Porto 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain: James Rodriguez breaks through to earn deserved triumph
An entertaining match was only settled towards its climax, with the Portuguese outfit successfully recording three points against the flat Frenc
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Porto has taken control of Champions League Group A, recording a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain at the Estadio do Dragao on Wednesday evening.
Vitor Pereira’s side dominated matters throughout, yet they had to wait until seven minutes from time to secure three points thanks to a magnificent finish from James Rodriguez, with the hosts having passed up a catalog of chances previously.
This was an open game from the outset, though it would be the home side which dictated the tempo of the game and fashioned the vast majority of the chances. As early as the fourth minute Porto had a glaring chance to move ahead, though after Marco Verratti had uncharacteristically given away possession on the edge of his box he was given a reprieve as Joao Moutinho slashed horribly wide.
The tone of the evening was set for the hosts, who too often failed to test Salvatore Sirigu in the PSG net despite getting into some excellent positions. It took nearly half an hour for the Italian goalkeeper to be seriously worked, with James Rodriguez’s low drive pushed away from the corner of the net.
Immediately prior to that moment, PSG had enjoyed its best two opportunities of the evening. Both fell to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but the giant Swede headed wide from six yards and then flicked over when played through on goal when he had time for at least one extra touch.
Before the break there was still time for the home team to waste perhaps its best opening of the evening as Jackson Martinez hammered a header over the top from close range when he really should have scored.
The break of play did not offer a change in the momentum of the game and three times in the opening five minutes of the second period the visitors were reliant on last-ditch blocks to thwart the hungry hosts. Soon afterwards, Rodriguez had a terrific hooked volley pass just wide of target.
On the hour mark Sirigu was required to block Porto’s best opening of the second half. Silvestre Varela was released through the center, but the Italian was out quickly to deny the attacker.
Vitor Pereira’s side dominated matters throughout, yet they had to wait until seven minutes from time to secure three points thanks to a magnificent finish from James Rodriguez, with the hosts having passed up a catalog of chances previously.
This was an open game from the outset, though it would be the home side which dictated the tempo of the game and fashioned the vast majority of the chances. As early as the fourth minute Porto had a glaring chance to move ahead, though after Marco Verratti had uncharacteristically given away possession on the edge of his box he was given a reprieve as Joao Moutinho slashed horribly wide.
The tone of the evening was set for the hosts, who too often failed to test Salvatore Sirigu in the PSG net despite getting into some excellent positions. It took nearly half an hour for the Italian goalkeeper to be seriously worked, with James Rodriguez’s low drive pushed away from the corner of the net.
Immediately prior to that moment, PSG had enjoyed its best two opportunities of the evening. Both fell to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but the giant Swede headed wide from six yards and then flicked over when played through on goal when he had time for at least one extra touch.
Before the break there was still time for the home team to waste perhaps its best opening of the evening as Jackson Martinez hammered a header over the top from close range when he really should have scored.
The break of play did not offer a change in the momentum of the game and three times in the opening five minutes of the second period the visitors were reliant on last-ditch blocks to thwart the hungry hosts. Soon afterwards, Rodriguez had a terrific hooked volley pass just wide of target.
On the hour mark Sirigu was required to block Porto’s best opening of the second half. Silvestre Varela was released through the center, but the Italian was out quickly to deny the attacker.
Manchester City 1-1 Borussia Dortmund: Cool Balotelli rescues precious 
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MANCHESTER, England -- For Roberto Mancini, there continues to be no sign of improvement to an increasingly desperate Champions League record.
The Italian cut a frustrated figure at Etihad Stadium as Manchester City needed an 89th-minute Mario Balotelli penalty to draw 1-1 against an excellent Borussia Dortmund.
Substitute Balotelli, who had only been on the pitch for eight minutes, stroked home the spot kick with ice-cool precision after Neven Subotic had been harshly penalized for hand-balling a David Silva volley.
It came after Dortmund had created a glut of excellent opportunities only to be denied by a Joe Hart masterclass in goal.
The England No. 1 could not prevent Marco Reus from giving the visitors the lead after 60 minutes but he was equal to everything else the Bundesliga champions threw at him, with half a dozen outstanding saves.
It kept City in the match and the English club was able to create enough late pressure to get its second Champions League campaign up and running and bring relief to the home supporters.
Mancini knew City could ill afford another slip-up in a daunting group which pits the champions of Spain, England, Germany and Holland against one another.
But following the opening 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid while Dortmund was beating Ajax 1-0, City has just one point from its opening two Group D fixtures.
City's supporters will need no reminding of the echoes of their debut Champions League campaign last year, when failure to win the team's first home game against Napoli left it with too small a margin of error thereafter.
The Italian cut a frustrated figure at Etihad Stadium as Manchester City needed an 89th-minute Mario Balotelli penalty to draw 1-1 against an excellent Borussia Dortmund.
Substitute Balotelli, who had only been on the pitch for eight minutes, stroked home the spot kick with ice-cool precision after Neven Subotic had been harshly penalized for hand-balling a David Silva volley.
