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Tag 2019/2020 UEFA Champions League

Sport

Gnabry hits four as Bayern Munich trounce Tottenham 7-2

Romp
London, Oct. 2, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Tottenham Hotspur suffered their worst home defeat in Europe as Serge Gnabry scored four times in Bayern Munich’s 7-2 romp to seize control of UEFA Champions League Group B on Tuesday.

Master marksman Robert Lewandowski also scored twice as Bayern responded to going behind in devastating fashion

When Son Heung-min gave last season’s runners-up Tottenham a deserved 12th minute lead, the home fans were buoyant.

But their hopes were crushed as Spurs leaked in seven goals at home for the first time in any major competition.

To make matters worse for Mauricio Pochettino’s shell-shocked side, it was Gnabry, a former Arsenal player, who was the architect of their humiliation.

In a rip-roaring start to the first clash between the sides for 35 years, Son had twice wasted guilt-edge opportunities before firing Tottenham in front.

But Tottenham’s lead lasted only three minutes as Joshua Kimmich’s superb long-range effort gave Hugo Lloris no chance.

Tottenham were still posing a threat in a wide-open game but three Bayern Munich goals in 10 minutes left their hopes of a first win in Group B in tatters.

Lewandowski has already bagged 10 goals in six Bundesliga games this season and showed why he is one of the world’s most-feared strikers as he beat Lloris with a shot on the turn seconds before the half-time.

If that was a cruel blow for Tottenham, what happened in the opening minutes of the second half was crushing.

Gnabry, who suffered several frustrating years at Arsenal, shredded Tottenham’s defence in the 53rd minute to score a breathtaking solo goal and struck again two minutes later.

Harry Kane’s penalty kick restored some hope for Tottenham on the hour after Danny Rose was adjudged to have been fouled.

But Bayern Munich were in ruthless mood.

Gnabry completed his hat-trick in the 83rd minute, racing on to Thiago Alcantara’s long ball and then wrong-footing Lloris with a classy finish.

With the home fans flooding towards the exits and Bayern Munich’s followers joyfully singing “football’s coming home”, the visitors piled on the agony.

Lewandowski was played in by Philippe Coutinho and he finished in deadly fashion.

With Tottenham’s defence AWOL again, Gnabry put Niko Kovac’s team in seventh heaven.

Bayern Munich lead Group B with six points from two games, with Tottenham on one.

Red Star Belgrade are second with three points after beating Olympiakos 3-1 in the group’s other match.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Maharazu Ahmed and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Club Brugge, Galatasaray draw in Champions League clash

Goalless

Brugge (Belgium), Sept. 18, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Club Brugge and Galatasaray played out a goalless stalemate in their opening Champions League Group A game at the Jan Breydelstadion on Wednesday.

Both teams hit the woodwork in an otherwise uneventful match ahead of the much-awaited clash between Paris St Germain and Real Madrid in the same group.

Brugge had the best chance in the first half when Federico Ricca’s strike hit the crossbar and the Turkish side also went close on the hour with Sofiane Feghouli’s effort brushing the bar.

The Belgians were also denied a late penalty after a VAR review for a possible Marcao handball three minutes from time.

Galatasaray next host PSG and Brugge travel to Real Madrid on Oct. 1. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/MZA

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

Sport

UCL: Olympiakos hit back to draw 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur

Draw

Athens, Sept. 18, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Olympiakos Piraeus battled back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 home draw with last year’s runners-up Tottenham Hotspur in their Champions League Group B opener on Wednesday.

The hosts were stunned as Tottenham struck twice in four minutes midway through the opening half, first with Harry Kane’s penalty and then a stunner by Lucas Moura.

Daniel Podence halved the deficit shortly before halftime and Olympiakos were level after 54 minutes when Mathieu Valbuena beat fellow Frenchman Hugo Lloris from the penalty spot.

