The story appears on

Page B16

November 24, 2011

GET this page in PDF

Free for subscribers

View shopping cart

Related News

Home » Sports » Soccer

United held, Inter and Bayern through

BENFICA snatched a 2-2 draw at sloppy Manchester United to reach the Champions League last 16 and leave the three-time winners with work to do, while Inter Milan ambled through before even playing and Bayern Munich also progressed with ease on Tuesday.

Real Madrid had already booked its first knockout round berth but secured top spot in Group D in style with a 6-2 home thrashing of competition whipping boys Dinamo Zagreb despite playing several reserves.

Ajax Amsterdam all but sealed its passage in the other group game with a 0-0 draw against Olympique Lyon while Manchester City risks bowing out like the French in next month's last set of matches after a 1-2 loss at last-16 hopefuls Napoli.

United went behind at Old Trafford to an early Phil Jones own goal and although little-used Dimitar Berbatov and midfielder Darren Fletcher puts the hosts in front, poor defending let in Pablo Aimar for Benfica's precious equalizer.

Alex Ferguson's men now needs a point next month from their final Group C game at Basel to go through with the Swiss side requiring a famous win over the English champion after a 3-2 victory at Otelul Galati on Tuesday.

The result also meant United, which has reached the final in three out of the last four years, is unlikely to top the group and gain a favorable last-16 draw even if it beats Basel given leader Benfica is at home to pointless Galati.

Inter, the 2010 winner, reached February's first knockout round after Group B rival Lille revived its chances of going through with a 2-0 win at CSKA Moscow in freezing conditions. A 1-1 draw at Trabzonspor meant Inter also sealed top spot with the Turks, Lille and CSKA all in the running for the second qualification spot.

Bayern, beaten in the final by Inter two seasons ago, powered through and made sure of finishing top of Group A with a routine 3-1 home win over struggling Villarreal in which Franck Ribery scored twice.

Edinson Cavani grabbed a brace too as Napoli put itself in pole position to follow the Germans into the last 16 and left English Premier League leader Manchester City trailing by a point.

Karim Benzema and Jose Callejon also scored twice as Real steamrollered Dinamo at the Bernabeu without the likes of Iker Casillas and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Jose Mourinho, who won the trophy with Porto and Inter, has seen his nine-time winner take a maximum 15 points from its first five games and score 16 goals.



 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend