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Chelsea e Manchester United ( supporters in foto ) hanno vinto i rispettivi gironi della massima manifestazione continentale e proseguiranno il loro cammino in “Champions’ League”. Nell’ ultima giornata i londinesi hanno pareggiato per due a due con l’ Apoel Nicosia mentre i “Red Devils” sono passati ( 3-1 ) in Germania sul campo del Wolfsburg.L’ Arsenal ha già raggiunto la qualificazione agli ottavi di finale.

 

 

 

Chelsea were guilty of missing several chances to make the game safe

Chelsea’s Champions League group stage qualifying campaign ended in low-key fashion as they were held to a draw by Apoel Nicosia at Stamford Bridge.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti, with top place in Group D and qualification for the last 16 assured, took the opportunity to give his line-an experimental look and rest key personnel .And Apoel took early advantage as Marcin Zewlakow stole in to strike after only six minutes as Chelsea appealed in vain for offside.Michael Essien quickly equalised with a powerful shot from 25 yards – but he provided the biggest worry of the night for Chelsea and Ancelotti when he limped out of the action shortly afterwards with a hamstring injury.

Didier Drogba’s excellent finish from Yuri Zhirkov’s shot put Chelsea ahead and they seemed on course to end the first phase of their assault on the Champions League with a victory until Apoel substitute Nenad Mirosavljevic raced clear to equalise with three minutes left.It was just reward for Apoel’s fans, who provided magnificent and noisy backing for their side throughout on a rain-soaked night at Stamford Bridge.For Ancelotti, the priority was to give some of Chelsea’s shadow squad an opportunity on the Champions League stage and save established stars for sterner battles ahead.Frank Lampard and Nicolas Anelka started on the bench, while keeper Petr Cech was given the night off .

 

 

It meant an opportunity for 18-year-old Gael Kakuta, at the centre of the transfer ban briefly imposed on Chelsea earlier this season after his move from Lens, while Joe Cole also started.Cech’s understudy Ross Turnball suffered a traumatic start when he was forced to retrieve the ball from his net after only six minutes as Zewlakow slid home from Constantino Charalambides’s pass as Chelsea appealed in vain for offside.Chelsea were unpeturbed by this early setback and Essien restored equality after 19 minutes when he took a pass from Florent Malouda and fired a swerving shot past Apoel keeper Dionisios Chiotis, who had no chance.Essien’s elation was cut short as he picked up an injury shortly afterwards and was forced off – but Chelsea were still able to take the lead and restore a measure of normality to the tie as substitute Lampard waited to come on.Kakuta fed Zhirkov and his cross was met firmly by Drogba, who flashed in another emphatic finish as Chelsea threatened to snuff out Apoel’s early optimism.The youngster then demonstrated his rich promise once more with a perfectly-weighted through ball to Cole, but Chiotis was quickly out at his feet to halt the danger.

Essien was forced off with a hamstring injury in the first half

Chelsea were on cruise control for much of the second half, and their main aim as the rain fell heavily on Stamford Bridge was to ensure they did not add to the casualty list after the early injury sustained by Essien.Helio Pinto gave Turnbull once anxious moment with a long-range shot that the keeper parried, but otherwise it was a distinctly low-key affair – although the action was played out against the backdrop of constant noise from the Apoel supporters.Chelsea captain John Terry thought he had sealed Chelsea’s win with a powerful finish – only to see his celebrations cut short as the strike was ruled out for offside.And Chelsea’s frustration increased as Apoel swept forward to equalise, substitute Mirosavljevic racing clear to tuck a neat finish past Turnbull after Jon Mikel Obi had conceded possession, sending the visiting fans wild with delight.There was still time for Cole to test Chiotis one final time, but the Apoel keeper blocked his shot with his legs, but Apoel shared the spoils.

( BBC Sport )

 

Michael Owen’s hat-trick helped injury-hit Manchester United see off Wolfsburg and secure top spot in group B.

Michael Carrick was lucky not to give away a penalty and Wolfsburg wasted two headers, but Owen nodded in the opener before the break after Nani’s cross.Wolfsburg hit back and Edin Dzeko headed a well-deserved equaliser after Marcel Schafer’s cross from the left.Gabriel Obertan beat three defenders to set up Owen to take the lead and the striker chipped in a late third.Having already made the knockout stages, United’s mission in Germany was draw to finish top in their group, but their cause was not helped with 15 players missing.It was another makeshift defence consisting of midfielders Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick playing alongside regular left-back Patrice Evra.

Fresh from his hour’s spell at centre-half against West Ham on Saturday, Carrick struggled with Dzeko’s 6ft 4in frame at the start and was lucky not to concede a penalty for a mis-timed tackle on Makoto Hasebe.More wobbles followed with Andrea Barzagli and Zvjezdan Misimovic both heading wastefully over the bar from good positions.

It was hard work for the visitors on a heavy pitch, but there was a glimmer of hope on the half hour when Danny Welbeck slotted in smartly only to see the offside flag raised.One minute before half-time the United faithful were jumping up and down celebrating a very well-worked opening goal.Paul Scholes swept the ball to Nani on the left and the Portuguese star looped his cross to the back post for Owen to nod in for his second goal of the Champions League campaign.With third-placed CSKA Moscow leading at half-time it was crucial the Germans got back into the game and 10 minutes into the second-half that is exactly what they did.Lively midfielder Schafer burst down the left to cross in for the unmarked Dzeko to power a header past Tomasz Kuszczak.A more conservative United invited Wolfsburg to push forward and their innovation was almost rewarded with a stinging shot from Brazilian striker Grafite palmed away by Kuszczak.Manager Sir Alex Ferguson brought on Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan to shore up the tiring midfield and with eight minutes remaining United shocked the hosts to take the lead.Obertan had been on the pitch for eight minutes and he danced his way through the defence to pass the ball across the six-yard line for Owen to poke home.Following a goalmouth scramble at the other end, there was still time for the red shirts to break away and it was Owen again – still pushing hard for an England recall – who chipped calmly over the keeper.Job done for the Old Trafford side and Ferguson’s selection headache will at least subside for a few days before their Premier League commitments kick into action again at the weekend against Aston Villa.

( BBC Sport )

 

Tag:calcio, champions league, chelsea, man u