlah ancaman lewat aksi Martial hingga Depay yang membahayakan gawang tuan rumah.
Asa untuk memetik setidaknya hasil imbang dalam lawatan ke Jerman sejenak didapat United ketika Josuha Guilavogui yang menghalau sundulan Fellaini di menit ke-82, namun itu tak bertahan lama usai dua menit setelahnya Naldo kembali menghadirkan mimpi buruk bagi United. Kedudukan 3-2 pun tetap bertahan hingga laga usai.

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Chelsea 2-0 Porto

Laporan Pertandingan: Chelsea 2-0 Porto 

Chelsea sukses membukukan kemenangan 2-0 atas Porto dalam laga pamungkas fase grup Liga Champions di Stamford Bridge, Kamis (10/12) dini hari WIB. Hasil ini membuat mereka lolos ke babak gugur dengan status pemuncak klasemen Grup G, sementara Porto harus tersingkir dan hijrah ke Liga Europa.
Babak Pertama:
Kekalahan harus dihindari apabila Porto ingin memastikan langkah mereka menuju fase gugur Liga Champions. Situasi itu membuat mereka langsung mendominasi permainan dan melancarkan sejumlah serangan ke pertahanan Chelsea terutama lewat pergerakan lincah Yacine Brahimi dalam sepuluh menit pertama permainan.
Sebuah kelengahan barisan belakang Porto harus dibayar mahal ketika sebuah serangan sederhana Chelsea membuat Diego Costa bebas, sepakannya sempat dimentahkan Iker Casillas namun bola pantulan membentur Ivan Marcano dan melesat ke gawang yang sempat dihalau Maicon namun wasit memutuskan bola sudah melewati garis di menit ke-12.
Insiden kecil terjadi di menit ke-20, di mana Costa melakukan pelanggaran para Casillas yang sudah sepenuhnya menguasai bola, kartu kuning diterima bomber The Blues. Permainan semakin terbuka selepas itu dan delapan menit berselang tuan rumah memiliki kans untuk menggandakan keunggulan andai sepakan Oscar tidak tipis menyamping di kanan.
Pertahanan solid pasukan Jose Mourinho membuat Porto cukup sulit untuk menembus dan mengembangkan serangan mereka terlebih dalam sepertiga akhir permainan. Satu menit sebelum turun minum, Casillas melakukan penyelamatan krusial dengan menggagalkan sepakan mendatar Costa.
Babak Kedua:
Chelsea langsung memberikan gebrakan pada pertahanan Porto selepas jeda pertandingan. Menit ke-52, tuan rumah mengemas gol kedua mereka berkat sepakan keras Willian yang meneruskan sodoran Eden Hazard, bola melesat kencang ke pojok kiri bawah tanpa mampu diantisipasi Casillas.
Tertinggal dua gol tak membuat semangat Porto berkurang, mereka tetap berusaha untuk memperkecil skor. Peluang untuk membobol gawang Thibaut Courtois datang di menit ke-64, hanya saja tembakan kaki kanan yang sedikit melengkung dari Brahimi membentur tubuh Branislav Ivanovic dan membuat bola keluar lapangan.
Kelihaian Casillas kembali menggagalkan upaya Chelsea untuk menambah keunggulan di menit ke-72, ketika sepakan tumit Oscar dari jarak dekat berhasil ditangkapnya. Masuknya Ruben Neves sedikit memberikan angin segar bagi lini tengah Porto, namun hal itu tidak diimbangi dengan efektivitas performa lini depan.
Memasuki sepuluh menit akhir permainan, Chelsea punya dua kesempatan hanya saja upaya yang dilancarkan Costa maupun Hazard dipatahkan Casillas. Porto yang menekan lewat Jesus Corona maupun Vincent Aboubakar tak optimal dan hingga laga berakhir keunggulan 2-0 milik Chelsea bertahan.

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Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Barcelona

Laporan Pertandingan: Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Barcelona

 

Hasil imbang 1-1 mewarnai laga terakhir fase grup Liga Champions antara Bayer Leverkusen dan Barcelona di BayArena, Kamis (10/12) dini hari WIB. Hasil tersebut tak menggoyahkan posisi Blaugrana sebagai pemuncak klasemen Grup E, sementara Leverkusen harus melanjutkan kiprah mereka di Liga Europa.
Babak Pertama:
Peluang bagi Bayer Leverkusen untuk loloe menuju fase gugur Liga Champions masih terbuka asalkan mereka mampu menang. Misi meraih kemenangan mereka usung dan langsung memberikan tekanan kala menjamu Barcelona dalam sepuluh menit pertama laga melalui sejumlah usaha Hakan Calhanoglou maupun Admir Mehmedi.
Sementara pusat permainan Barcelona masih bertumpu pada kreativitas Lionel Messi , yang setiap kali membawa bola terus mendapat kawalan ketat dua hingga tiga pemain Leverkusen. Kondisi itu tak membuat ruang gerak superstar asal Argentina itu terbatas dan bahkan mampu membobol gawang Bernd Leno di menit ke-20 usai memanfaatkan umpan Ivan Rakitic.
Semangat Leverkusen yang tak ingin kehilangan angka di hadapan publik sendiri terbayar ketika Javier Hernandez sukses menyamakan kedudukan tiga menit berselang lewat sepakan first-time yang meneruskan bola hasil kreasi Mehmedi dan Calhanoglou beberapa saat sebelumnya.
Momentum tersebut terus berusaha dimaksimalkan Leverkusen untuk mengancam gawang Marc-Andre ter Stegen dalam sepertiga akhir permainan. Jual beli serangan dilakukan kedua kesebelasan, akan tetapi hingga pertandingan turun minum kedudukan imbang 1-1 tak berubah.
Babak Kedua:
Leverkusen berupaya untuk mempertahankan irama permainan mereka yang mampu memberikan ancaman pada pertahanan Barcelona, pergerakan lincah Karim Bellarabi, Mehmedi hingga Calhanoglou kerap memberikan ruang bagi Hernandez untuk leluasa membahayakan gawang Ter Stegen.
Hingga memasuki pertengahan babak kedua, praktis Ter Stegen lebih sibuk dalam mengawal gawangnya ketimbang Leno. Raksasa Bundesliga rupanya terus mengeksploitasi kelemahan para penggawa Barcelona di laga ini yang memang tampil dengan mayoritas pemain muda.
Menit ke-64, tuan rumah Leverkusen menebar ancaman melalui pergerakan Kevin Kampl, akan tetapi eksekusi akhirnya masih dimentahkan Ter Stegen. Di sisi lain, duo penggawa muda Barcelona, Sandro Ramirez dan Munir El Haddadi belum memberikan performa maksimal dengan keduanya tak banyak melakukan pergerakan berbahaya.
Memasuki sepuluh menit akhir pertandingan, tak banyak momentum krusial yang diciptakan baik Leverkusen maupun Barcelona dan hingga wasit meniup peluit panjang kedudukan imbang 1-1 tetap bertahan.

