Champions League Matchday Six Review

Ahead a long winter break for the Champions League which will see eight sides exit European competition and eight more drop down to the Europa League, matchday six saw the final structure of the last 16 confirmed with a few surprises in the mix.

A
Already qualified PSG played host to a Shakthar Donetsk side who were preparing for a drop into the Europa League but hoping to exit this competition on a high. However, it was to be the French side who ended the group stage with success as they secured a 2-0 win with second half strikes from Lucas Moura and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the 57th and 86th minutes.

Real Madrid were guaranteed top spot in the group having already qualified but they fielded a strong side as they hosted already eliminated Malmo FF. Malmo's campaign has been a miserable one and after a 5-0 loss to PSG in the previous game, anything less would be a slight consolation. Real had other ideas though as they raced into a 2-0 lead inside 24 minutes courtesy of a brace from Karim Benzema and with Cristiano Ronaldo adding a third on 39 minutes, it was set to be a long night for the Swedes.

Ronaldo stunned the visitors by completing a 19 minute quadruple as after adding strikes in the 47th and 50th minutes for his hat-trick, he made it 6-0 overall in the 58th minute. Humiliation confirmed for the visitors but it got even worse as Kovacic added a seventh on 70 minutes and Benzema completed his treble for 8-0 in the 74th minute.


B
PSV Eindhoven hosted CSKA Moscow knowing a win would guarantee them a spot in the last 16 while the visitors harboured chances of securing the consolation prize of the Europa League spot.  A tight game coupled with eyes on the other from the Dutch fans left them going into the last 15 minutes at 0-0 but on course to advance but they fell behind after Sergei Ignashevich scored a penalty for 1-0 but a superb fightback saw De Jong level within two minutes before Propper sealed a 2-1 win and qualification in the 85th minute.

Wolfsburg hosted Manchester United in the battle to secure top spot ad both knew that a draw coupled with a CSKA win would see them both through to the last 16. United started the better of the two as they took an early lead inside ten minutes via Anthony Martial's opener. However, the hosts wasted no time in levelling as Naldo equalised in the 13th minute. The turnaround was complete in the 29th minute as Vierinha put the hosts 2-1 ahead but their fate was on a knife-edge with eight minutes to go as Guilavogui deflected into his own net to bring United level at 2-2. The Germans had one more ace up their sleeve though as Naldo sealed a 3-2 win just two minutes later with his second goal which meant the EPL side dropped into the Europa League.


C
Benfica hosted Atletico Madrid in a battle to top the group with both sides having already qualified for the next stage. The visitors opened up a 1-0 lead inside 22 minutes with a strike from Niguez before doubling the advantage ten minutes after the restart as Vietto made it 2-0. The hosts remained in the hunt with a 75th minute effort from Mitroglou but were unable to draw level meaning that the Spanish side secured top spot and the hosts finished in second.

Due to the top two having qualified for the last 16, Galatasaray hosted FC Astana in a battle to secure the Europa League spot and avoid propping up the group standings. The visitors had yet to claim a win so far at this stage but boosted such hopes with an opener on 62 minutes from Twumasi only to be rapidly pegged back by Inan's leveller within two minutes for 1-1. The sides remained level until the end meaning that the Turks dropped into the Europa League and the Kazakhs ended their first Champions League group campaign with four draws in six games.


D
Already qualified Manchester City hosted a Borussia Monchengladbach side who were looking to secure the Europa League spot with a win and prevent City from topping the group. The hosts started the better of the two sides with David Silva putting them 1-0 up only for Korb to level for 1-1 within three minutes. The turnaround was complete for the visitors in the 42nd minute as Araujo made it 2-1 but City battled back in style with three goals in the space of five minutes as Raheem Sterling struck a brace in the 79th and 81st minutes ahead of a strike from Wilfried Bony for a 4-2 victory.

After reaching the competition as a prize for their Europa League triumph, Sevilla looked to continue their pursuit of a trilogy of titles by securing the Europa League spot with a win over already qualified Juventus. The hosts secured the win they needed with a 1-0 success courtesy of a 65th minute strike from former Juve striker Fernando Llorente and his haunting of his former side meant that the Italians had to settle for second spot in the group.

