Real give Mourinho winning Euro start
Real Madrid’s bid to win a 10th European Cup began with a 2-0 win over.
MADRID:
Real Madrid’s bid to win a 10th European Cup began with a 2-0 win over. Coach Jose Mourinho won the Champions League with Inter Milan at the Bernabeu in May and his European bow with Real was a success with an own goal and a Gonzalo Higuain strike sealing a comfortable group victory.
Milan down Auxerre
Zlatan Ibrahimovic got off the mark for AC Milan with a brace to down Auxerre 2-0.
The €24-million signing started to pay back his big fee as he netted twice in the second half in a game that had been evenly poised until then. In netting, Ibrahimovic matched Hernan Crespo’s record of having scored for five different clubs in the Champions League.
Fabregas inspires Arsenal six-goal romp
Captain Cesc Fabregas produced an outstanding individual performance as Arsenal opened their Champions League campaign with a a stylish 6-0 rout of Braga.
The Spain midfielder scored two with Andrey Arshavin, Marouane Chamakh scoring one each and substitute Carlos Vela grabbing a brace.
Anelka helps Chelsea past Zilina
Nicolas Anelka scored twice for Chelsea to help them go past MSK Zilina with a 4-1 win.
Michael Essien opened the scoring in the 13th minute. In the 24th minute, Anelka beat Zilina keeper Martin Dubravka with a low shot across the box before he silenced the home crowd four minutes later, making it 3-0 with an easy rebound to score his second.
Daniel Sturridge scored a fourth, beating Dubravka and Pecalka. Zilina then pushed for a consolation goal and their effort was rewarded 55 minutes into the game as Tomas Oravec scored.
Inter, Man Utd held but Barca win
Holders Inter Milan drew 2-2 at competition debutants FC Twente while Manchester United were held by Rangers and Barcelona thrashed Panathinaikos.
Wesley Sneijder gave the visitors the lead on his return to his homeland but Janssen curled in a stunning free-kick before Diego Milito’s own goal gave the hosts the lead, only for Samuel Eto’o to earn the Italians a point.
Manchester United were made to pay as the Scottish champions ground out a goalless draw at Old Trafford.
The hosts dominated possession but without testing visiting goalkeeper Allan McGregor, and three long-range drives from Irish midfielder Darron Gibson were all they had to show for their efforts.
The evening ended on a sour note for the 2008 European champions, who had Ecuador international winger Antonio Valencia stretchered off with a suspected dislocation and fracture to his ankle.
Barcelona began their European campaign in spectacular fashion, smashing five goals past Panathinaikos in a 5-1 victory at Camp Nou.
The visitors had the temerity to take a 20th-minute lead through former Lyon forward Sidney Govou, but Barca were 3-1 up at the interval thanks to a Lionel Messi brace that sandwiched a close-range David Villa strike.
The Argentinian international spurned the chance to claim a hat-trick when his tame second-half penalty was saved, but goals from Pedro Rodriguez and Dani Alves in the 78th and 93rd minutes added gloss to the scoreline.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2010.
Real Madrid’s bid to win a 10th European Cup began with a 2-0 win over. Coach Jose Mourinho won the Champions League with Inter Milan at the Bernabeu in May and his European bow with Real was a success with an own goal and a Gonzalo Higuain strike sealing a comfortable group victory.
Milan down Auxerre
Zlatan Ibrahimovic got off the mark for AC Milan with a brace to down Auxerre 2-0.
The €24-million signing started to pay back his big fee as he netted twice in the second half in a game that had been evenly poised until then. In netting, Ibrahimovic matched Hernan Crespo’s record of having scored for five different clubs in the Champions League.
Fabregas inspires Arsenal six-goal romp
Captain Cesc Fabregas produced an outstanding individual performance as Arsenal opened their Champions League campaign with a a stylish 6-0 rout of Braga.
The Spain midfielder scored two with Andrey Arshavin, Marouane Chamakh scoring one each and substitute Carlos Vela grabbing a brace.
Anelka helps Chelsea past Zilina
Nicolas Anelka scored twice for Chelsea to help them go past MSK Zilina with a 4-1 win.
Michael Essien opened the scoring in the 13th minute. In the 24th minute, Anelka beat Zilina keeper Martin Dubravka with a low shot across the box before he silenced the home crowd four minutes later, making it 3-0 with an easy rebound to score his second.
Daniel Sturridge scored a fourth, beating Dubravka and Pecalka. Zilina then pushed for a consolation goal and their effort was rewarded 55 minutes into the game as Tomas Oravec scored.
Inter, Man Utd held but Barca win
Holders Inter Milan drew 2-2 at competition debutants FC Twente while Manchester United were held by Rangers and Barcelona thrashed Panathinaikos.
Wesley Sneijder gave the visitors the lead on his return to his homeland but Janssen curled in a stunning free-kick before Diego Milito’s own goal gave the hosts the lead, only for Samuel Eto’o to earn the Italians a point.
Manchester United were made to pay as the Scottish champions ground out a goalless draw at Old Trafford.
The hosts dominated possession but without testing visiting goalkeeper Allan McGregor, and three long-range drives from Irish midfielder Darron Gibson were all they had to show for their efforts.
The evening ended on a sour note for the 2008 European champions, who had Ecuador international winger Antonio Valencia stretchered off with a suspected dislocation and fracture to his ankle.
Barcelona began their European campaign in spectacular fashion, smashing five goals past Panathinaikos in a 5-1 victory at Camp Nou.
The visitors had the temerity to take a 20th-minute lead through former Lyon forward Sidney Govou, but Barca were 3-1 up at the interval thanks to a Lionel Messi brace that sandwiched a close-range David Villa strike.
The Argentinian international spurned the chance to claim a hat-trick when his tame second-half penalty was saved, but goals from Pedro Rodriguez and Dani Alves in the 78th and 93rd minutes added gloss to the scoreline.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2010.