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Bayern Munich 4-0 Olympiacos

Bayern Munich 4-0 Olympiacos: Guardiola's men clinch first place with easy win 

Bayern Munich secured top spot in Group F of the Champions League in emphatic fashion on Tuesday, recording a 4-0 victory over nearest rivals Olympiacos, despite the dismissal of Holger Badstuber.

First-half goals from Douglas Costa, Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller meant Pep Guardiola's side had the three points wrapped up inside the first 20 minutes at the Allianz Arena.

The hosts were forced to play the majority of the second half with only 10 men, as Badstuber was sent off after bringing down Olympiacos forward Brown Ideye when he was through on goal.

Team Stats

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Yet despite the numerical disadvantage, Bayern added a fourth goal through Kingsley Coman, taking their tally in this season's competition to 17 goals in five matches.

Despite the heavy defeat, Olympiacos still control their own destiny in the battle to reach the knockout stages.

They host Arsenal in the final round of fixtures knowing a draw will be enough to see them advance to the last 16.

Bayern simply thrashed their opponents in the opening quarter, with Costa breaking the deadlock when he slotted home a rebound with his left foot, after visiting goalkeeper Roberto initially parried Jerome Boateng's long-range effort.

Lewandowski doubled the home side's lead eight minutes later, albeit in rather fortuitous circumstances.





Coman's weak shot unwittingly struck the Polish forward, who then reacted quickly to fire the loose ball into the bottom left corner.

A third goal arrived when Arjen Robben's clever header back into the centre of the area allowed an unmarked Muller to tap home.

The only disappointment for Bayern in an opening half they dominated was the loss of Robben to injury. The Dutchman headed straight down the tunnel after being replaced by Joshua Kimmich but Bayern later tweeted his withdrawal was merely precautionary.

Badstuber didn't last the full 90 minutes either, though his departure was due to him being shown a straight red card.

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Barcelona 6-1 Roma

Barcelona 6-1 Roma: Messi nets two on return to starting XI

  

Lionel Messi scored twice on his return to the Barcelona starting XI as the European champions cruised to a crushing 6-1 victory over Roma and secured top spot in Group E.

Luis Suarez opened the scoring after 15 minutes of the match at Camp Nou on Tuesday and Messi struck three minutes later to put the hosts in complete control.

The game was over as a contest just before half-time when Suarez scored a stunning volley, before Messi, Gerard Pique and Adriano added gloss to the scoreline in the second half.

BATE Borisov's draw with Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the day meant Barca were already sure of a place in the last 16, but their victory means they have wrapped up top spot ahead of their final game against the Bundesliga side.

Despite only having five points from as many games after a harrowing 90 minutes which also saw Edin Dzeko miss a late penalty before then netting a consolation, Roma are still in pole position to qualify in second place.

The Italians now have to better Leverkusen's result against Barca when they play BATE to reach the knockout stage.

After making his return from two months out injured as a substitute in El Clasico, Messi started as captain, with Andres Iniesta on the bench, and could have had a hat-trick within the first 10 minutes.

The Argentina star saw one shot saved by Wojciech Szczesny, had another effort ruled out for offside and then shot just wide after latching on to a brilliant through ball from Sergio Busquets.







Roma had a great chance of their own to take the lead when Dzeko looped a header over a stranded Marc-Andre ter Stegen, but the striker saw his attempt drift just over the crossbar.

Barca went in front when Dani Alves surged down the right to latch on to Neymar's excellent pass and squared for Suarez, who tucked the ball into an empty net at the far post.

It was two for Barca just three minutes later. Messi exchanged two passes with Neymar, Suarez's chip sent the skipper through and he dinked the ball over Szczesny to cap a wonderful move involving the front three.

Barca dominated possession for the rest of the first half and when Neymar's cross was headed out by Seydou Keita, Suarez unleashed a lethal volley into the far corner which had Thomas Vermaelen applauding.

The home side made a fast start after the break, with Szczesny getting up to push Neymar's effort away from the top corner.

Ter Stegen impressively saved a low effort from Iago Falque in a rare Roma foray forward and soon enough Barca had scored two more in quick succession.

On 56 minutes, Neymar and Suarez combined to feed Messi and he squared for Pique – who was still up from a corner – to tap home before the defender was substituted.