E
Barcelona travelled to face Bayer Leverkusen having secured top spot and qualification but looking to end the group with an unbeaten record while their hosts knew a win could be enough to join the Catalans in the next stage. The hosts struck an opener after 20 minutes as Javier Hernandez made it 1-0 only for his effort to be rapidly cancelled out within three minutes as Lionel Messi equalised for 1-1. The sides both pushed for a winner but had to settle for a share of the point leaving the Germans hoping for a Roma-BATE draw in order to progress.

AS Roma and BATE Borisov faced off with both knowing a win coupled with a failure to win from Leverkusen would seal a place in the next stage. However, the sides were unable to outdo each other and shared the points in a 0-0 draw, this meant that the Italians advanced due to their superior record against Leverkusen who in turn dropped into the Europa League leaving BATE propping up the group.


F
Bayern Munich had already secured top spot and qualification as they travelled to face a Dinamo Zagreb side playing their last European game due to finishing bottom of the group. The Germans continued their near perfect run in the group with a 2-0 win that saw the in-form Robert Lewandowski strike in the 61st and 64th minutes to secure the three points which saw Bayern finish on 15/18 overall.

Olympiakos hosted Arsenal in a battle to finish second to Bayern and join them in the last 16 but for the EPL side only win by two clear goals would be enough to force the Greeks into the Europa League spot. The Gunners' pursuit of a comfortable win saw them take a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute as Olivier Giroud continued his good form in front of goal before he added the crucial second goal just four minutes after half time. At 2-0, Arsenal were on course for the next stage but when they were awarded a 67th minute penalty, Giroud stepped up to complete his hat-trick and confirmed the win for the Gunners who advanced into the last 16 for the 16th year in a row.

G
In the tightest group of all, three sides went into the final game all with the chance to qualify so when Chelsea hosted FC Porto both sides had the chance to qualify even if they shared the points. The Blues were boosted early on by a Sierra own goal which gave them a 1-0 lead inside 12 minutes and they looked to have sealed the win and top spot in the group when Willian made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute. Porto battled to close the gap but were unable to breakthrough a strong Blues defence leaving them to hope Dynamo Kyiv failed to win in order to join Chelsea in the next stage,

Dynamo Kyiv hosted already eliminated Maccabi Tel Aviv knowing that a win coupled with a Porto defeat would see them reach the last 16 and thereby leave their opponent rock bottom of the group without a single point from 18.  The Ukrainians needed just one goal to secure a crucial win as Garmash struck the winning goal in the 16th minute and due to the positive result for them in the other game, they sealed a place in the last 16 while Maccabi Tel Aviv joined the list of sides who failed to claim a single point in the group stage.


H
KAA Gent hosted already qualified group toppers Zenit St Petersburg looking to prevent the Russians from completing a perfect campaign by sealing a spot in the next stage with a win coupled with a negative result for Valencia in the other game. The Belgians pursuit of a surprise win was boosted early on as they took a 1-0 lead via a strike from Depoitre in the 18th minute. However, Zenit drew level just after the hour mark as Dzyuba extended his superb scoring streak for 1-1 but the hosts secured the win with 12 minutes left as Milicevic made it 2-1 and handed the Russians their first loss of the group stage leaving them on 15 points.

Valencia hosted already eliminated Olympique Lyonnais needing to win and hoping Zenit avoided defeat in order for them to progress to the last 16. Lyon had yet to claim a win in the group but boosted their hopes with an opening goal in the 37th minute from Cornet for 1-0. The visitors doubled their lead in the 76th minute through Lacazette who made it 2-0 which is how it ended meaning that they avoided joining a list of sides who failed to earn win in the group but in doing so ensured Valencia dropped into the Europa League in their first game under the charge of Gary Neville.

Qualifiers
Last 16- Real Madrid, Wolfsburg, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Zenit St Petersburg.

Europa League- Shakthar Donetsk, Manchester United, Galatasaray, Sevilla, Bayer Leverkusen, Olympiakos, FC Porto and Valencia.

The draw for the next stage will be posted alongside the Europa League draw next week before the break in writing until the competition resumes in February 2016.

Foxes Back On Top While Magpies Stun Reds

Week 14 of the Premier League comes just ahead of the final European midweek programme of the year but for the six EPL sides in the UCL/EL it was a mixed weekend with just one side securing a win.

