6 December 2005

OLYMPIAKOS 2-1 REAL MADRID

Ramos scored his first goal for the club with a header from Bravo's free kick. Real should have been out of sight at half-time. Djordjevic beat Diogo down the right before hanging a cross into the box, Bravo headed high into the air and Bulut struck the most beautiful right volley sending the ball screaming into the bottom corner. Rivaldo managed to miss from 12 yards after Okkas took the absolute piss out of Pavon. Toure, who looks an AWESOME prospect and is almost twice the size of his brother, played a one-two with Garcia before mugging Ramos and presenting another gift for Rivaldo which this time he duly accepted.

Attendance : 28,000
Assists : Bravo (fk), n/a, Toure


LYON 2-1 ROSENBORG

Carew, whose been the player of the tournament so far (Ronaldinho's performances are no real surprise) received possession on the right wing 30 or so yards from goal. As he turned to face a defender he switched feet, played the ball inside and headed for the box, a drop of the shoulder took him past another defender and 18 year old Benzema blasted his centre into the net. Another 18 year old, Ben Arfa, who has been dubbed the new Zidane, almost, almost scored a fabulous goal. He played a one-two with Fred before running 50 yards and beating four players only to bottle it at the end. Against the run of play Rosenborg equalised, Braaten heading in Storflor's free kick. Ben Arfa made his mark with a wonderful run, he played a one-two and with a subtle feint brought himself an extra yard as a defender tried to close him down and from the by-line he pulled the ball back and Fred slammed into the roof of the net.

I've heard a lot about Ben Arfa and seen him on a number of occasions. Unless I'm confusing him with another French youngster he's notorious for being selfish but has outrageous dribbling skills.

Attendance : 32,000
Assists : Carew, Storflor (fk), Ben Arfa


23 November 2005
ROSENBORG 1-1 OLYMPIAKOS

Rivaldo gave the visitors the lead with a brilliant shot from distance. Two minutes after Nikopolidis saved a penalty he was beaten by Helstad's deft toe poke.

Attendance : 20,000
Red Card : Pantos 85 (Olympiakos)
Assists : ?, Dorsin


REAL MADRID 1-1 LYON

Beckham's free kick clipped off the heels of Ramos then Helguera before dropping at Guti's feet and, having been denied by Coupet earlier in the half, this time he found the back of the net. Carew scored a Ronaldinho/Zidane type equaliser. Wiltord ran down the right before pulling the ball back across goal to Carew, who had his back to play and Bobby Carlos, who was like Mini-Me in comparison, biting at his ankle so he back heeled through Bobby's legs (hey Bobby, what's the French for past it short-arse?) and it rolled slowly past Casillas.

Attendance : 73,000
Assists : Helguera, Wiltord


1 November 2005

OLYMPIAKOS 1-4 LYON

Cacapa? slipped when trying to cut out a through pass allowing Babangida to give the Greeks a shock lead. Juninho equalised with a free kick which sailed over the Olympiakos wall and into the bottom corner of the net. Coupet belted a goalkick upfield, the Olympiakos defence made the cardinal sin of letting the ball bounce and were then distracted by Malouda who fell after a tussle with Pantos, Carew latched onto the ball, pushed aside a defender and rolled into the corner. It was all over 10 minutes into the second half when Diarra tapped in a rebound. Carew headed Juninho's free kick against the back of Okkas to complete another emphatic victory.

As both Lyon and Real Madrid are through to the next round I don't expect Lyon to make much of an effort in their next match at the Bernabeu, unless Houllier wants first place. Speaking of Houllier Lyon are still scoring plenty of goals but in Europe they seem to play a lot of longball.

Attendance : 33,500
Assists : Kafes, Carew (won fk), n/a, n/a, n/a


ROSENBORG 0-2 REAL MADRID

Rosenborg's 'keeper punched out a Robinho cross, the ball struck Dorsin as he ran into to clear. Beckham split the Rosenborg defence with a superb through pass to Robinho, as he fell under Dorsin's challenge Guti drilled the ball into the net.