The fifth came three minutes later. Neymar found Suarez from the left and the Uruguayan's shot was helped towards goal by Messi. Szczesny did well to save, but the returning star converted the rebound.

A twisting run from Neymar resulted in him curling a shot just off-target as he was denied what would have been a deserved goal, while Maicon was fortunate not to concede a penalty after clipping Suarez as he drove towards goal.

Neymar only had himself to blame for not scoring on 77 minutes after winning a penalty himself but seeing his poorly struck spot-kick saved by Szczesny. Luckily, Adriano was on hand to slam the rebound into the roof of the net.

Ter Stegen then matched Szczesny by denying Dzeko from 12 yards after he had been fouled in the box by Vermaelen, but the striker finally broke his resistance by heading in Lucas Digne's cross late on.

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Porto 0-2 Dynamo

Porto 0-2 Dynamo: Yarmolenko & Gonzalez on target in comfortable win 

Andriy Yarmolenko starred as Dynamo Kiev kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League round of 16 with an impressive 2-0 win at Porto.

Yarmolenko and Derlis Gonzalez grabbed the goals to secure the spoils at Estadio do Dragao, meaning Kiev sit two points behind joint leaders Porto and Chelsea in Group G going into the final matchday next month.

Porto entered their second match of seven in a marathon 23-day span knowing a point would secure their spot in the knockout phases with a game to spare.

Things did not go to plan during a frustrating opening half as Dynamo entered the break ahead thanks to Yarmolenko's penalty.

The visitors then wrapped up an impressive night's work after half-time as Gonzalez grabbed a decisive second goal thanks to an Iker Casillas error.

That leaves the group dramatically poised, with Dynamo needing to beat Maccabi Tel-Aviv and hope there is a victor in Porto's trip to Chelsea.

The hosts began impressively and created the first opening in just the second minute as Danilo Pereira drove forward and narrowly missed the target with a powerful effort from range.







That set the tone for the early part of the game, with Yacine Brahimi next to threaten when firing over following a one-two with Giannelli Imbula.

Kiev improved significantly thereafter and would have opened the scoring were it not for Casillas.

The former Real Madrid goalkeeper produced a stunning save to keep out Gonzalez's superb 20-yard curler.

The visitors came even closer in the 28th minute as Denys Garmash met Yarmolenko's pin-point cross with a bullet header that cracked the inside of the post. His misfortune should have been Junior Moraes' gain, but the striker stabbed the rebound wide after reaching the ball on the stretch.

Yet Kiev did not have to wait much longer to break the deadlock as Yarmolenko sent Casillas the wrong way from the spot after Serhiy Rybalka went down under a challenge from Imbula.

The winger continued to look the biggest threat, unleashing a powerful effort from a tight angle that Casillas tipped over.

Porto emerged from the break vastly improved and should have equalised in the 59th minute when Cristian Tello hit straight at the goalkeeper.

Similar profligacy then denied Kiev at the other end as Garmash found himself clean through following a defensive mix-up, only to see his effort easily saved by Casillas.

A crucial second would come in the 64th minute, though, when Gonzalez surged forward and unleashed an effort, Casillas inexplicably tipping the ball up into the air and over the line, leaving the hosts 2-0 down and with time running out.

Having been frustrated for much of the closing stages, Porto were almost gifted a route back into the game when Aleksandar Dragovic deflected Andre Andre's cross-cum-shot onto the post.

And the Portuguese side's frustration was summed up when the woodwork denied Andre again in the dying seconds, his effort deflecting on to the underside of the bar, the hosts suffering a defeat that could yet cost them a place in the round of 16.

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Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-4 Chelsea

Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-4 Chelsea: Blues stroll to success in Israel

  

Goals from Gary Cahill, Willian, Oscar and Kurt Zouma gave Chelsea a comfortable victory over Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Israel on Tuesday.

It was a tale of two centre-backs during the first-half at the Sammy Ofer Stadium where, after Gary Cahill showed fine anticipation to open the scoring, former Chelsea man Tal Ben Haim made the hosts' task even bigger by kicking out at Diego Costa and being sent off on the stroke of the interval.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Maccabi caused Chelsea some moments of discomfort as a tense Jose Mourinho saw his team's early fluency desert them.

It was left to Willian, one of Chelsea's star performers in their difficult campaign, to lift a customary free-kick over the defensive wall in the 73rd minute and beyond Predrag Rajkovic – the impressive Maccabi goalkeeper who was aggrieved to see Oscar net a powerful header from Baba Rahman's cross four minutes later.

Oscar turned provider for Kurt Zouma, on for injured captain John Terry, to convert a stoppage-time corner to leave Chelsea with consecutive wins to their name for only the second time this season heading into Sunday's Premier League London derby against Tottenham.

Dynamo Kiev's 2-0 win at Porto means a three-way battle for qualification will be played out in the final round of group matches, with pointless Maccabi playing for pride.

Mourinho complained about the playing surface before the match and his team looked uncomfortable during the opening exchanges.







Tal Ben Haim II, the namesake of the home side's soon-to-be villain, delivered a wonderful cross from the right in the second minute that Dor Peretz headed wastefully over from close range.

Oscar and Cesar Azpilicueta were two of four players recalled to Mourinho's starting XI following the weekend win over Norwich City and they combined in the seventh minute – Oscar's backheel side-footed over by the Spain full-back.

That set in motion a period of Chelsea dominance that was rewarded in the 20th minute.

Cahill rose highest to meet Willian's corner and the centre-back reacted sharply after Rajkovic tipped his header onto the post to poke home.