Saturday's early kick-off saw Stoke City host league leaders Manchester City at the Britannia Stadium with the Potters keen to move further up the top half of the table. Their pursuit of such a feat saw early success as Marko Arnautovic fired them into a 2-0 lead with strikes in the seventh and 15th minutes. The visitors battled hard to cut the deficit but were unable to create a good enough opening to beat the Stoke defence which managed to hold firm for the full 90 minutes as the Potters claimed the points.

In the first of six 3pm games, Arsenal hosted Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium with the Gunners looking to capitalise on Man City's failure to open up a gap at the top of the table.The first third of the game was a pretty tight one between the two sides but Arsenal soon made a breakthrough as Joel Campbell slotted in a 33rd minute opener for 1-0. However, Sunderland were to go into the half-time break on level terms as Olivier Giroud deflected into his own net to make it 1-1 in the 45th minute but the French striker went from villain to hero as he scored at the correct end in the 63rd minute to give the hosts a 2-1 lead. The three points and a leapfrogging of Man City were confirmed late on as Aaron Ramsey made it 3-1 in the 90th minute.


Manchester United had the chance to end the weekend in at least second spot as they hosted a West Ham United side looking to add another away scalp to their growing list this season which includes Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City. However, the Hammers had to settle for just a point in their visit to Old Trafford as the sides cancelled each other out in a 0-0 draw.

Southampton played hosts to bottom of the table Aston Villa looking to move into the top half while Villa were desperate to claim only their second win of the season so far. In a season with little to cheer about for the Villa fans so far, they had the joy of leading 1-0 at half-time after a 44th minute strike from Joleon Lescott. However, Villa were only able to hold on until the 73rd minute as Oriol Romeu drew the Saints level at 1-1 which is how the game ended leaving Villa six points adrift of 19th place.


Leicester City travelled to face struggling Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium knowing a win coupled with bad results for other sides in the top four would see them move two points clear at the top of the table while Foxes striker Jamie Vardy looked to set a new record of scoring in 12 consecutive games. However, only one of those hopes came true as the Swans found themselves on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline that saw a superb hat-trick from Riyad Mahrez. The midfielder struck a fifth minute opener before efforts in the 22nd and 67th minutes in a game that saw Vardy's record halted at 11 games.

Watford hosted Norwich City at Vicarage Road looking to move into the top half and such a win would  leave the Canaries on the fringes of the danger zone. The Hornets struck the opening goal on the half hour mark as Troy Deeney slotted in a penalty for 1-0 and they wrapped up the three points in the final stages as in-form Odion Ighalo struck in the 90th minute for 2-0. 

West Bromwich Albion hosted Tottenham at The Hawthorns hoping to move closer to the top half while Spurs had the chance to cut the gap to the top four. However, the two sides shared the points in a 1-1 draw that saw Dele Alli put the visitors ahead in the 15th minute before James McClean equalised in the 39th minute to ensure a share of the spoils.

The evening kick-off saw struggling Chelsea host a Bournemouth side sitting just five points behind the Blues as they visited Stamford Bridge and the Cherries were hoping to become the first promoted side to defeat a defending champion. The sides seemed to be evenly matched in a first half where they score remained level at 0-0 and the parity continued deep into the second half until substitute Glenn Murray sealed a 1-0 win for the visitors with eight minutes remaining.


Super Sunday saw just one game as Newcastle United hosted in-form Liverpool at St James' Park with the Magpies looking to leapfrog rivals Sunderland into 18th place against a Reds side that included six changes from the midweek demolition of Southampton.  A tight first half saw both sides falter in front of goal leaving them level at 0-0 into the interval but the Magpies got lucky in the 69th minute as a shot from Georginio Wijnaldum deflected in off Martin Skrtel for 1-0. Wijnaldum might not be able to claim the effort as his goal but he made sure of a mark on the score-sheet as he confirmed a 2-0 win with a 90th minute strike.

The final game of the week came in the Monday Night Football meeting at Goodison Park as Everton hosted Crystal Palace in a match that saw both sides looking to close up on the top four. A tight first hour saw the score remain level at 0-0 but the Eagles made a breakthrough on 76 minutes as Scott Dann made it 1-0. However, Everton were able to salvage a point as Romelu Lukaku equalised for 1-1 in the 81st minute.

