Footballupdates.org

AC Milan squandered a 3 min lead in the Champions League, round of 16 match and lost to Man U after Rooney headed in two goals.

AC Milan had a dream start when David Beckham’s free kick was struck by Ronaldinho, which took a deflection into the goal. Manchester United came onto the score sheets with a strange goal from Paul Scholes in the 35th minute.

After the break United came out all guns ablaze and took the challenge to the opposition. Sub Antonio Valencia’s cross allowed Rooney to jump in between the centerbacks to head home his first for the night and United’s second. Roo added another 8 minutes later, this was also scored from a header.

Rooney heads in his first goal

With 6 minutes remaining in the match, Clarence Seedorf scored an amazing back-heel. Milan ended with two goals. The score read 3-2 in United’s favour.

Liverpool conceded another late goal and lost the final group stage Champions League encounter versus Fiorentina.

The Reds have allowed late goals in both their Champions League matches against Lyon and now Fiorentina, which has damaged their chances of qualifying to the knockout stage. Both Lyon and Fiorentina have made it to the next round.
In the post match conference Rafael Benitez said:

“The result and the way it happened just about sums up our Champions League campaign. Another last minute goal, and we are disappointed with that for the third time in this group. Now we must be ready for the next game at home to Arsenal on Sunday. We worked so hard, we had chances, so they are the only positive that we can take from the game.”

Although there were positives that Liverpool can take from this match, Torres returned from a groin injury and Aquiliani made his full debut for the club.

Benitez commented:

“Aquilani showed his quality, his touch was good. His vision and passing were good, but obviously he will have to work on his match fitness.”

“Everyone is available for Sunday, if he trains well he could well be involved against Arsenal. We are still trying to see the positives, we are playing better and we must now must take that into a very important game. It is the beginning of a new season for us now, I hope.”

Liverpool have also learnt that they will not be seeded in the Europa League next season.

“We will not be seeded in the Europa League, we must cope with that and be strong to handle what ever comes our way now,”

Benitez added.

The knockout stage of the Champions League is on the way today. All the fixtures seem to be real exciting encounters.

Already goals have been scored in the five games out of eight games with the most thrilling match being that of Marseille versus Real Madrid.

Marseille 1-3 Real Madrid

Talisman Cristiano Ronaldo opened the score for the visitors in the 5th minute. However, six minutes later Lucho equalized for the French team. Raul Albiol gives his team the lead right on the hour mark!

Ronaldo adds another for Madrid.

Chelsea 2-2 Apoel Nicosia

Apoel Nicosia scored through Marcin Zewlakow in the 6th minute. The home team levelled in the 19th minute through Michael Essien and later took the lead from a Drogba(26′) goal. Apoel level in the dying minutes from a Nenad Mirosavljevic goal.

Juventus 1-4 Bayern Munich

Like the other matches played in the Champions League, Juventus took the lead in the 19th minute after Trezeguet scored. The Germans came from a goal down to level from a 30th minute penalty, converted by Jans-Jorg Butt.

After the break Olic gives Munich the lead.

Munich have gone back to their winning ways, after being 1-0 down they made a comeback to finish with four.

Maccabi Haifa 0-1 Bordeaux

Jussie brought Bordeaux on the scoreboard with a 13th minute goal.

Besiktas 1-2 CSKA Moscow

Milos Krasic netted a goal right before half time to give his team an advantage before the break. The final minutes of the match got interesting after Bobo(86′) equalized for Besiktas but Evgeni Aldonin scored the winner for CSKA Moscow in the 90th minute of the match. A very close finish for Moscow.

VfL Wolfsburg 1-3 Manchester United

Michael Owen helped Man U secure the lead minutes before the break.

Manchester United and Arsenal’s transfer target- Edin Dzeko scores for Wolfsburg, to get them level with United.

Michael Owen scores a hatrick and secures a comfortable lead for Man U.

Atletico Madrid 0-3 FC Porto

Bruno Alves has become a scoring defender, netting one for his country in the World Cup 2010 qualifiers and now getting one in the second minute of the match. His goal was followed by Falcao in the 14th minute.

Chelsea target Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan need to come to the party.

Hulk adds the third for Porto.

Zurich 1-1 AC Milan

Milan trail Zurich after Milan Gajic gets a goal.