Diego Costa fired an ambitious overhead-kick off target from Azpilicueta's cross before being involved in the flashpoint that saw Maccabi's most experienced campaigner lose his composure entirely.

Ben Haim missed with his initial kick at Costa but a second crude hack earned the defender a deserved red card.

The 10-men had a chance to level amid a scrappy start to the second-half – Eli Dasa racing in behind Chelsea left-back Rahman and forcing Asmir Begovic to save with his chest.

Mourinho displayed clear frustration on the touchline in response to that lapse and the hosts continued to cause unforeseen problems, with Peretz failing to get a decisive touch to Eran Zahavi's 59th-minute free-kick.

Rajkovic produced two stunning reaction saves in quick succession to thwart Hazard and Azpilicueta before Maccabi sprung forward on the break and Begovic produced a similarly superb fingertip stop that denied Zahavi.

A wasteful pass from Hazard drew further ire from Mourinho, who sent on Pedro in place of the playmaker in the 69th minute and there was concern for the manager soon afterward when Terry left the field on a stretcher with an apparent foot problem.

Willian's latest sumptuous dead-ball effort was enough to lift spirits in the visiting dugout and Rahman put an unsure display behind him to deliver a wonderful cross for Oscar to convert.

Zouma then headed home with comparable authority and the victory means Chelsea are level on 10 points with Porto ahead of welcoming the Portuguese giants to Stamford Bridge, with Kiev poised two points further back.

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Juventus 1-0 Manchester City

Juventus 1-0 Manchester City: Mandzukic sends Italians top

  

Mario Mandzukic's first-half goal secured a 1-0 victory for Juventus over Manchester City and sent the Italians through to the knockout stage and back into first place in Group D.

Mandzukic got Juve's first goal when they came from behind to secure a 2-1 win in Manchester on matchday one and the Croatia striker's 18th-minute strike was enough to seal the points this time around.

Having made sure of their own last-16 berth with a superb 3-1 win at Sevilla in their previous game, City manager Manuel Pellegrini urged his team to grab top spot with victory in Turin.

On the back of their humiliating 4-1 loss to Liverpool on Saturday, the Premier League side turned in a much-improved showing but lacked a cutting edge to lend Juve the advantage in the battle for a seeded place in the knockout draw.

Juve only need a point from their final match at Sevilla to finish first ahead of City, who have been dumped out by Barcelona in the past two seasons as second-place qualifiers and will now fear a similar fate against a European heavyweight.

Substitute Raheem Sterling passed up a glorious chance to equalise in the closing stages before a miserable night for Pellegrini was compounded by an apparent groin injury to Joe Hart.







City had little to show for patient build-up play during the opening stages until Kevin De Bruyne's cross from the left broke for Fernandinho, a goalscorer against Sevilla, who blazed wastefully over on this occasion.

It was a miss the visitors would regret almost instantly as Paul Pogba orchestrated a Juventus break, skipping past De Bruyne to feed Alex Sandro before the wing-back's measured delivery was slotted home on the volley by Mandzukic.

A stunning reaction save by Hart prevented Mandzukic from adding a second on the end of Stephan Lichtsteiner's 28th-minute knockdown.

A woeful backpass from Claudio Marchisio almost let City striker Sergio Aguero in for an equaliser ahead of the interval but veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon stood firm.

Another wonderful Sandro cross was impressively cleared by Nicolas Otamendi with Mandzukic lurking early in the second half before City came agonisingly close to an equaliser.

Fernando guided De Bruyne's left-wing corner towards the bottom corner, where Buffon touched his header onto the base of the post and gathered with Yaya Toure lurking.

Once again, City were at their most vulnerable having almost scored - Alvaro Morata, on for a limping Mandzukic, broke free of the away defence and his lofted attempt over Hart was turned on to the post by Stefano Sturaro.

Aguero, largely starved of service, had a 67th-minute volley deflected wide before making way for Sterling and Pellegrini's new attacking spearhead endured a moment to forget 10 minutes from time.

The England forward looked set to keep City in control of the race for top spot but he scuffed a left-footed shot wide from De Bruyne's low cross with the goal gaping.

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Shakhtar Donetsk 3-4 Real Madrid

Shakhtar Donetsk 3-4 Real Madrid: Los Blancos survive late comeback to edge seven-goal thriller

  

Real Madrid clinched top spot in Champions League Group A thanks to an enthralling, Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired 4-3 win over Shakhtar Donetsk.

Ronaldo opened the scoring after 18 minutes, turning Gareth Bale's lob across goal over the line, before teeing up Luka Modric to smash home a second just after half-time.

Shakhtar needed a win and a favour from Malmo against Paris Saint-Germain in order to keep their chances of reaching the knockout rounds alive but a fine third goal from Dani Carvajal appeared to end any hopes of a comeback.

Ronaldo steered in his second and Madrid's fourth after some more good work from Bale to cap an impressive display, though Alex Teixeira got a goal back from the penalty spot, before Dentinho's header and Teixeira's clever finish gave Shakhtar hope.






Madrid saw out a victory to help banish memories of their Clasico thrashing by Barcelona, although the loss of Raphael Varane to injury will come as a blow in what was otherwise a largely encouraging 90 minutes for the under-fire Rafael Benitez.

Subdued in the Clasico, Ronaldo looked determined to make amends and fired over the crossbar as early as the second minute to signal his intentions.

Madrid were comfortably on top and took advantage with 18 minutes played. 

Bale raced onto Modric's pass and lofted a square ball over the onrushing Andriy Pyatov to the far post, where Ronaldo arrived to nod the ball over the line despite Yaroslav Rakitskiy's best efforts.