Capital One Cup Quarter Final Review

After a while since the previous round, the Capital One Cup resumed at the quarter final stage as eight teams looked to book a place in the semi finals and be just two games away from a trip to Wembley.


Tuesday night saw a trio of meetings which began with Manchester City's hosting of Championship side Hull City and it was no surprise that the hosts scored the opening goal as Wilfried Bony struck in the 12th minute. Hull did superbly after going behind to old the hosts to just the single goal but the difference between the sides began to tell as the game entered the final ten minutes.

Kelechi Iheanacho doubled City's lead before two goals in five minutes from Kevin De Bruyne made it 4-0 but despite an exit now being certain for the Tigers, they did have the last say as Robertson struck a late effort for 4-1.

Championship side Middlesbrough hosted top flight Everton at the Riverside Stadium with 'Boro hoping to edge closer to repeating their past glories in the competition while the Blues were keen to boost hopes of a first triumph. The Blues struck twice in eight minutes before the half hour mark with Gerard Deulofeu and Romelu Lukaku striking in the 20th and 28th minutes to open up a 2-0 lead. Middlesbrough battled on to try and close the gap but to their despair, the two goal lead was too much as the Blues held firm to reach the next round.


Completing a trio of cross-division meetings, top flight Stoke City played host to Championship side Sheffield Wednesday with both sides knowing a win and a good semi draw would put them in good stead for an unlikely trophy win. However, the Potters showed the prowess in the first third of the game as Ibrahim Afellay put them ahead in the 30th minute and the visitors hopes were dashed last into the second half as Phil Bardsley added a strike on 75 minutes to seal a 2-0 victory.

The final game of the round came on Wednesday night and saw an all-top flight meeting between Southampton and Liverpool with the Saints looking equal their best run in the competition since the '80s while the Reds looked to seal a record 16th appearance in the semi finals. Southampton made a perfect start to the game at St Marys as Sadio Mane headed them into a 1-0 lead in less than 42 seconds. However, Liverpool staged a superb turnaround in a four minute period just before the half hour mark as fit again Daniel Sturridge struck a brace in the 25th and 29th minutes for 2-1.

 The Reds extended their lead just before half-time as Divock Origi connected to a shot from Alberto Moreno for 3-1. Southampton were being ripped apart by a Reds lineup which had six changes from their previous game and it only got worse for the hosts as Origi scored his second on 68 minutes for 4-1 before Jordan Ibe made it 5-1 just five minutes later.  A woeful night for the Saints ended with a sixth for the visitors as Origi sealed his first hat-trick for the Reds with a strike in the 86th minute to complete the rout.

City Back On Top As Reds Edge Out Swans

As the season nears its busiest month due to the festive period, the Premier League schedule reached week 14 which saw a mix of high scoring games and tight encounters.


In the first of five 3pm games, Aston Villa hosted Watford at Villa Park with the hosts desperate to end their woeful form of just one win this season while the Hornets looked to edge closer to the top half. The visitors opened the scoring after just 17 minutes as in-form Odion Ighalo continued his scoring streak for 1-0 but Villa struck back just before the interval as Micah Richards made it 1-1. Villa scored again in the 69th minute but at the wrong end as Alan Hutton's own goal put the Hornets 2-1 in front and they looked to have wrapped up the win as Troy Deeney made it 3-1 with just five minutes left of the 90. Villa set up a tense finish as Jordan Ayew fired in on 89 minutes for 3-2 but to their dismay, that was how it ended. 

Bournemouth hosted Everton at the Vitality Stadium with the Cherries hoping to move out of the bottom three and prevent the Toffees from closing up on the top four.  The Blues struck an opener in the 25th minute as Ramiro Funes Mori gave them a 1-0 lead and they were two goals to the good within 11 minutes as Romelu Lukaku scored for 2-0. Bournemouth stormed back into contention in the final ten minutes as Adam Smith fired in for 2-1 before Junior Stanislas equalised for 2-2 in the 87th minute. Everton ended the Cherries streak with a strike five minutes into added time from Ross Barkley for 3-2 but the game ended 3-3 as Stanislas got his second in the final seconds.


