OneFootball
Dan Burke·10 December 2019
OneFootball
Dan Burke·10 December 2019
Groups E, F, G and H are now signed and sealed in the 2019/20 Champions League.
Here’s what happened on Tuesday night …
Jadon Sancho gave Dortmund the lead after 10 minutes in this one but just as news filtered through of Inter’s equaliser at San Siro, Tomáš Souček also made it 1-1 at the Westfalenstadion.
But BVB kept going and they went back in front just after the hour mark, when Julian Brandt lashed home a super finish at the near post.
His namesake Julian Weigl ensured it would be nervy finish, however, when he was sent off for a second bookable offence with 10 minutes remaining.
But Lucien Favre’s men held firm and will progress to the last 16 as runners-up.
Barça’s youthful XI were perhaps expected to roll over and have their bellies tickled in this one but they did anything but, with Carles Pérez giving them the lead after 23 minutes.
However, Inter were able to breath a brief sigh of relief when Romelu Lukaku bagged a deserved equaliser for his side on the stroke of half-time.
The news of Dortmund’s second goal meant it was panic stations again though, and Lautaro Martínez was correctly denied a goal to make it 2-1 by the offside flag.
And as the Nerazzurri pressed for a winner, their hearts were broken when Ansu Fati fired home a superb effort to make it 2-1 to the away side four minutes from time.
The goal means the 17-year-old is the youngest scorer in Champions League history and the result means Antonio Conte’s side will be playing Europa League football in the New Year.
Lyon had a first half to forget and found themselves 2-0 down at the interval courtesy of two penalties, which were duly dispatched by Emil Forsberg and Timo Werner respectively.
But the Ligue 1 outfit gave themselves a lifeline when Houssem Aouar curled an unstoppable effort past goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi five minutes into the second half.
The hosts pressed and pressed for a precious equaliser and it finally came eight minutes from time thanks to Memphis Depay.
And 2-2 was how it finished – a result which means Leipzig win the group and Lyon progress as runners-up.
The hosts were unable to find a way through Zenit’s stubborn rearguard in the first half of this one but less than two minutes into the second half, the deadlock was finally broken by Franco Cervi.
And before long it was 2-0. Zenit’s Douglas Santos was shown a second yellow card for a deliberate handball in the box, and Pizzi made no mistake with the resulting penalty.
Benfica then went 3-0 up thanks to an own goal from Zenit’s Sardar Azmoun.
But it ultimately wasn’t enough and the Portuguese side have finished third in Group G.
A thoroughly dominant first half at Stamford Bridge saw Chelsea go in at half-time 2-0 up thanks to goals from Tammy Abraham and César Azpilicueta.
And the hosts continued to control matters in the second period until former Blues striker Loïc Rémy put their nerves on edge by pulling a goal back in the 78th minute.
But 2-1 was how it finished, meaning Frank Lampard’s side finished second and are into the next round.
Ajax appeared to have everything under control in Amsterdam until a Rodrigo goal against the run of play after 24 minutes took the wind out of the hosts’ sails.
And the Dutch side were unable to find an answer in the second half, meaning their Champions League adventure is over and they will be playing Europa League football in the first half of 2020.
Whereas Valencia advance as group winners.