It came after Dortmund had created a glut of excellent opportunities only to be denied by a Joe Hart masterclass in goal.
The England No. 1 could not prevent Marco Reus from giving the visitors the lead after 60 minutes but he was equal to everything else the Bundesliga champions threw at him, with half a dozen outstanding saves.
It kept City in the match and the English club was able to create enough late pressure to get its second Champions League campaign up and running and bring relief to the home supporters.
Mancini knew City could ill afford another slip-up in a daunting group which pits the champions of Spain, England, Germany and Holland against one another.
But following the opening 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid while Dortmund was beating Ajax 1-0, City has just one point from its opening two Group D fixtures.
City's supporters will need no reminding of the echoes of their debut Champions League campaign last year, when failure to win the team's first home game against Napoli left it with too small a margin of error thereafter.
Ajax 1-4 Real Madrid: Ronaldo treble ......
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Real Madrid recorded a 4-1 victory over Ajax in Wednesday's Champions League Group D encounter at the Amsterdam ArenA.
The guests deservedly went 1-0 up in the 42nd minute when Cristiano Ronaldo found the net from close range, before Karim Benzema made it two shortly after the break with a fantastic finish. Niklas Moisander pegged one back after a corner kick only minutes later, only to see Ronaldo restore Madrid's two-goal lead with a well-placed shot. Shortly after, the Portugal star got his hat trick with yet another fine finish.
Madrid started the match the better side of the two and got a number of chances to open the scoring early on. Ronaldo should have gifted the Liga champions the lead in the 14th minute, but he failed to beat Kenneth Vermeer from inside the area. Kaka then came close only minutes later, but he too was denied by Vermeer as the glovesman made yet another excellent save, while the Ajax shot stopper also kept out Benzema's shot from the rebound.
Ronaldo once more threatened after 35 minutes of play, but his header after Kaka's pinpoint cross was too weak to trouble Vermeer. Nevertheless, the Portugal international did find the net shortly after. Benzema danced past Toby Alderweireld down the left, before sending in a low cross that deflected into Ronaldo's path, who tapped home from close range.
Ajax started the second half with attacking intentions, but its changed attitude immediately was costly. A poor free-kick from Christian Eriksen was the start of a Madrid counterattack, which eventually ended up at Kaka on the right wing. The Brazilian curled in a perfect cross for Benzema, and the striker found the net with a fantastic bicycle kick.
The Eredivisie champions pegged one back from out of nowhere in the 56th minute, though. Eriksen found the unmarked Moisander with a corner toward the far post, and the defender headed home as Iker Casillas arrived at the scene too late.
Madrid continued to threaten on the counterattack and both Benzema and Angel Di Maria could have restored its two-goal lead. The former's header went over the bar, though, while the latter's shot was stopped by Vermeer.
Ajax, meanwhile, got a huge chance to level the scoring after some good work from Ryan Babel. The attacker sent in an excellent low cross from the right for substitute Danny Hoesen, who really should have found the net from five yards out. Nevertheless, the former Fulham youngster rushed his shot and squandered the chance.
Ronaldo then put the match to bed in the 79th minute after a quick combination with Benzema. The Frenchman set up the prolific attacker on the edge of the box, and the former Manchester United star beat Vermeer with a well-placed shot in the far corner.
There was more to come from Ronaldo, though, as he got his hat trick only one minute later with a delicate chip over the Ajax goalkeeper after being played in by a neat pass from Sami Khedira.
The guests deservedly went 1-0 up in the 42nd minute when Cristiano Ronaldo found the net from close range, before Karim Benzema made it two shortly after the break with a fantastic finish. Niklas Moisander pegged one back after a corner kick only minutes later, only to see Ronaldo restore Madrid's two-goal lead with a well-placed shot. Shortly after, the Portugal star got his hat trick with yet another fine finish.
Madrid started the match the better side of the two and got a number of chances to open the scoring early on. Ronaldo should have gifted the Liga champions the lead in the 14th minute, but he failed to beat Kenneth Vermeer from inside the area. Kaka then came close only minutes later, but he too was denied by Vermeer as the glovesman made yet another excellent save, while the Ajax shot stopper also kept out Benzema's shot from the rebound.
Ronaldo once more threatened after 35 minutes of play, but his header after Kaka's pinpoint cross was too weak to trouble Vermeer. Nevertheless, the Portugal international did find the net shortly after. Benzema danced past Toby Alderweireld down the left, before sending in a low cross that deflected into Ronaldo's path, who tapped home from close range.
Ajax started the second half with attacking intentions, but its changed attitude immediately was costly. A poor free-kick from Christian Eriksen was the start of a Madrid counterattack, which eventually ended up at Kaka on the right wing. The Brazilian curled in a perfect cross for Benzema, and the striker found the net with a fantastic bicycle kick.
The Eredivisie champions pegged one back from out of nowhere in the 56th minute, though. Eriksen found the unmarked Moisander with a corner toward the far post, and the defender headed home as Iker Casillas arrived at the scene too late.