Newcastle made the long trip to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park hoping to move out of the bottom three while the Eagles had a focus on the top four. The Magpies made a superb start with Papiss Cissé opening the scoring inside ten minutes for a 1-0 lead but the Eagles bounced back in style with two goals in three minutes to take a 2-1 lead. James McArthur and Yannick Bolasie edged the hosts in front before another quick double either side of the half-time break from Wilfried Zaha and a second from Bolasie made it 4-1. Newcastle's miserable afternoon got even worse as the game entered the final stages with McArthur scoring his second to complete a 5-1 hammering.

Manchester City hosted Southampton at the Etihad Stadium with the hosts looking to regain top spot while the Saints hoped to move closer to the top four. City started the better of the two sides and were two goals to the good inside 20 minutes as Kevin De Bruyne's ninth minute opener was followed by an effort from Fabian Delph for 2-0. Southampton pulled on back just after the interval as Shane Long made it 2-1 in the 49th minute but it was to be only a consolation as Aleksandar Kolarov sealed a 3-1 success in the 69th minute.


Sunderland and Stoke City met at the Stadium of Light with the hosts looking to move out of the bottom three and the Potters hoping to advance into the top half. A tight first half saw the sides remain level at 0-0 into the interval but the Potters were dealt a blow within two minutes of the restart as Ryan Shawcross was sent off. Despite having an extra man, Sunderland only made an effect in the final ten minutes as strikes from Patrick Van Aanholt (82) and Duncan Watmore (84) sealed a 2-0 win.

The evening game saw a top of the table clash as Leicester City hosted Manchester United at the King Power Stadium with both sides knowing a win would put them clear at the top above Manchester City. The Foxes had another focus in the form of aiding Jamie Vardy's hopes of setting a new record by scoring in 11 consecutive games and they did just that as the red-hot striker struck the record breaking goal in the 24th minute for 1-0. Manchester United's recent form has seen few goals scored by the Red Devils but just one proved to be enough to secure a point as Bastian Schweinsteiger levelled just before the interval for 1-1 which is how the game ended.


Sunday began with a lunchtime London derby as Tottenham hosted Chelsea at White Hart Lane with the visitors looking to increase their gap ahead of the bottom three and prevent the hosts from closing on top spot. Both sides seemed battled to score an opener but across the 90 minutes seemed only to cancel each other out as they shared the points in a 0-0 draw.

Super Sunday coverage began with West Ham United hosting West Bromwich Albion at Upton Park with the Hammers having eyes on the top four and the Baggies on moving into the top half.  Mauro Zaraté gave the hosts an early lead with a 17th minute strike for 1-0 but alike their previous game, the Baggies benefited from an own goal as a shot from Rickie Lambert cannoned in off Winston Reid in the 50th minute to make it 1-1 which is how it ended.


The sole game not to be televised was Liverpool's hosting of Swansea City at Anfield with the Reds looking to close up on the top four and the Swans keen to boost their flagging form that saw them on the fringes of the danger zone. The sides seemed to cancel each other out in a first half where neither was able to mount a single shot on target and the second half seemed to be going along the same lines until a breakthrough came on the hour mark. Neil Taylor was unfortunate to concede a penalty and just like he did a few days earlier in the Europa League, James Milner stepped up to fire the reds into a 1-0 lead which they held on to to claim the three points.

The weekend ended with part two of Super Sunday as Norwich City hosted Arsenal and with both sides at opposite ends of the table, the Gunners were tipped to claim a comfortable win. Their pursuit of such success saw them open the scoring on the half hour mark as Mesut Ozil took advantage of a John Ruddy mistake to make it 1-0 but the Canaries battled back and drew level just before the interval through Lewis Grabban and at 1-1, the sides had to settle for a point each.

Europa League Matchday Five Review

Alike the Champions League, the Europa League group stage reached the penultimate set of games with a number of sides having already secured qualification and a fair few more just on the fringes going into matchday five.

A
Celtic hosted Ajax knowing anything but a win would see them eliminated while the Dutch side hoped to keep in the hunt to advance to the next stage. The Scots made a stunning start as McGregor gave them a 1-0 lead inside the first three minutes but were pegged back in the 21st minute by a leveller from Milik. The visitors ensured they would remain in the hunt to advance going into the final game as they sealed a late 2-1 win with an 87th minute winner from Cerny.

