Monday, December 16, 2024

🔴 LIVE: Dortmund equalise; Juventus in command; Stuttgart cruising

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The Champions League action continues on Wednesday with nine games to enjoy.

Keep checking back for regular updates.


Juventus v Man City

Scorers: Vlahović 53′, McKennie 75′

Thiago Motta’s side produced an early moment of quality when Kenan Yıldız flashed a long-range attempt just past Ederson’s lefthand post.

City’s response saw Kevin de Bruyne thread Erling Haaland clear but he couldn’t find a way past Michele Di Gregorio, who palmed his effort away.

The Bianconeri finally took the lead shortly after the interval courtesy of Dušan Vlahović’s header from a Yıldız cross squirming its way past Ederson.

Substitute Weston McKennie compounded the misery for Pep Guardiola’s side as he volleyed home Timothy Weah’s cross to the far post unmarked.


Dortmund v Barcelona

Scorers: Guirassy (PEN) 60′; Raphinha 53′, Torres 75′

Raphinha fired a warning shot for Hansi Flick’s side when he pulled a shot wide after Lamine Yamal’s cross found him unmarked in the centre of the penalty area.

The Black and Yellow appeared to have taken the lead early in the second half through Serhou Guirassy’s slotted finish at the far post but was flagged offside.

Hansi Flick’s side finally took the lead through Raphinha racing onto Dani Olmo’s through pass and rolling a finish past Gregor Kobel for a 17th goal of the campaign.

Guirassy restored parity for the hosts from the penalty spot after a rare mistake from Pau Cubarsí offered the hosts a lifeline back into the encounter.

But the Blaugrana retook their lead in the final 15 minutes through Ferran Torres pouncing after Gregor Kobel parried Fermín López’s volley into his path.


Arsenal v Monaco

Scorers: Saka 34′, 78′

Gabriel Jesus wasted several golden opportunities to open the scoring for the hosts but was denied by Radosław Majecki twice in the space of several minutes.

But the Brazilian redeemed himself by teeing up Bukayo Saka when the Gunners finally took the lead after good work by Myles Lewis-Skelly in the build-up.

Saka doubled his tally for Mikel Arteta’s side in fortuitous circumstances when Kai Havertz intercepted a weak back pass, allowing his teammate to hook a finish.


Milan v Red Star Belgrade

Scorers: Leão 42′; Radonjić 67′

Rafael Leão enjoyed an early chance for Paulo Fonseca’s side from a driving run but spurned a one-on-one as Ivan Guteša was able to send his effort wide.

The Portugal international finally hit the target just three minutes from the interval with a sublime strike after controlling Youssouf Fofana’s ball over the top.

But Red Star capitalised on a defensive mistake midway through the second half as Nemanja Radonjić dispossessed Fofana before unleashing a powerful effort.


Benfica v Bologna

The hosts appeared to have taken the lead inside just two minutes following Vangelis Pavlidis’ tidy finish but his attempt was disallowed by VAR for offside.


Stuttgart v Young Boys

Scorers: Stiller 25, Millot 53′, Führich 61′ Vagnoman  66′, Keitel 75; Łakomy 6′

Łukasz Łakomy stunned the hosts inside just six minutes with a powerful strike from outside the box.

But Sebastian Hoeneß’s side responded midway through the first half with Angelo Stiller’s drilled finish after he played a clever one-two with Josha Vagnoman.

Enzo Millot put the Bundesliga side ahead early in the second half by wrongfooting David Von Ballmoos with a shot inside the box after being teed up by Fabian Rieder.

Die Roten continued to ramp up the pressure as Chris Führich drilled home a third after a well-worked free kick by Rieder to him on the edge of the area.

The goals kept on coming at the MHP Arena when Millot played a left-sided cross for Josha Vagnoman to meet with a first-time finish.

Yannik Keitel


Feyenoord v Sparta Prague

Scorers: Trauner 9′, Paixão 10′, Hadj-Moussa 30′, Giménez 63′; Rrahmani 42′

The Eredivisie giants raced into an early two-goal lead through Gernot Trauner’s header from a corner before Igor Paixão unleashed a lethal strike a minute later.

A third followed on the half-hour mark as Anis Hadj-Moussa produced an equally impressive effort from just inside the box for his third goal in as many UCL outings.

Albion Rrahmani attempted to stir the visitors’ fightback late in the first half by pouncing to volley home after the ball was headed to the far post.

But Santiago Giménez restored a three-goal cushion for Brian Priske’s side by pouncing on a botched clearance to prod home from close range.


Atlético close in on top eight

Scorers: Alvarez 16′, Griezmann 42′, 56′; Strelec (PEN) 51′

Atlético de Madrid are closing in on qualification after a 3-1 win over Slovan Bratislava.

Julián Alvarez put the hosts ahead with a stunning curled strike in the 16th minute to extend a streak of 16 goal involvements from 23 appearances in the competition.

Slovan produced a near-emphatic response to their early setback when Tigran Barseghyan clipped Jan Oblak’s crossbar with a tight-angled shot.

The Colchoneros asserted their dominance just before half-time through Antoine Griezmann’s close-range header from a looping Marcos Llorente delivery.

A potential sliding-doors moment arrived for the visitors early in the second half as Clément Lenglet conceded a penalty, allowing David Strelec to halve the deficit.

But Griezmann restored the advantage for Diego Simeone’s side with a clever finish to wrongfoot Dominik Takáč at his near post after evading the offside trap.

Atleti sit just outside the automatic top eight spots after 12 points from six games.


Lille v Sturm Graz

Scorers: Sahraoui 38′, Bakker 45+2′, Haraldsson 81′ Kiteishvili 45+5′, Biereth 47′

Lille overcame a spirited Sturm Graz fightback to seal a late 3-2 win.

The hosts were denied an early penalty after Osame Sahraoui’s goal-bound attempt was blocked before a VAR review overturned the original decision.

Sahraoui opened the scoring shortly before the interval courtesy of a rolled finish after a driving run which had started from just over the halfway line.

Deep into added time, Mitchell Bakker doubled Les Dogues’ lead by pouncing on a loose ball on the edge of the penalty area before slotting home comfortably.

There was still a fresh twist ahead of the interval as Otar Kiteishvili rifled the ball into the top lefthand corner of Lucas Chevalier’s net to halve the visitors’ deficit.

Within two minutes of the restart, Die Schwoazn had levelled through Mika Bereth tapping in after a speedy counterattack.

But Hákon Arnar Haraldsson spared the hosts’ blushes in the final 10 minutes with a flying effort after Jonathan David picked him on the edge of the penalty area.

Bruno Génésio’s side sit sixth with 13 points while Sturm Graz are mired in 29th.


📸 Valerio Pennicino – 2024 Getty Images

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