Perez propels Arsenal to victory -Champions League Roundup
The final standings in Groups A,B,C and D tonight with a total of 25 goals scored across Europe tonight. Here’s a full round up of all the action:
Group A
Basel 1-4 Arsenal
A Lucas Perez hat-trick saw Arsenal top Group A tonight. The visitors took the lead in the 8th minute through Perez. The Spanish striker struck again in the 16th minute. Two minutes after the restart he completed his hat-trick but the goalscoring was far from over. Alex Iwobi got in on the act to score the Gunners’ fourth in the 53rd minute. Seydou Doumbia scored a consolation goal for the hosts twelve minutes from time.
PSG 2-2 Ludogorets Razgrad
PSG twice came from behind to savage a draw at home to Bulgarian side Ludogorets. The visitors took a shock led after 15 minutes thanks to Virgil Misidjan. PSG brought the sides level just after the hour mark when Edison Cavani found the net. However Ludogrets struck back though Wanderson with twenty minutes to go. Angel Di Maria saved the home sides blushes with his 92nd minute equaliser. The French side’s failure to win combined with Arsenal’s victory see the Parasians finish second. Ludogortes head into the Europa League.
Group B
Benfica 1-2 SSC Napoli
Napoli’s home victory tonight sees the Italians top Group B. The two sides were inseparable until the hour mark when Jose Callejon found the net. Eleven minutes from time Dries Mertens scored what would be a vital goal for the home side as Raul Jimenez struck for the Portuguese visitors three minutes from time. Benfica go through as group runners up.
Dynamo Kyiv 6-0 Besiktas
Besiktas’ were frozen out in Ukraine tonight as Dynamo Kyiv hammered the Turkish side six nil. The home side were a goal to the good after nine minutes thanks to Artem Biesiedin. A key moment in the match came twenty minutes later when Andeas Beck received a straight red card for Besiktas. An Andriy Yarmolenko penalty just after the half hour mark made it two nil. Vitaly Buyalsky put the home side three up after 33 minutes. It was 4-0 on the stroke of half-time when Derlis Gonzalez found the net. Serhiy Sydorchuk made it five nil on the hour mark and the rout was complete thirteen minutes from time when Junior Gonzales fired home. Despite this embarrassing result Besiktas will be playing Europa League football in the New Year.
Group C
FC Barcelona 4-0 Borussia Moenchengladbach
Arda Turan scored a seventeen minute hat-trick to help Barcelona to a comfortable home victory over their German visitors. Lionel Messi had opened the scoring in the 16th minute when he combined with Turan before slotting the ball into the bottom corner. Turan opened his account in the 50th minute with a powerful header. He scored his second three minutes later and completed his hat-trick in the 67th minute. It’s the Turkish winger’s first hat-trick in over eight years. Barcelona already had top place secured while Moenchengladbach were already looking forward to Europa League action.
Manchester City 1-1 Celtic
Celtic bowed out of Europe with a one all draw away to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City tonight. City loanee Patrick Roberts fired the visitors ahead after four minutes but Kelechi Iheanacho levelled the sides four minutes later. Celtic held onto a famous away point but both sides had little to play for with the group already decided. City will hope for a favourable draw as they finished as runners up.
Group D
Bayern Munich 1-0 Atletico Madrid
Bayern Munich saw off their Spanish visitors at the Allianz Arena. The winning goal came in the 28th minute when Robert Lewandowski curled home a free kick. Diego Simeone won’t be too upset with the result as his side had already secured top spot. Bayern finishs as runners up and are a formidable opponent for any group winner.
PSV Eindhoven 0-0 FC Rostov
PSV needed a win to secure Europa League football but were unable to break through their Russian visitors. Rostov have already shown they are a difficult side to break down. Despite their best efforts PSV are out of Europe while Rostov head towards the Europa League.