Already qualified Molde FK hosted Fenerbache with their unbeaten run under threat against the Turks who looked to edge closer to qualification with a victory. The hosts suffered an early blow as Rindaroy was sent off after just 10 minutes but despite the numerical disadvantage, they went into the interval on level terms at 0-0. However, the extra man did pay off for the visitors in the 68th minute as Santana struck the opening goal for 1-0 before the win and the end of Molde's good run was ended by Tufan's 84th minute strike for 2-0.


B
Rubin Kazan played host to FC Sion looking to remain in the hunt to advance while the Swiss side had hopes of confirming a place in the next stage. However, the hopes of the visitors were dented on 34 minutes with the sending off of N'Doye but they held on long into the second half at 0-0 before opening up to a 72nd minute strike from Georgiev for 1-0. The Russians were searching for their first win of the group and confirmed their first success with a 90th minute strike from Devic for 2-0.

Liverpool hosted Bordeaux knowing a win would guarantee their place in the next stage while the same result would see the French side eliminated having failed to register a win so far. The visitors were gifted a chance to open the scoring on 33 minutes as Reds 'keeper Simon Mignolet was penalised for holding on to the ball for too long and Henri Saivet fired in from the resulting set-piece for 1-0. The lead was short lived  as Liverpool levelled from the penalty spot with James Milner slotting in on 38 minutes for 1-1 and the hosts gained the lead just before the interval as Christian Benteke fired in for 2-1 which was enough to seal the points and a place in the last 32 for the Reds.


C
FK Krasnodar played host to already qualified Borussia Dortmund looking to join the Germans in the next stage with a win. They did just that with a narrow 1-0 win which they achieved with a stunning start as Mamaev slotted in a penalty in the second minute. The solitary goal was enough to hold off the visitors for the remaining 80 odd minutes and saw the Russians seal their place in the next stage.

The other game in the group saw PAOK Salonica hosts FC Qabala with both sides looking to register a first win in the group stage and avoid finishing bottom below the two qualifying teams. The sides seemed to cancel each other out as they shared the points in a 0-0 draw leaving them both to hope for a last chance win in the final round of games.

D
Already qualified FC Napoli travelled to face Club Brugge looking to extend their 100% record to five wins and deny the Belgians the chance to close in on qualification. The two sides battled well in the first half with the only dent in the armour coming for the hosts as Vlad Chiriches put the Italians ahead on 41 minutes. The solitary goal was enough to claim a 1-0 win and put Napoli just one win away from a perfect 18 point haul.

Legia Warsaw hosted FC Midtjylland looking for their first win of the group while the Danes hoped to seal qualification to the next stage. The hosts opened the scoring in the 35th minute with a strike from Prijovic and the single goal proved to be enough to seal a first success for the Poles. The result leaves both sides in the mix with Brugge for the final spot in the next stage.

E
Dinamo Minsk hosted Viktoria Plzen in the group's early kick-off with the Belarusians still searching for their first win after four losses and such a result potentially eliminating their opponents. The two sides seemed destined to share the points in a 0-0 draw as the game went on but a strange final minutes saw the hosts seal their first success. However, firstly they went down to ten men with the late dismissal of Veretilo before sealing a 1-0 win with a strike from Adamovic in added time.

After Plzen's failure to win, Villarreal hosted already qualified Rapid Vienna safe in the knowledge that they had secured qualification due to their superior points total but with the Austrians yet to suffer defeat, they looked to retain top spot. Both sides boasted strong defensive records ahead of the meeting so it was no shock that they remained level late into the second half before the hosts broke the deadlock on 78 minutes via Soriano Llido's strike which sealed a 1-0 win and put them atop the group standings.

F
Marseille played host to already eliminated Groningen with hopes of edging towards the next stage while the Dutch side looked to secure a first win of the group stage. The hosts opened the scoring on 28 minutes as Mdiba made it 1-0 but they were pegged back shortly after the restart as Maduro levelled for 1-1 after 50 minutes. The win went to the French side though as Batsuyahi sealed the 2-1 success in the 88th minute.

Already qualified Sporting Braga hosted Slovan Liberec with hopes of continuing on top of the group while the Czechs looked for a win which would edge them towards the next stage. The visitors pursuit of a shock win gained pace in the 35th minute as Efremov put them ahead only for his effort to be cancelled out just before the interval by a 42nd minute equaliser from Ferreira for 1-1. The hosts sealed the win late on with a strike from Sousa for 2-1.