Tottenham looked the more likely winner in the closing stages with Dele Alli and Erik Lamela squandering chances. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/MZA

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

Sport

Holders Liverpool face Napoli in UEFA Champions League group stage

Draw
Monaco, Aug. 29, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) European champions Liverpool received a relatively kind draw for the group stage of this year’s UEFA Champions League with Italy’s Napoli their toughest opponents in Group E.

Juergen Klopp’s side, who beat Tottenham Hotspur in June’s final to win their sixth European Cup, will also face Austria’s Salzburg and Belgian side Genk.

The draw produced two fascinating groups which should deliver a real battle for qualification with FC Barcelona facing Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and Slavia Prague in Group F.

Group D is also a mouth-watering prospect with Italian champions Juventus taking on Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Lokomotiv Moscow.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane will return to his homeland France for a clash with Paris St-Germain (PSG) in Group A which also includes Club Brugge and Galatasaray.

Last year’s runners-up Tottenham Hotspur face German champions Bayern Munich as well as Greek side Olympiakos and Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade in Group B. (Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Van Dijk, Bronze pick UEFA Player of the Year awards

Awards
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Aug. 29, 2019 (NAN) Liverpool and Netherlands’ defender Virgil van Dijk was on Thursday crowned the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year during the European football body’s Champions League draw in Monaco.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Van Dijk was the big winner at the UEFA Champions League awards, picking the best player accolade ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Liverpool ace also scooped the Defender of the 2018/2019 UEFA Champions League Season while his Reds teammate Alisson won the Goalkeeper of the Season award.

Frenkie de Jong claimed the Midfielder of the Season prize for his performances during Ajax Amsterdam’s run to the competition’s semi-finals.

FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi was crowned Forward of the Season.

Lucy Bronze picked the Women’s Player of the Year award.

But it was Van Dijk who caused the big upset with his dominant displays at the heart of the Liverpool defence.

He earned enough votes to see off both Messi and Ronaldo for the top honour.

The following is a full list of award winners honoured by UEFA during the 2019/2020 UEFA Champions League draw in Monaco:

UEFA Men’s Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

UEFA Women’s Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Olympique Lyonnais)

Best players of the 2018/19 Champions League

Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker (Liverpool)

Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)

Forward: Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)

UEFA President’s Award: Eric Cantona. (NAN)
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(Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

UEFA Champions League Playoff: Red Star odyssey continues with dramatic draw at Young Boys

Champions League

Bern, Aug. 22, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Red Star Belgrade’s Champions League qualifying odyssey continued on Wednesday when the former European champions drew 2-2 away to Young Boys.

Red Star were being pegged back by a late penalty in the first leg of the playoff round tie.

Also, Russian side Krasnodar, who eliminated former European champions Porto in the last round, were thumped 4-0 at Olympiakos.

Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb beat Norway’s Rosenborg 2-0 in ties which will earn the winners a place in the lucrative group stage.

In a gripping match, Red Star fell behind to an early goal, then hit back to lead 2-1 before Young Boys substitute Guillaume Hoarau levelled with his first touch of the ball.

While the Swiss side had qualified directly for the playoff round, Red Star battled their way through three rounds.

They overcame opponents from Lithuania, Finland and Denmark with the last tie against FC Copenhagen going to a remarkable 22-penalty shootout.

Both teams took part in the group stage for the first time last season and it was Young Boys who went ahead in the seventh minute.

Roger Assale was sent clear of the defence and the Ivorian forward drove his shot past Milan Borjan.

Milos Degenek levelled 11 minutes later with a looping header at the far post which caught goalkeeper David van Ballmoos out of his ground.

Borjan made three outstanding saves to keep Red Star level at halftime and they went ahead immediately after the restart.

Marko Gobeljic sent in a low cross from the right and Argentine Mateo Garcia turned it in at the far post for a goal on his debut.

The drama continued as Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu burst into the Red Star area and went down under a challenge from Richmond Boakye.

The referee initially gave a goal kick but changed his mind after a VAR review and Hoarau fired in the equaliser.