Pyatov reacted well to spurn Ronaldo before the break but Benitez's side looked comfortable with their one-goal lead.

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Manchester United 1-0 CSKA Moscow

Manchester United 1-0 CSKA Moscow: Rooney ends Red Devils' goal drought 

Wayne Rooney's late header ended Manchester United's goal drought and earned the Red Devils a narrow 1-0 victory over CSKA Moscow.

The England captain scored his 237th goal for United, moving level with Denis Law in the club-record books, when he nodded home Jesse Lingard's cross in the 79th minute.

Rooney's strike, which sealed a first home win for the Red Devils over Russian opposition, moves Louis van Gaal's side top of Group B on seven points.

It also spares Van Gaal from becoming the first United manager since 1992 to endure a run of four games without a goal. Four hundred and four minutes had passed since they last hit the net when Rooney struck.

United started brightly in their bid to end that barren spell stretching back to Anthony Martial's effort in the 1-1 draw in Moscow two weeks ago.

The French forward returned to a centre-forward position having been deployed from the left in recent weeks and partnered Rooney up front.

Rooney steered an early attempt wide with his left foot before Martial failed to get enough on a beautiful long pass from Daley Blind to divert the ball beyond Igor Akinfeev.

Lingard, who was picked ahead of Ander Herrera and started on the left wing, lifted a shot over the bar on the half-hour mark as United struggled to change their fortunes in front of goal.
Their best chance of the opening 45 minutes fell to Marcos Rojo, who volleyed Ashley Young's cross from the right wide of the target after CSKA had failed to spot him creeping into space at the far post.

Rojo then failed to hit the target when he should have scored with a header in the opening minutes of the second half as the hosts' frustration grew.

Van Gaal turned to Marouane Fellaini shortly after the hour mark and his decision to withdraw Martial, rather than Rooney, for the Belgian was greeted with boos from a disgruntled home crowd.

Rooney and Young had hopeful penalty claims waved away before the former stumbled when it looked as if he would convert Juan Mata's pass across goal, drawing yet more derision from the stands.

The gloom in the ground might have broken out into mutiny had David de Gea and Chris Smalling not desperately denied CSKA substitute Seydou Doumbia, with the defender brilliantly blocking a goal-bound second attempt.

That set the stage for Rooney to answer his critics and transform United and Van Gaal's night. Michael Carrick clipped a superb pass behind the defence which Lingard volleyed across goal for the 30-year-old to head home.

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Sevilla 1-3 Manchester City

Sevilla 1-3 Manchester City: First half masterclass sends Pellegrini's men through to last-16 

 

Manchester City booked their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League with a fine 3-1 win over Sevilla on Tuesday night.

City needed an injury-time winner from Kevin De Bruyne to secure a 2-1 victory over the La Liga side in the reverse fixture last month, but were dominant from the outset at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

The travelling supporters continued their frosty relationship with Uefa by again booing the Champions League anthem before kick-off, but they were roaring with delight soon afterwards as Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho put City 2-0 up inside 11 minutes.
Sevilla battled their way back into the contest as Benoit Tremoulinas headed home before Wilfried Bony added City's third nine minutes before half-time.
Juventus' second consecutive draw against Borussia Monchengladbach means Pellegrini's men will head to Turin on matchweek five as group leaders aiming to take another significant scalp heading into the knockout rounds.
The Chilean's decision to include Fernando in a holding role granted attacking license to Fernandinho and the midfielder was at the heart of much of City's fine work during a devastating opening spell.
Having had a penalty appeal rejected, the Brazil international strode forward and threaded a sublime pass for Sterling to slot home left-footed in the eighth minute.
Roles were reversed three minutes later - with Sterling pouncing on a slip from Sevilla full-back Coke to feed Bony, whose shot was magnificently saved by Sergio Rico before Fernandinho nodded in the rebound.
Rico's attempted heroics were almost in vain once again when he got down to tip a strike from former Sevilla winger Jesus Navas onto the base of his right post.
Fernando Llorente fired wastefully over on the end of Vicente Iborra's flick on, but Sevilla reduced the deficit after 25 minutes with a wonderful team goal.
Vitolo deftly picked out Coke, who atoned for his earlier error by skipping past Nicolas Otamendi and chipping a cross over Joe Hart for his fellow full-back Tremoulinas to charge in for a simple headed finish.
After Sevilla defender Adil Rami blasted into the side netted, City restored their two-goal cushion nine minutes before the break as Navas collected a Hart clearance to twist past Tremoulinas and cut the ball back for Bony to pick out the bottom corner.
Unai Emery's team began the second half on the front foot, seeking to respond once more, but they were indebted to sharp reactions from Rico to deny Fernandinho a second - Sterling crafting the opportunity with another mazy run in the 53rd minute.
Enjoying arguably his finest performance since joining City from Liverpool in a protracted close-season transfer, Sterling then had a strike blocked on the end of a Fernandinho pass that was delightfully dummied by Bony.
A one-two between Ivory Coast team-mates Bony and Yaya Toure saw the latter curl wide as the match entered the final 20 minutes, with Sevilla looking increasingly low on confidence.
The Europa League holders now trail second placed Juventus by five points and can't overtake City due to an inferior head-to-head record.

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Chelsea 2-1 Dynamo Kiev

Chelsea 2-1 Dynamo Kiev: Late Willian stunner gives Mourinho vital win 

Willian scored a brilliant late free-kick to give Chelsea a much-needed 2-1 victory over Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League, and earn under-fire Jose Mourinho some breathing space.

Aleksandar Dragovic had diverted the Brazilian's cross into his own net late in the first half, but the Ukrainian side made it a nervous second period for the hosts, and they looked to have grabbed a shock point when the defender atoned for his own goal by netting a late equaliser.