Attendance : 21,270
Assists : n/a, n/a


19 October 2005

LYON 2-1 OLYMPIAKOS

Another amazing free kick from Juninho gave Lyon a fourth minute lead. They should have buried the Greeks but kept wasting chances. Late in the second half the Lyon defence stopped play when Djordjevic took the ball out of play but the linesman waved play on. Djordjevic passed to Kafes and he looked up, saw Coupet off his line and sent a lob sailing over his head. Govou, helped considerably by Nikopolidis complete lack of bravery, volleyed in the winner from a Juninho cross.

Attendance :39,000
Assists : Tiago (won fk), Djordevic, Juninho


REAL MADRID 4-1 ROSENBORG

Rosenborg were extremely lucky not to be heading into half time four goals down. Instead they took the lead when Helguera's slip allowed Strand to despatch a hopeful centre past Casillas. The English patient headed in the equaliser from a precision Beckham cross. A series of step-overs took Robinho past two players, he tried to run onto his overhit pass but Raul beat him to it, dragged the ball away from Rosenborg's 'keeper Johnsen with his left then instantly hit a shot with his right which trickled into the net. Outstanding finish and shades of Puskas vs England. Helguera headed in a Beckham free kick and the England captain put the seal on a brilliant individual performance with one of his best ever free kicks.

At Real Madrid Beckham is a star among a galaxy of stars and knows exactly what is expected of him. For England he is the fulcrum to the detriment of the team, he places (or is allowed to place) too much of the onus on himself.

Attendance : 74,000
Assists : Storflor, Beckham, Robinho, Beckham (fk), Guti (won fk)


28 September 2005

ROSENBORG 0-1 LYON

Attendance : 25,100
Assist : Cacapa


REAL MADRID 2-1 OLYMPIAKOS

Raul headed Real into the lead from a Beckham cross, his 50th champions league goal. Both 'keepers made brilliant saves. Real missed three excellent chances late in the first half as Beckham was serving up gifts for Robinho and Baptista . Kafes equalised with a fantastic drive from distance which crashed in off a post. After Baptista wasted another precision Beckham cross Soldado headed in at the second attempt. Okkas fouled Ramos so Ramos got up and pushed him, for that he was shown a second yellow, Okkas didn't get booked.

Beckham rolled back the years with an outstanding performance. When he's retired and people look back at his career (before he left Man United) they'll realise just how good he really was.

Attendance : 73,000
Red Card : Ramos 90 (Real Madrid)
Assists : Beckham, Toure, n/a


13 September 2005

OLYMPIAKOS 1-3 ROSENBORG

Lago headed Drordjevic's free kick past his own 'keeper. Piss poor defending gifted Rosenborg a late first half equaliser. Mavrogenidis was credited with the second own goal though most of the blame has to lie firmly at the hands of George Clooney in the Olympiakos goal. Solli's cross deflected off a defender and in front of Anatolakis, who ducked leaving it for Clooney but the idiot had strayed miles out of his box, as he ran back he managed to claw the ball off the line only it hit Mavrogenidis and bounced into the net. Clooney capped off a marvellous night of comedy with a suicide charge 35 yards out of his area allowing Flora a free run on goal. Bread and margarine in the same team, what are the chances?

Attendance : 35,000
Assists : n/a, Storflor, Braaten


LYON 3-0 REAL MADRID

Carew gave Lyon the lead with a deft header from Juninho's free kick. Raul missed a great chance to score an immediate equaliser. Baptista re-directed Bobby Carlos' speculative shot against the post, Coupet fumbled and Raul headed it straight back. Real were made to pay dearly when minutes later Juninho's free kick deflected off Gravesen and possibly Helguera totally deceiving the ever unfortunate Casillas. Lyon's third goal was a work of art. Coupet passed the ball to Reveillere who continued his run forward after laying off to Wiltord. Wiltord passed to Diarra and he gave the ball to Tiago. Tiago played the ball inside a defender to Wiltord, he laid it off first time to Reveillere (who had ran 80 yards), Reveillere floated the ball into the box and Wiltord slammed home a first time volley. Casillas spared Real further humiliation with a penalty save from Juninho.

Attendance : 40,309
Assists : Juninho (fk), n/a, Reveillere