The first half of this week’s UEFA Champions League fixtures took place last night with matches competed by the teams in groups A, B, C and D.
There was something of a humbling for holders Inter Milan, who were defeated 3-1 at White Hart Lane by Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs will be thankful for the tremendous form displayed by Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart.
Man Utd showed improved form in the second half of their away match at Bursaspor, eventually running out 0-3 victors. They lead Group C and look almost certain to qualify after Rangers travelled to Valencia and went down 3-0. United lead on 10 points with Valencia in second on 7.
The tie of the round was surely in Benfica, where the hosts were made to work for their win despite scoring early goals. Benfica eventually won 4-3 at home to Lyon. As a result of Shalke’s 0-0 result away at Hapoel Tel-Aviv, Group B is wide open, with just three points between Lyon at the head of the group and Benfica in third place – and two matches still to play.
Barcelona were held to an away draw in Copenhagen, with Lionel Messi’s goal quickly cancelled out. The match finished 1-1, as Barca failed to put any daylight between themselves and the Danes at the head of Group D.
In the early kick-off, Rubin Kazan picked up another point with a 0-0 result at home to Panathinaikos of Greece: these two sides are yet to win a match in this season’s Champions League.
Finally, in Group A, Twente kept up the pressure on Tottenham and Inter with a good 2-0 away win at Werder Bremen, who are now all but out of the competition unless they can win both their final games, and have other results go their way.
UEFA Champions League Results – Tuesday 2nd November 2010
- Benfica 4-3 Lyon
- Bursaspor 0-3 Man Utd
- FC Copenhagen 1-1 Barcelona
- Hapoel Tel-Aviv 0-0 Schalke 04
- Rubin Kazan 0-0 Panathinaikos
- Tottenham 3-1 Inter Milan
- Valencia 3-0 Rangers
- Werder Bremen 0-2 FC Twente
BIG SHOUT OUT TO TOTTENHAM FOR THEIR VICTORY OVER THE DEFENDDING CHAMPIONS OF THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. I COMMEND THEIR EFFORT, THEY DID REALLY WELL.