G
After securing qualification in the previous game, Lazio hosted Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk looking to extend their unbeaten run and in doing so eliminate the Ukrainians from the competition. The Italians made a stunning start with a fourth minute opener from Candreva for 1-0 but were pegged back just after the hour mark by Gama's equaliser for 1-1. The sides were level for less than three minutes as Parolo made it 2-1 to the hosts before a late strike from Djordjevic confirmed a 3-1 victory.

St Etienne travelled to face to Rosenborg knowing a win would secure a place in the next stage and thereby eliminate the Norwegians from the competition. The hosts opened the scoring just before the interval as Søderland struck in the 40th minute for 1-0. However, the French side managed to salvage a point with an 80th minute equaliser from Roux who slotted in a penalty and due to Dnipro's loss, the visitors secured qualification to the next stage. 

H
Besiktas played hosts to Skenderbeu Korce with both still in the hunt to reach the next stage but with the Turks knowing a win would eliminate their opponents from the competition. The hosts opened the scoring in a tight first half with Tusan striking for 1-0 in the 35th minute and he struck again in the second half making it 2-0 on 78 minutes to seal the points and leave the visitors bottom of the group.

Lokomotiv Moscow hosted Sporting Lisbon with both sides firmly in the hunt to reach the next stage but with the Russians knowing a win would seal their place in the last 32. They started superbly with an opening goal inside five minutes form Bitencourt before being pegged back by a 20th minute equaliser from Montero before going 2-1 behind after Ruiz's 38th minute strike.  The visitors opened up a two goal lead before the interval as Martins made it 3-1 and the win was sealed on the hour mark as Pereira made it 4-1 to leave both sides in the hunt to advance going into the final game.

I
Belenenses hosted Lech Poznan with both hoping to remain in the hunt to advance going into the final game but depending on the other game, a win for either could eliminate the other. However, both sides remain in the fight to advance after sharing the points in a 0-0 draw.

They aforementioned duo can still advance after Fiorentina failed to secure a win away to FC Basel who had the chance to guarantee qualification with a win. The Italians opened the scoring on 23 minutes through Bernardeschi before going down to ten men with the dismissal of Roncaglia just three minutes later. Despite the numerical disadvantage, they doubled their lead to 2-0 on 36 minutes as Bernardeschi struck again but the Swiss side pegged them back through Suchy in the 40th minute. The extra man did pay off for the hosts though as they secured a 2-2 draw with a 74th minute leveller from Elneny which secured their place in the next stage and left Fiorentina in a three-way battle to advance.  

J
Tottenham Hotspur made the long trip to face FC Qarabag knowing a win would seal a place in the next round while the hosts looked to remain in the hunt to advance with a victory. A tight game saw both sides look destined for a share of the points as the score remained at 0-0 deep into the second half but the visitors struck a winner as Harry Kane sealed a 1-0 triumph and a place in the last 32 with a 78th minute strike. 

After Tottenham's success in the early game, Monaco hosted Anderlecht knowing that a win would see them join the EPL side in the next stage while the Belgians looked to force the fight for the final qualification spot into the final game. They did just that as they sealed a 2-0 win with strikes in either half with Gilet's 45th minute opener followed by a 78th minute strike from Acheampong.

K
Schalke 04 hosted Apoel Nicosia with both still in the hunt to advance but in the knowledge that a home win would sent the Germans through and eliminate the Cypriots. A tight game saw the sides remain level at 0-0 deep into the second half but a late strike from Choupo-Moting in the 86th minute sealed qualification for the hosts with a 1-0 win.

Sparta Prague also had the chance to advance into the next stage as they hosted Asteras Tripoli who needed a win to prevent being eliminated from the competition. The Czechs struck the opening goal in the 33rd minute as Brabec scored for 1-0 and the slim lead looked to be enough as the game entered the final ten minutes. However, Asteras were given a lifeline as the hosts were sent down to ten men with the dismissal of Krejci on 82 minutes but they were unable to draw level as the hosts secured their place in the next stage.  

L
AZ Alkmaar hosted Partizan Belgrade knowing anything but a win would see them eliminated while the visitors hoped to remain in the hunt to advance with success of their own. The hosts opened the scoring just after the interval as Dos Santos made it 1-0 on 48 minutes but the visitors battled back to equalise on 65 minutes through Oumarou before sealing the win late on as Zivkovic struck for 2-1 in the 89th minute. 

