Day: November 9, 2023

FC Copenhagen twice came from behind to snatch a historic 4-3 win over Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League (UCL). Victory for Jacob Neestrup’s men marks just the second time that a Danish side has beaten English opposition and the first time since 2006.

Manchester United were welcomed by a stunning tifo choreographed by the Copenhagen fans that read ‘Your theatre of nightmares’, and yet, the visitors to the Danish capital had the start of their dreams, taking the lead within three minutes. Aaron Wan-Bissaka did well down the right flank before picking out Scott McTominay, who flashed the ball across the face of goal for Rasmus Højlund to tap in against his former club. Things went from bad to worse for the home side as United broke on a counterattack led by Alejandro Garnacho, whose shot was parried into the path of Højlund to fire into the empty net and give United a 2-0 lead.

Cruising and looking completely comfortable, everything was going well for United until the 42nd minute when Marcus Rashford was sent off for an apparent stamp on Elias Jelert. Copenhagen immediately made their man advantage count as Mohamed Elyounoussi fired in a tidy volley from inside the box in the 45th minute. For a variety of delays, there was 13 minutes of stoppage time, and the hosts made use of that by restoring parity in the ninth additional minute. Harry Maguire handled the ball in the box, allowing Diogo Gonçalves to step up and roll the ball into the bottom left corner from the spot, capping off a wild end to the first half.

The second half began with the same kind of chaotic end-to-end feel to it, as United seemed to be on top despite playing with 10 men, and Diogo Dalot saw a shot saved at the near post. After managing the game reasonably well, the United players were appealing for a penalty just past the hour mark when Maguire’s header struck the arm of Denix Vavro. After a lengthy VAR review, Bruno Fernandes stepped up and smashed the spot-kick into the roof of the net. With a precious lead restored and with a man down, United went into game management mode for the remaining 20 minutes plus stoppage time as Copenhagen produced waves of attacks on the Red Devils’ goal.

It looked like Erik ten Hag’s side were going to hold on for a vital victory but they were pegged back once again late on as Lukas Lerager popped up at the back post to notch in an equaliser, setting up a grandstand finish. The action wasn’t finished there as the Parken erupted in the 87th minute after 17-year-old Roony Bardghji pounced on a loose ball in the box to lash past André Onana and give Copenhagen their first win in the UCL group stage this season. The result leaves the Red Devils bottom of the group, while Copenhagen move into second ahead of Galatasaray.

Inter Milan, last season’s UEFA Champions League finalists, secured their spot in the knockout phase with two games to spare after a hard-fought 1-0 victory against FC Salzburg. The winning goal came late in the match from the penalty spot, courtesy of Lautaro Martínez, who has demonstrated his prowess by scoring nine of his last 12 goals in this competition away from home.

Inzaghi, Inter Milan’s head coach, initially decided to keep Martínez on the bench. The hosts, Salzburg, made an energetic start, with Yann Sommer making a crucial save to deny Roko Šimić, the son of former Inter defender Dario. Salzburg felt aggrieved when Šimić appeared to be fouled in the box, but the appeals for a penalty were dismissed. Inter had their chances too, notably when Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s precise free-kick found Alessandro Bastoni, who unfortunately headed wide. Another missed opportunity came from Davide Frattesi, who skied his shot after a well-placed pass from Alexis Sánchez.

Despite enjoying the majority of possession, Salzburg struggled to create clear-cut opportunities in the final third. Their attempts to force a breakthrough continued in the second half, but Inter’s defense held firm. Oscar Gloukh had a golden opportunity for Salzburg, but he blasted his shot over the bar when he should have tested Sommer. Inter’s goalkeeper was called into action again to deny Karim Konaté’s shot.

Inter Milan’s coach introduced Martínez and Nicolò Barella in the 68th minute, injecting fresh energy into the team. Martínez made an immediate impact, hitting the crossbar with a powerful header from Bastoni’s cross. The breakthrough finally came when Barella’s shot was blocked by Mads Bidstrup’s outstretched arm, resulting in a penalty. Martínez stepped up and confidently converted the spot-kick, securing the crucial win for Inter.

In their next Champions League fixture, Inter Milan will face bottom-placed Benfica, while Salzburg will travel to San Sebastián to take on group leaders Real Sociedad, needing a victory to keep their hopes of progression alive.

In a thrilling encounter, PSV Eindhoven made a triumphant return to the race for a UEFA Champions League (UCL) knockout berth with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Lens, marking their inaugural win in Group B.

PSV found themselves under early pressure from Lens, with Przemysław Frankowski and Elye Wahi posing a constant threat. However, in the 12th minute, when PSV managed to break free, they capitalized on the opportunity. Johan Bakayoko delivered a precise cross into the box, finding the head of Luuk de Jong, who exploited lax defending to power his header off the underside of the bar, beating goalkeeper Brice Samba.

The inclement weather, marked by heavy rain in the Netherlands, made the conditions challenging for both teams throughout the first half. Despite the treacherous weather, Samba made crucial saves from Joey Veerman, Sergiño Dest, and Hirving Lozano. Just before halftime, Lens had a chance to level the score when Deiver Machado sent a low cross over the bar, their best opportunity in the first half.

PSV, who had triumphed in all 11 of their Eredivisie matches this season, dominated the opening quarter-hour of the second half, with Lozano coming close on multiple occasions. However, Lens responded with a threatening long-range free-kick from Angelo Fulgini, forcing Walter Benítez to tip the ball over the bar. Bakayoko’s skillful dribbling further troubled the weary Lens defenders.

Despite PSV’s persistent attempts to secure a second goal, they nearly surrendered their lead in the dying minutes. Morgan Guilavogui burst into the box and struck the post, coming agonizingly close to an equalizer. Guilavogui’s fortunes took a downturn when he received a second yellow card for a foul on Olivier Boscagli, reducing Lens to ten men. Ultimately, PSV held on to their one-goal advantage, securing their first win in the group and climbing to second place. Meanwhile, Lens dropped to third in the group, extending their drought without a first away UCL group stage win to 25 years.

Arsenal’s path to the UEFA Champions League knockout stages seems assured as they delivered a commanding performance against Sevilla at the Emirates Stadium, maintaining their impeccable record of unbeaten form in all eight competitive home games this season.

Eager to bounce back from their recent setbacks, including a controversial 1-0 loss to Newcastle, Arsenal sought an early response. Within the first two minutes, an unmarked Kai Havertz failed to capitalize on a deep corner, missing a golden opportunity. However, this setback didn’t hinder the hosts’ momentum. They continued to move the ball with confidence and precision, forcing Sevilla to retreat deep into their defensive half.

Despite Sevilla’s valiant efforts, their defense was breached just before the half-hour mark. Jorginho’s precise pass between the left-back and centre-half found Bukayo Saka, whose delivery across the box allowed Leandro Trossard to score his second goal of the UEFA Champions League campaign.

Entering the second half with a narrow lead, Arsenal wasted no time in their pursuit to secure the victory. Havertz came close to doubling the advantage with a curling effort that narrowly missed the target. However, Arsenal’s second goal came soon after, courtesy of Saka. Sent into the box by Gabriel Martinelli, Saka skillfully maneuvered the ball onto his favored left foot before slotting it into the bottom corner of the net.

Despite their dominant performance, Arsenal settled for a 2-0 victory, claiming their third win of the UEFA Champions League campaign. With this triumph, they now lead the group, establishing a four-point gap over Lens and PSV after four rounds. On the other hand, Sevilla finds themselves in a challenging position, remaining winless in 15 European away games and languishing at the bottom of the group with a mere two points. Their hopes for a spot in the Europa League seem increasingly precarious.