But, with seven minutes remaining, Willian intervened in some style to give Chelsea a potentially crucial three points, much to the delight of the Stamford Bridge crowd.

The win will come as a huge relief to Mourinho, who had overseen only one win in Chelsea's previous eight games in all competitions and was once again the subject of plenty of headlines in the build-up, amid speculation over his future and talk of dressing room unrest.

The fans, though, have rarely wavered in their support of the Portuguese and he was consistently cheered by the home supporters throughout Wednesday's match.

Victory moves Chelsea up to second place in Group G, three points behind leaders Porto but two clear of Kiev going into the final two games.






Mourinho made three changes to his team in a bid to improve their recent fortunes, with Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and John Obi Mikel dropping out as Cesc Fabregas, Nemanja Matic and Baba Rahman came in.

Ramires had an early effort saved, before Oscar also warmed the hands of Oleksandr Shovkovskiy with a decent attempt after running on to Cesar Azpilicueta's cross.

Chelsea had most of the possession but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities prior to making a fortunate breakthrough in the 34th minute.

Rahman switched the play out to Willian on the right and the Brazilian's powerful cross was headed into his own net by a diving Dragovic.

Diego Costa and Mourinho were irate on the stroke of half-time as the hosts were denied a penalty. The Spain international showed great strength to run between centre-backs Yevhen Khacheridi and Dragovic before going down in the penalty area under pressure from the Austrian, with referee Pavel Kralovec waving Costa to get up, as his manager protested on the touchline.Having made little impact going forward in the first half, Kiev made a brighter start to the second.

Kurt Zouma made a brilliant last-ditch challenge to deny Artem Kravets as he prepared to shoot, while Andriy Yarmolenko saw an effort deflected wide.

Willian had a close-range header saved at the other end, before the visitors had a penalty shout of their own. Derlis Gonzalez had a shot blocked by Ramires six yards out, but the referee disagreed with their claims of handball.

Substitute Junior Moraes then pounced on a mistake from Matic to force Asmir Begovic into a diving save, but Chelsea were soon ruing not putting the result beyond doubt. Willian's free-kick from the right landed at Zouma's feet two yards out, but the defender somehow failed to find the target.

Mourinho's men went close again when Oscar saw his left-footed shot impressively tipped away by Shovkovskiy after the attacker had been found by Fabregas' pass.

Those missed chances proved almost costly for Chelsea, with Kiev netting a shock equaliser with 13 minutes left. Begovic and Matic failed to clear a corner and Dragovic smashed home a shot that deflected in off John Terry at the far post.

With another game apparently slipping away, Mourinho threw on Pedro and Hazard in an attempt to force victory, and his side found a priceless winner with seven minutes remaining.

Belgium international Hazard won a free-kick 25 yards from goal and Willian did the rest, sending an excellent set piece into the top corner to become the hosts' top scorer this season with five, and give Mourinho a huge lift.

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Bayern Munich 5-1 Arsenal

Bayern Munich 5-1 Arsenal: Demolition in Germany leaves Gunners on the brink 

Bayern Munich cruised to a 5-1 victory over Arsenal at the Allianz Arena to leave the Gunners on the brink of elimination from the Champions League.

Arsenal ended Bayern's 12-match winning run with a 2-0 triumph at Emirates Stadium two weeks ago, but there was little prospect of a repeat from the moment Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring after 10 minutes.

Mesut Ozil had a close-range effort ruled out for handball before Pep Guardiola's team established total dominance of the match.

Thomas Muller doubled the lead with a deflected shot and David Alaba scored a stunning long-range third to round off a first-half masterclass.

Full-back Alaba turned provider for Arjen Robben in the 54th minute, with the winger netting 37 seconds after coming on as a substitute to put the result beyond doubt.

Olivier Giroud hit a fine 69th-minute consolation before Muller restored Bayern's four-goal cushion with his second of the game in the last minute.

Bayern are on the verge of progressing to the knockout phase but anything less than victories over Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiacos - coupled with a Bayern victory over the Greek side - will see Arsenal eliminated.Arsene Wenger was without defenders Hector Bellerin and Laurent Koscielny, with the latter restricted to a place on the bench after picking up a hip injury.

The Frenchman's absent was felt when his replacement, Gabriel, dropped too deep to deal with Thiago's cross and allowed Lewandowski to direct a header past Petr Cech.

Arsenal initially responded well and thought they had equalised through Ozil, but the midfielder was adjudged to have bundled home Nacho Monreal's cross with his arm.

From that point Bayern took total control and Cech was called upon twice in quick succession to deny Kingsley Coman and Lewandowski.

The inevitable second goal arrived after 29 minutes. Coman's mishit effort from a Philipp Lahm cross was controlled by Muller, who scuffed a left-footed shot that deflected off Mertesacker into the bottom corner.

Cech then rushed out to thwart Lewandowski and Douglas Costa flashed a ball across goal that only required a touch.

A reflex stop by the former Chelsea goalkeeper denied Muller a second before half-time but he was rooted to the spot when Alaba bullied Santi Cazorla off the ball and curled a sumptuous strike into the top corner.

The sight of Coman making way for Robben early in the second half suggested there would be no let-up for Arsenal and sure enough, the Netherlands star peeled away from Gabriel to slam Alaba's cutback into the roof of the net with his first touch.

On a rare Arsenal attack Cazorla burst clear of the Bayern defence but shot wastefully at Manuel Neuer.

Wenger's men did get a goal back when Giroud brilliantly chested down and converted Alexis Sanchez's cross on the turn – his seventh goal in as many matches for club and country.

