Pique pokes Barca to victory – Champions League Roundup
There were some incredible results in the Champions League tonight as the second round of group games were completed. Here’s a full roundup:
Group A
Arsenal 2-0 Basel
A first half Theo Walcott brace was enough to fire Arsenal to victory over their Swiss opponents tonight.Walcott scored his first after just seven minutes and twenty minutes later The Gunners were two up. Arsenal are now level with PSG at the top of the group.
Ludogrets Razgrad 1-3 PSG
PSG were forced to come from behind away from home to earn victory over Ludogrets. Natanel fired the hosts ahead in the 16th minute but Blaise Matitudi equalised for the Ligue 1 side four minutes from the break. The second half saw Edison Cavani score in the 56th minute before the Uruguayan made it three nil on the hour mark. Cosmin Moti missed a penalty for Bulgarian side just before Cavani bagged his second of the night.
Group B
Besiktas 1-1 Dynamo Kyiv
Turkish outfit Besiktas were held to a draw at home tonight by Dynamo Kyiv. Portuguese international Ricardo Quaresma fired the hosts ahead in the 29th minute and the home side took the lead into the break. Twenty minutes after the restart Viktor Tsigankov leveled for the Ukraninan visitors which saw the sides share the spoils.
SSC Napoli 4-2 Benfica
Napoli dominated their Portuguese visitors tonight. Marek Hamsik gave the Serie A side the lead in the 20th minute. The floodgates opened in the second half with Dries Mertens scoring Napoli’s second in the 51st minute. Arkadiusz Milik converted a spot kick three minutes later and Mertens fired home a fourth in the 58th minute. Gonçalo Guedes pulled one back for Benfica in the 71st minute and Eduardo Silva’s goal four minutes from time gave the traveling fans something to cheer about. Napoli remain top of the group after two wins in two games.
Group C
Borussia Moenchengladbach 1-2 FC Barcelona
It was an emotional night for FC Barcelona goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen as he returned to his boyhood club for the first time since his move to La Liga. His old employers took the lead in the 34th minute through a quick counter attack with Thorgan Hazard finishing the move. Barcelona rallied in the second half and drew level in the 65th minute through substitute Arda Turan. The Turkish international rifled the ball into the roof of the net giving Yann Sommer no chance in goal. Nine minutes later the Catalans were ahead. Luis Suarez tested Sommer from a corner but the Swiss keeper fumbled the ball allowing centre-back Gerard Pique to poke the ball over the line. A vital win for Barca who move two points clear at the top of the group.
Celtic 3-3 Manchester City
Celtic and Manchester City played out a thrilling encounter tonight. The Scottish champions took the lead in the third minute through an acrobatic effort from Moussa Dembele. Fernandinho brought City level in the 12th minute however an own goal from Raheem Sterling in the 20th minute had Celtic ahead. Sterling redeemed himself eight minutes later to see the sides head into the break level. Dembele had Celtic ahead three minutes after the restart but Nolito’s 55th minute goal denied the Boys In Green a memorable win.
Group D
Atletico Madrid 1-0 Bayern Munich
Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid eked out a slender 1-0 win tonight over German giants Bayern. Atletico were their defensive selves this evening and ten minutes from the break Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco fired the Madrid club ahead. Bayern couldn’t find away through after the break and could have been two nil down 6 minutes from time. Antoine Griezmann however failed to convert a penalty but the Spaniard’s held on for the win.
FC Rostov 2-2 PSV Eindhoven
Russian side Rosov played out a real humdinger against PSV tonight. Rostov took the lead in the 9th minute through Dmitry Poloz. Their lead lasted only five minutes as Davy Proper fired home the Dutch sides leveler. Poloz scored his second of the night in the 38th minute but on the stroke of halftime Luuk De Jong equalised for PSV. The Ducth outfit could easily have taken all three points from tonight’s game but Andres Guardado failed to convert a 57th minute penalty. As a result both sides earn a point for their efforts.