Madrid continued to threaten on the counterattack and both Benzema and Angel Di Maria could have restored its two-goal lead. The former's header went over the bar, though, while the latter's shot was stopped by Vermeer.
Ajax, meanwhile, got a huge chance to level the scoring after some good work from Ryan Babel. The attacker sent in an excellent low cross from the right for substitute Danny Hoesen, who really should have found the net from five yards out. Nevertheless, the former Fulham youngster rushed his shot and squandered the chance.
Ronaldo then put the match to bed in the 79th minute after a quick combination with Benzema. The Frenchman set up the prolific attacker on the edge of the box, and the former Manchester United star beat Vermeer with a well-placed shot in the far corner.
There was more to come from Ronaldo, though, as he got his hat trick only one minute later with a delicate chip over the Ajax goalkeeper after being played in by a neat pass from Sami Khedira.
Zenit St Petersburg 2-3 AC Milan
The Rossoneri began brilliantly, scoring twice inside the opening 16 minutes, but they were ultimately indebted to their goalkeeper and good luck for a much-needed win
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Fortune smiled on AC Milan as the struggling Italian outfit claimed its first win in Champions League Group C by edging out Zenit 3-2 in an enthralling encounter at the Petrovsky Stadium on Wednesday night.
The Rossoneri made a rip-roaring start to the game, racking up two goals in the space of three first-half minutes through Urby Emanuelson and Stephan El Shaarawy. However, Hulk dragged Zenit back into the game with a fine strike just before the break before setting up Roman Shirokov for the equalizer early in the second period.
Milan wasn't done, though, and it snatched a precious win courtesy of an unfortunate own goal by Tomas Hubocan that consigned Zenit to a first home defeat in UEFA competition since September 2008.
As it was, it took an element of fortune for Milan to break the deadlock 13 minutes in, with Vyacheslav Malafeev unable to change direction quick enough to keep out an Emanuelson free kick that had taken a wicked deflection off Shirokov.
What followed just moments later, though, bore the hallmarks of greatness, El Shaarawy picking the ball up some 35 meters from goal before gliding past Viktor Fayzulin, then flicked the ball around the outside of Nicolas Lombaerts before finishing with the confidence of a player who is in the form of his young life.
Zenit’s players were visibly stunned by the concession of two goals in quick succession and it took them some time to regain their composure. However, after spending the first half hour on his backside, appealing for nonexistent free kicks, Hulk gradually began to prove his significant worth to the home side’s cause.
The Brazil international produced two wonderful deliveries towards the tail end of the half, both of which resulted in Abbiati being called into action, with the first cross taking a nick off Riccardo Montolivo and the second very nearly redirected into the bottom corner by Roman Shirokov.
Hulk also twice stung the hands of the Rossoneri keeper with well-struck drives - the second of which was a free kick - before he deservedly halved the hosts’ deficit right on the stroke of halftime, driving the ball home left-footed after being slipped in on goal by Shirokov.
That goal came in injury time at the end of an absorbing opening period, and Zenit was level within four minutes of the restart. Shirokov made amends for his part in Emanuelson’s goal by popping up unmarked at the far post to head home Hulk’s corner from the right-hand side.
The Rossoneri made a rip-roaring start to the game, racking up two goals in the space of three first-half minutes through Urby Emanuelson and Stephan El Shaarawy. However, Hulk dragged Zenit back into the game with a fine strike just before the break before setting up Roman Shirokov for the equalizer early in the second period.
Milan wasn't done, though, and it snatched a precious win courtesy of an unfortunate own goal by Tomas Hubocan that consigned Zenit to a first home defeat in UEFA competition since September 2008.
As it was, it took an element of fortune for Milan to break the deadlock 13 minutes in, with Vyacheslav Malafeev unable to change direction quick enough to keep out an Emanuelson free kick that had taken a wicked deflection off Shirokov.
What followed just moments later, though, bore the hallmarks of greatness, El Shaarawy picking the ball up some 35 meters from goal before gliding past Viktor Fayzulin, then flicked the ball around the outside of Nicolas Lombaerts before finishing with the confidence of a player who is in the form of his young life.
Zenit’s players were visibly stunned by the concession of two goals in quick succession and it took them some time to regain their composure. However, after spending the first half hour on his backside, appealing for nonexistent free kicks, Hulk gradually began to prove his significant worth to the home side’s cause.
The Brazil international produced two wonderful deliveries towards the tail end of the half, both of which resulted in Abbiati being called into action, with the first cross taking a nick off Riccardo Montolivo and the second very nearly redirected into the bottom corner by Roman Shirokov.
Hulk also twice stung the hands of the Rossoneri keeper with well-struck drives - the second of which was a free kick - before he deservedly halved the hosts’ deficit right on the stroke of halftime, driving the ball home left-footed after being slipped in on goal by Shirokov.
That goal came in injury time at the end of an absorbing opening period, and Zenit was level within four minutes of the restart. Shirokov made amends for his part in Emanuelson’s goal by popping up unmarked at the far post to head home Hulk’s corner from the right-hand side.
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