Manchester United 2-0 Benfica
Basel 1-2 CSKA Moscow
Manchester United are all but through to the knockout stages after a home victory over Benfica. The scoreline flattered the English side a little, with Benfica forcing United keeper David De Gea into a number of fine saves. United should have taken the lead in the 14th minute. Anthony Martial won a penalty, but saw his effort saved by 18-year-old keeper Mile Svilar. The young stopper was hoping to make amends for his mistake in the previous game, when he carried Marcus Rashford’s free kick into his own net, gifting all three points to United. Unfortunately for him, his poor luck continued at Old Trafford. Nemanja Matic’s long range effort struck the post, but ricocheted of the diving Svilar and into the back off the net. United laboured for long periods without putting the visitors under any real pressure, but were gifted another opportunity from the penalty spot in the 78th minute. This time the penalty was taken by Daley Blind, who fired his spot kick into the centre of the goal.
In the other game in the group, Basel looked to have secured a place in the second round after taking the lead at home to CSKA through Luca Ziffi. However, the Russians mounted a spirited comeback in the second half to leave the race for the runner-up spot in the group wide open. Substitute Alan Dzagoev equalised after 65 minutes, before Pontus Wernbloom scored the winner for CSKA with just ten minutes left on the clock. Both teams are now level on six points with two games remaining.
Daley Blind wrapped up the points from the penalty spot
Celtic 1-2 Bayern Munich
PSG 5-0 Anderlecht
Celtic produced a spirited performance against German giants Bayern in a result which sees them eliminated from the Champions League. Bayern were missing some players through injury, and manager Jupp Heynckes rested others with a view to a weekend game against Borussia Dortmund. Celtic saw their opportunity, and played with great intensity in the opening period. However, they were unable to make a breakthrough, and were punished after a mistake by defender Dedryck Boyata. The defender allowed a long clearance to bounce, and the ball was seized by Kinsley Coman, who went around the Celtic keeper to slide the ball into the net. Celtic responded well, putting Bayern under sustained pressure, and were eventually rewarded when Callum McGregor slotted between the keeper’s legs to equalize. Celtic Park erupted, but they were silenced just four minutes later as Spanish midfielder Javi Martinez out-jumped the Celtic defence to steer a header past keeper Craig Gordon. This time Celtic were not able to muster a response, and they now face the prospect of ensuring they finish in third place.
PSG continued their perfect start in Europe with a 5-0 hammering of Anderlecht. Neymar and Marco Verratti both scored in the first half, with full-back Layvin Kurzawa netting a second half hat-trick. The result means that they join Bayern in the next round.
Roma 3-0 Chelsea
Atletico Madrid 1-1 Qarabag
Roma turned on the style to beat an out-of-sorts Chelsea side in a match riddled with errors by the Londoner’s back line. They took the lead after less than 40 seconds; Dzeko knocked the ball down to Stephen El Shaarawy, who rifled the ball into the back the net from 25 yards. While the first goal was excellent, Roma’s second was down to shambolic defending from the English side. Defender Antonio Rudiger misjudged a long ball forward, with that man El Shaarawy capitalising to fire past a helpless Courtois in the Chelsea goal. Roma had a series of chances to further extend their lead, but failed to do so until the 63rd minute, when Diego Perrotti finished well from 20 yards after being afforded too much space by the Chelsea defence.
Atletico Madrid continued their woeful form with another draw against Azerbaijani minnows Qarabag. After spurning a host of first half chances, Atletico went behind in the 40th minute when Spanish defender Michel rose to power a header past goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Atletico were given hope when midfielder Thomas Patey equalised in the 56th minute with a long range effort, but failed to find a winner, even after the visitors had been reduced to ten men following a wild tackle by Pedro Henrique. The result leaves Atletico’s hopes of progress in the balance – they need to win in their next game against Roma, and hope that Chelsea fail to win in Azerbaijan.
El Shaarawy scored a cracker in the first minute
Olympiacos 0-0 Barcelona
Sporting 1-1 Juventus
Olympiacos earned their first point of the campaign with a resilient performance against Barcelona, preventing the Spanish side from scoring in a group game for the first time in five years. In a game of few chances, a Luis Suarez strike which clipped the top of the crossbar the closest either side came to a goal.
In Portugal, an improved second half performance saw Italian giants Juventus come back to secure a point. Sporting had looked the better team in the first half, and deservedly took the lead after 20 minutes. Juventus worked their way back into the game, and almost grabbed an equalizer in the 69th minute, only for keeper Rui Patricio to make a brilliant save to keep out a Gonzalo Higuain effort. The Argentine was not to be denied for long, however. He provided a clinical finish 10 minutes later to ensure the Italians went home with a point. The result leaves them three points behind group leaders Barcelona, with a good chance of making it into the knock-out stages.
Suarez was unable to break the deadlock in Greece
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