A 64th minute Ronaldinho penalty saved Milan.

Catch all the goal highlights here

Barcelona 2-0 Inter Milan

Pique puts Barca ahead in the 10th minute and Pedro added another in the 26th minute.

Debrecen 0-1 Liverpool

David N’gog nudges in the ball from Fabio Aurelio’s corner, in the 4th minute.

Liverpool won’t be too thrilled even after leading at half-time, since Fiorentina have taken the lead against Lyon. This squanders “The Reds” chances of going to the next round.

Fiorentina 1-0 Lyon

Juan Manuel Vargas smashes in a penalty at Stadio Artemio Franchi. The score is now 1 – 0.

AZ 0-0 Olympiacos

The score remains all square at half-time.

Arsenal 2-0 Standard

The Gunners take the lead at home through Samir Nasri, followed by Denilson, to extend their lead.

Sevilla 0-1 Unirea

Sevilla’s Ivica Dragutinovic heads into his own goal.

Rangers 0-2 VfB Stuttgart

Sebastian Rudy(16′) scores for Stuttgart.  Zdravko Kuzmanovic heads in to extend VfB Stuttgart’s lead at Ibrox.

Manchester United 3-3 CSKA Moscow

Late goals from Paul Scholes(84′) and Antonio Valencia(90′+2′) helped United progress into the knockout stage of the competition. CSKA’s Deividas Šemberas earned  a red card but the team held on for a well-earned point on a remarkable tournament debut for new coach Leonid Slutski.

Earlier, Alan Dzagoev, Miloš Krasić and Vasili Berezutski gave the visitors a 3-1 advantage, Owen had scored early in the first half. United dropped quite a few chances, Owen missed his kick when teed up by Valencia, then Darren Fletcher and Federico Macheda. Akinfeev made a string of saves to keep his side in the game, but couldn’t prevent United from salvaging a draw.

AC Milan 1-1 Real Madrid

The honours were shared at San Siro after Karim Benzema’s 29th-minute strike for an enterprising Real Madrid CF was cancelled out by Ronaldinho’s penalty six minutes later.

The visitors started off strongly having loads of chances and Benzema gave them the lead, but minutes later as Zambrotta attempted a cross the the ball struck the arm of the  sliding Pepe and referee Felix Brych pointed to the spot. Ronaldinho blasted the equalizer into the roof of the net.

Milan could have snatched the lead on 58 minutes when Massimo Ambrosini headed Andrea Pirlo’s free-kick over from four metres out and Pirlo almost picked out Marco Borriello soon afterwards before Xabi Alonso came to the rescue. Real, meanwhile, were now shooting from distance, but neither Kaká or Marcelo’s strikes seriously threatened Dida. Milan substitute- Inzaghi miscued a glorious chance from close range on 83 minutes, while his counterpart, Raúl González, saw his 88th-minute strike spectacularly turned over by Dida to ensure the contest finished all-square.

Chelsea  2-2 Atletico Madrid

Like Manchester United, their Premier League counterparts Chelsea FC reached the Champions League knockout round with two Group D games to spare despite a spirited display by now eliminated Club Atlético de Madrid, Didier Drogba’s double proving enough for the visitors.

Atlético put in an improved performance under new coach Quique Sánchez Flores and two spectacular Sergio Agüero goals. Atlético set the early pace with quick and neat passing. Diego Forlán came closest to opening the scoring when he let fly a left-footer from distance that zipped wide.

Drogba returning from a three-game suspension showed his eagerness to mark his return with a goal. In the 82nd minute, Drogba headed in Florent Malouda’s cross, Juanito’s slip allowed the Ivorian to score at the second attempt.

Other Results:

Marseille 6-1 FC Zurich
Maccabi Hafia 0-1 Juventus
Bayern Munich 0-2 Bordeaux
Bseiktas 0-3 Wolfsburg
APOEL 0-1 Porto

4th November Fixtures:

ACF Fiorentina    V   Debreceni VSC
Olympique Lyonnais    V    Liverpool FC
FC Rubin Kazan   V    FC Barcelona
FC Dynamo Kyiv   V    FC Internazionale Milano
FC Unirea Urziceni   V   Rangers FC
Sevilla FC    V   VfB Stuttgart
Arsenal FC    V    AZ Alkmaar
R. Standard de Liège    V   Olympiacos FC