6 December 2006
MANCHESTER UNITED 3-1 BENFICA
Long term Premiership target Simao took three players with him as he ran into the box from the left flank, he rolled the ball back to Nelson and from the edge of the box he blasted a stunning first time shot into the top left corner. Under the weight of incessant pressure Benfica finally caved when in first half injury time the impressive Vidic met Giggs's free kick with a bullet header. On the hour mark United fans were treating to an absolute rarity, a great Ronaldo cross which Giggs met with a perfectly placed header beyond Quim. Saha completed a hat-trick of headed goals from a Fletcher corner.
Man United's potential last 16 opponents : Barcelona, Inter, PSV, Roma, Real Madrid
United better hope for PSV or Roma.
Attendance : 74,955
Assists : Simao, Giggs (fk), Ronaldo, Fletcher (ck)
COPENHAGEN 3-1 CELTIC
It's a good job Celtic didn't need the points given their abysmal away record inthe competition. Canuck Hutchinson headed on a throw-in to Allback, he played the ball back and Hutchinson ran through half arsed tackles from Gravesen and Balde before shooting wide of Boruc. Miller blew a one on one against the 'keeper before Gronkjaer volleyed the Danes further in front after Hangel and headed on a corner. Allback punished more bad defending from a set piece to makeit 3-0. Jarosik, who was at fault for the third goal, scored Celtic's consolation from a Nakamura free kick.
Celtic's potential last 16 opponents : Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Liverpool,
Valencia, Porto, Milan
Porto and Milan are Celtic's best chance of progressing.
Attendance : 41,500
Assists : Allback, Hangeland, n/a, Nakamura (fk)
21 November 2006
CELTIC 1-0 MAN UNITED
Nakamura broke the deadlock with a magnificent free kick which was simply un-saveable. Rooney dropped a chipped pass at Saha's feet and as the Celtic defence stood still waiting for an offside flag that never came he wastefully tried to lob Boruc but his lame effort was easily saved. A minute from time Maloney charged out of a Celtic wall in the box and blocked a Ronaldo free kick with his elbow, penalty. Saha took the spot kick and Boruc made a brilliant save low to his right earning Celtic a place in the last 16.
United need a point at home to Benfica.
Attendance : 60,632
Assist : Jarosik (won fk)
BENFICA 3-1 COPENHAGEN
Benfica were rewarded for their early attacks down Copenhagen's right when Leo exchanged passed with both Miccoli and Simao before Simao ran into the box and centred for Lucho who immediately pushed the ball back to Leo and his shot tooka double deflection of Gravgaard and Katsouranis. Two minutes later Simao and Nelson stole the ball from Linderoth on Copenhagen's opposite flank, Nelson fired the ball into the box, Nuno Gomes immediately passed to Miccoli and he took one touch before drilling a low shot which caught the inside of a post. Benfica were tearing the Danes apart with frenzied one and two touch attacks and could have score a further two goals before Miccoli tapped in a rebound after Nuno Gomes forced Christiansen into a save. Allback scored a late consolationgoal, a peach of a header.
Benfica need to beat United at Old Trafford in order to qualify for the next
stage. Stranger things have happened.
Attendance : 47,500
Assists : Leo, Nuno Gomes, n/a, Bervgold
1 November 2006
BENFICA 3-0 CELTIC
Caldwell gave Benfica the lead when he beat both Nuno Gomes and his own goalkeeper to Nelson's deep cross. The defender was equally at fault for Benfica's second. Quim hit a monstrous goalkick upfield and as Caldwell was watching the ball drop from the skies it smacked him in the face and bounced to Gomes who controlled on his chest before side footing past Boruc. Nelson exchanged pass with two players before centring for Karyaka to tap-in a third.
Attendance : 49,000
Assists : n/a, n/a, Nelson
COPENHAGEN 1-0 MAN UNITED
Attendance : 40,000
Assist : Hutchinson
17 October 2006
CELTIC 3-0 BENFICA
Miller re-directed Nakamura's wayward shot past the unfortunately named QUIM then scored a second on a lightening counter attack from a corner. Nakamura helped a clearance forward to Miller and he his a first time pass out wide to Maloney, Maloney sidestepped a desperate sliding tackle as he cut infield then threaded an inch perfect pass through to Miller and he blasted hard and low into the net. Pearson tapped in the third after Nakamura forced Quim into a save.
Attendance : 58,313
Assists : Nakamura, Maloney, n/a
MANCHESTER UNITED 3-0 COPENHAGEN
The ginger Paul Scholes blasted Saha's lay-off past Christiansen from 20 yards. O'Shea volleyed in the second from Ronaldo's corner and Christiansen sliced a speculative, if well struck, shot from Richardson into his own net.
Attendance : 72,020
Assists : Saha, Ronaldo (ck), Scholes
26 September 2006
BENFICA 0-1 MAN UNITED
Attendance : 61,000
Assist : n/a
CELTIC 1-0 COPENHAGEN
Attendance : 57,598
Assist : Nakamura (won pen)
13 September 2006
MANCHESTER UNITED 3-2 CELTIC
A mistake by Ferdinand let in Vennegoor to give Celtic a shock lead. Boruc launched a goalkick downfield Vennegoor backed into Ferdinand, pulled down the ball, turned and hit a low shot across goal which Van der Sar probably should have saved. Saha got United back on level terms with an absolute gift of a penalty. Speaking of gifts when trying to play the ball out of defence Gravesen gave it to Carrick, he passed to Scholes and Saha's shot squirmed under the 'keeper. Nakamura equalised with a brilliant free kick but Gravesen's treachery continued as once again he gave the ball away in his own half this time to Scholes, he played in Saha whose initial effort was saved but he knocked the rebound out wide for Solskjaer to tap-in his first Champions League goal in like forever.
Attendance : 74,031
Assists : Boruc (gk), Giggs (won pen), Scholes, Jarosik (won fk), Saha
COPENHAGEN 0-0 BENFICA
Attendance : 40,000
Assist : n/a