Cazorla then missed again from close range before Bayern scored the fifth their performance deserved, with Costa surging forward on the break to tee up Muller for his second in the final minute.

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Roma 3-2 Bayer Leverkusen

Roma 3-2 Bayer Leverkusen: Pjanic saves Giallorossi from the spot  

Miralem Pjanic earned Roma a crucial 3-2 win over 10-man Bayer Leverkusen in Wednesday's Champions League encounter at the Stadio Olimpico by converting a penalty with 10 minutes to go.

Having led 2-0 at the break through Mohamed Salah and Edin Dzeko, Roma were pegged back early in the second half by quickfire strikes from Admir Mehmedi and Javier Hernandez.

But as the matched headed towards a draw which would have done little for Roma's hopes of progressing from Group E, an almighty goalmouth scramble led to Omer Toprak shoving Salah as the Egyptian prepared to score.

Toprak was shown a straight red card, and Pjanic kept his cool to convert the penalty and provide Roma's qualification hopes with a huge boost.

The win sees Roma climb to second spot in the group with five points from four games, one point ahead of Leverkusen.

Rudi Garcia's side face the daunting task of heading to reigning champions Barcelona on matchday five, while Leverkusen travel to bottom club BATE.

Roma started the match brilliantly and needed only two minutes to open the scoring after a quick counter-attack. Dzeko set up Salah with a fine pass and the Egypt international squeezed the ball underneath Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

Hernandez should have levelled the scoring in the 14th minute when he beat the offside trap after a free-kick from Hakan Calhanoglu, yet the former Manchester United man failed to properly get his foot to the ball and tapped it wide from close range.

Dzeko doubled the Serie A side’s lead in the 29th minute after some fine work from Radja Nainggolan. The Belgium international lost his marker in midfield before setting up the ex-Manchester City striker with a fine pass and Dzeko found the net with a calm finish.

Dzeko should have effectively put the match to bed 60 seconds later when Salah set him up, but he blazed over from 10 yards.

Hernandez again looked dangerous for the visitors five minutes before the interval when he beat his marker to a Giulio Donati cross, but Wojciech Szczesny comfortably collected his acrobatic attempt.

Leverkusen pulled one back early in the first minute of the second half, though, when Mehmedi curled home after being teed up Kevin Kampl.

The Bundesliga outfit did not stop there and restored parity in the 51st minute. Karim Bellarabi found Hernandez inside the area and the Mexican striker beat Szczesny with a right-footed shot in the far corner.

Leverkusen continued to dominate proceedings and nearly grabbed the lead on the hour-mark via Mehmedi, only for the Roma goalkeeper to deny the attacker with a fine save.

Roma felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Dzeko went to the ground inside the area in the 63rd minute, yet referee Sergei Karasev waved play on.

However, the official had no other option but to give Garcia's men a spot-kick when Toprak fouled Salah on the goalline and Pjanic stepped up to shoot underneath Leno and gift Roma the full three points.

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Barcelona 3-0 BATE

Barcelona 3-0 BATE: Neymar and Suarez take Catalans to victory 

Luis Suarez scored either side of a Neymar double as Barcelona cruised to a 3-0 Champions League victory over BATE at Camp Nou.

The Barca duo have now scored 18 of the club's last 21 goals in all competitions, but with Roma defeating Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 in Group E's other match they must wait to book a place in the last 16.

Suarez and Neymar passed up early openings before Marc-Andre ter Stegen did well to stop the Belarusian side taking a shock lead by keeping out a free-kick from Igor Stasevich.

The introduction of Munir El Haddadi - replacing the injured Ivan Rakitic - proved the difference as he won a penalty that Neymar converted on the half-hour mark.

Adriano hit the post 10 minutes before half-time, but Suarez added the second - his ninth in his last eight Barca appearances in all competition - in the 60th minute with a low strike from the edge of the box.

Suarez then hit the upright before Neymar rounded off the scoring with seven minutes remaining in a comfortable win for Luis Enrique's side.

Barca instantly took control of possession and Suarez missed a chance to put them ahead inside four minutes when he stabbed wide following Neymar's clipped throughball.

But it was Barca goalkeeper Ter Stegen who had to make the first save when he parried a venomous 20-yard free kick from Stasevich away from the bottom corner in the 17th minute.

Luis Enrique lost Rakitic to injury soon after and replacement Munir made an immediate impact.

After being denied a simple finish by a clearance from Nemanja Milunovic, Munir earned his side a penalty when he went to ground following contact with Filip Mladenovic and Neymar rolled the spot-kick home in composed fashion in the 30th minute.

Barca came close to doubling their advantage five minutes later when a lovely pass from Andres Iniesta picked out Adriano's run into the box, but the defender's effort went behind off the base of the post.

The Catalan side were relentless in their search for a second, Dani Alves rifling wide and Neymar heading narrowly over in first-half stoppage time.

Chances continued to flow after the interval, with a great save from Sergei Chernik stopping Suarez converting at the back post six minutes after the restart.

The BATE goalkeeper was unable to deny Suarez on the hour mark, though, as the Uruguayan took Neymar's pass away from Milunovic with a great first touch and fired into the bottom corner.

Ex-Barca midfielder Aleksandr Hleb was introduced for BATE following the goal, but the they showed no extra adventure and, after a Chernik save denied Neymar, Suarez rattled the upright from the Brazilian's cross.

BATE sat deep, but were unable to see out the remainder of the game without conceding again, Neymar slotting into a gaping net following a swift break led by Suarez to add gloss to the result in the 83rd minute.