A late flurry from group-stage regulars Olympiakos virtually settled their tie against Krasnodar.

Miguel Angel Guerrero curled in the first on the half hour and, although Krasnodar kept it down to a single goal until the 78th minute, they were undone by a brace from substitute Lazar Randjelovic.

The Serb opened his account two minutes after coming on and netted the second from outside the penalty area in the 86th minute.

Daniel Podence produced a neat dinked finish for the fourth.

Dinamo Zagreb’s hopes of qualifying for the seventh time got an early boost when Marius Lundemo bundled over Bruno Petkovic who converted the penalty himself in the eighth minute.

The Croatian champions added a second with a route one goal.

Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic’s clearance came off the head of a defender and fell into the path of Mislav Orsic who shot under Andre Hansen. (Reuters/NAN)
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)

Sport

Ajax held by PAOK in UEFA Champions League third qualifying round

League
Belgrade, Aug. 7, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Former European champions Ajax Amsetrdam were held to a 2-2 draw at PAOK in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie on Tuesday.

Last season’s semi-finalists Ajax, who have won Europe’s premier club competition four times, made a perfect start in the cauldron of PAOK’s Tumba stadium.

Hakim Ziyech curled in a swerving free kick after 10 minutes.

Roared on by a fervent home crowd, PAOK turned the tide before half-time.

Striker Chuba Akpom capped a flowing move with a fine finish from 10 metres and defender Leo Matos headed home a Diego Biseswar free-kick.

Ajax, who suffered a last-gasp defeat by Tottenham Hotspur in last season’s semi-finals, piled on the pressure after the break.

Ziyech missed a glaring chance before substitute Klaas Jan Huntelaar equalised with a bizarre goal on the hour.

Fernando Varela’s poor clearance from Donny van de Beek’s cross rebounded off the 35-year old striker’s feet into the back of the net from close range.

The visitors then dominated until the final whistle.

In other matches also played on Tuesday, Red Star Belgrade could only manage a 1-1 home draw against FC Copenhagen.

Azeri champions Qarabag took a big step towards the playoff round with a 2-1 win at Cypriot side APOEL.

But Dinamo Zagreb left their progress hanging in the balance after the Croats played out a 1-1 home draw against Hungary’s Ferencvaros.

A Hans Vaneken penalty kick late in the first half gave Bruges a 1-0 home win against Dynamo Kiev.

Red Star, the 1991 champions, conceded a late equaliser after their striker Milan Pavkov reaffirmed his reputation for scoring in big games just before the break.

But he had to be forced off the pitch at half-time by a recurring hamstring injury.

Pavkov, who netted twice in last season’s memorable 2-0 home win over eventual UEFA Champions League winners Liverpool in the group stage, fired Red Star ahead in the 44th minute.

That was when he hooked a loose ball over goalkeeper Sten Michael Grytebust.

Pavkov made way for Richmond Boakye and the hosts were punished in the closing stages for the Ghanaian’s forward’s second-half profligacy.

Boakye missed a pair of gilt-edged chances to double Red Star’s lead before midfielder Dusan Jovancic fouled Copenhagen substitute Mas Jaume in the penalty area.

Jonas Wind coolly converted the 84th minute penalty kick.

Dinamo’s Spanish midfielder Dani Olmo fired them ahead with a superb goal in the seventh minute as he took a clever back-heel by Mislav Orsic in his stride.

He then nutmegged a defender and hit the far corner of the net with a crisp shot.

But Ferencvaros levelled against the run of play on the hour when David Siger beat Dominik Livakovic with a looping header after the goalkeeper had parried a shot from 10 metres.

Goals from Mair Emreli and Magaye Gueye gave Qarabag a 2-0 lead at APOEL before Giorgos Merkis pulled one back for the home sides in the 90th minute.

In Wednesday’s stand-out fixtures, 1967 European Cup winners Celtic visit Romania’s CFR Cluj while twice former champions FC Porto are away to Russians Krasnodar.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)