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Paris Saint-Germain 0-0 Real Madrid

Paris Saint-Germain 0-0 Real Madrid: Ronaldo & Zlatan off target as heavyweight clash ends in stalemate
 

Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid cancelled each other out at Parc des Princes to ensure top spot in Champions League Group A remains very much up for grabs. 

Wednesday's clash between the leaders of Ligue 1 and La Liga - who are both unbeaten in all competitions this season - was billed as a potential pool decider, with the teams locked on six points apiece after two games.

But, despite the presence of stellar names such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo, neither PSG or Madrid were able to break the deadlock as the evenly-matched sides traded punches without ever really threatening to land a knockout blow.

Madrid, shorn of the injured Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema, shaded the first half - with Kevin Trapp denying Jese Rodriguez and Ronaldo, twice, before the interval - and PSG were slightly the better team after the break.

But the stalemate means their reverse meeting at the Santiago Bernabeu in two weeks' time takes on extra importance in deciding who wins the group.

Madrid left-back Marcelo ventured forward early on, but his snap-shot from 20 yards failed to trouble the fit-again Trapp in the PSG goal.

PSG settled well thereafter, with Ibrahimovic dropping deep to pull the strings, and Blaise Matuidi tested Keylor Navas with a low drive from the edge of the area in the 11th minute.

But Madrid reasserted themselves and, after a period of sustained pressure, had tentative appeals for a penalty waved away when Isco went down in the area before Toni Kroos dragged a long-range effort wide. 

Jese then forced a smart save from Trapp after latching onto a lovely disguised pass from Kroos, and Ronaldo called the German goalkeeper into action around the half-hour mark with two headers as Madrid turned the screw. 

Half-time allowed PSG to regroup, and Edinson Cavani went close soon after the restart with an improvised volley off his studs from Thiago Motta's inch-perfect delivery from the left.

PSG coach Laurent Blanc replaced Angel di Maria - ineffective against his former club - and Cavani with Javier Pastore and Lucas Moura around the hour mark in a bid to provide more guile and pace to his attack.

But it was Ronaldo, described by Blanc as a "football alien" in the build-up to the game, who came closest to snatching the elusive opener 20 minutes from time, when he flashed a left-footed shot just wide from Marcelo's pass.

That chance reinvigorated Rafael Benitez's team, but they were unable to penetrate PSG's resolute defence - marshalled superbly by captain Thiago Silva - as the sides were left to settle for a draw.

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BATE Borisov 0-2 Barcelona

Laporan Pertandingan: BATE Borisov 0-2 Barcelona     

Barcelona memantapkan posisi mereka di puncak klasemen Grup E dalam kampanye mereka di Liga Champions musim ini usai memetik kemenangan 2-0 di markas BATE Borisov, Rabu (21/10) dini hari WIB.
Babak Pertama:
Barcelona langsung mendominasi permainan dengan penguasaan bola dan melancarkan sejumlah tekanan melalui berbagai sektor. Peluang untuk membuka keunggulan datang di menit kesepuluh, dua kali melalui proses sepak pojok Neymar, bola sambaran Luis Suarez maupun Munir El Haddadi berhasil dijinakkan Syarhey Chernik.
Kendala cedera Sergi Roberto memaksa Luis Enrique untuk melakukan perubahan pada komposisi timnya di menit ke-18, dengan Ivan Rakitic masuk dari bangku cadangan. Perubahan yang tak mengubah gaya bermain Blaugrana, yang tetap mendominasi meski belum diimbangi dengan optimalnya efektifitas lini depan.
Menit ke-30, Sergio Busquets punya kans untuk membuka keunggulan Barcelona usai menyambar bola di tiang jauh hasil tendangan bebas Neymar, arah bola yang ditendangnya memang bergulir diagonal di muka gawang BATE, namun belum mampu melintasi garis gawang dan justru berakhir melebar.
BATE yang mencoba untuk keluar dari tekanan mulai menerapkan duel-duel fisik ketat sambil melancarkan serangan balik sporadis. Rapatnya barisan belakang tuan rumah juga menjadi salah satu kendala bagi Barcelona, peluang lain pun kandas ketika sepakan Neymar semenit sebelum turun minum tipis menyamping di kiri gawang Chernik.
Babak Kedua:
Gebrakan yang dibuat Barcelona selepas jeda pertandingan langsung membuahkan hasil. Baru dua menit paruh kedua berjalan, Rakitic dengan sepakan terukurnys tipis di luar kotak penalti usai meneruskan sodoran pendek hasil penetrasi Neymar beberapa saat sebelumnya berhasil mendarat mulus ke gawang BATE.
Selepas memecah kebuntuan, Barcelona terus mendominasi permainan dan melancarkan sejumlah tekanan. Neymar hampir menggandakan skor bagi raksasa La Liga tersebut andai tembakan volinya di menit ke-53 usai meneruskan umpan silang terukur Dani Alves dari sisi kanan tidak berakhir melebar dari gawang Chernik.
Niat BATE untuk menghadirkan ancaman justru berbalik dan membuat mereka kecolongan. Serangan balik cepat Barcelona membuat Rakitic berdiri bebas di dalam kotak penalti tuan rumah dan dengan mudah menggandakan keunggulan timnya lewat sepakan chip di menit ke-65, usai meneruskan umpan diagonal Neymar.
BATE mencatatkan tembakan pertama ke arah gawang Barcelona lewat serangan di menit ke-77, namun eksekusi Mikalay Signevich mudah diamankan Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Neymar memperoleh peluang untuk memperbesar kemenangan Barcelona di masa tambahan waktu, namun sepakan volinya melambung tinggi dan hingga usai skor 2-0 tak berubah,

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