Athletic Bilbao travelled to face FC Augsburg knowing a win would guarantee them a place in the last 32 while success for the Germans would set up a three-way fight for qualification in the final game. The visitors started the better of the two sides and took the lead inside 10 minutes through Susaeta before being pegged back by an equaliser four minutes ahead of the interval from Trochowski for 1-1. Bobadilla gave the Germans a 2-1 lead just before the hour mark before a late brace from Aduriz in the 83rd and 86th minutes completed the comeback for the Spanish side who sealed a 3-2 win and a place in the next stage.   

Champions League Matchday Five Review

As the festive period grows ever close, the Champions League reached the penultimate round of matches in the group with the future of the majority of the 32 teams becoming fairly clear be it advancing or exiting European competition altogether.  The group halves switched nights so Tuesday saw the sides in E-H begin matchday five.

E
BATE Borisov and Bayer Leverkusen faced off knowing that regardless of the result, they would go into the final game with qualification still a possibility with them both in reach of second spot. The sides had only managed a win each so far so it was no surprise that they played out a 1-1 draw. BATE made a perfect start with the opening goal coming inside two minutes from Gordeychuk but their joy was soured on 68 minutes as Mehmedi levelled to secure a point for the Germans.

Despite being already guaranteed top spot in the group, Barcelona fielded a strong lineup as they hosted AS Roma who hoped to open up a gap on the chasing two ahead of the final round of games. However, Barcelona put the dampeners on such hopes inside the first 18 minutes as Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi created a 2-0 lead. Suarez added his second and the Catalans third just before the interval to leave the visitors needing a miracle to avoid defeat but that task was quickly hardened as Gerard Pique struck on 56 minutes followed by Messi's second and Barca's fifth just before the hour mark. Adriano added a sixth for the hosts on 77 minutes to complete a stunning rout but Roma did have some small consolation as Edin Dzeko made it 6-1 in the final minute.
 

F
Arsenal looked to keep up their hopes of advancing to the next stage as they hosted Dinamo Zagreb and the Gunners knew a win would ensure at the least they would drop into the Europa League. Their pursuit of a vital win saw a tight first 25 minutes before two goal in four minutes either side of the half hour mark as Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez struck for 2-0. Sanchez claimed his second and the hosts' third on 69 minutes to wrap up a comfortable 3-0 win.

Bayern Munich hoped to secure qualification as they hosted second placed Olympiakos but the Greeks knew that a shock win would seal their place and leave Arsenal needing a miracle. However the Germans had other ideas and raced into a 3-0 lead inside just 20 minutes as Douglas Costa, Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller all fired in for the hosts. The visitors only joy in the first hour came on 52 minutes as Bayern were reduced to ten men after the dismissal of Badstuber but the numerical disadvantage seemed to spur the hosts on as Coman added a fourth on 69 minutes. Olympiakos were unable to open up the ten men as they slipped to a 4-0 defeat but go into the final game with a three point lead over third placed Arsenal.

G
Unlike most groups, this one saw three sides in contention to end the night on top or as low as third but as leaders FC Porto faced third placed Dynamo Kyiv, the group swung even closer. The Ukrainians struck an opener on 35 minutes as Yarmolenko slotted in from the penalty spot and they were two to the good just after the hour mark as Gonzalez made it 2-0 on 64 minutes. The hosts were unable to pull one back and in turn missed on on securing qualification.

Chelsea hosted Maccabi Tel Aviv in the hopes that a win would take them level with Porto at the top and in turn leave the Israelis facing elimination as they were yet to earn a single point so far. The Blues started their pursuit of a win with an opener on 23 minutes from Gary Cahill before seeing former Blues defender Tal Ben Haim sent off five minutes before the interval. The extra man took a while to make a difference but in the space of four minutes, the EPL side were in control as Willian and Oscar struck on 73 and 77 minutes for 3-0. The gloss on a fine away win for the Blues came in the final minute as Kurt Zouma completed the rout at 4-0.


H
After sealing qualification with a fourth win in a row, Zenit St Petersburg hosted Valencia knowing a victory would put them just one away from a perfect record while the Spanish side needed a win to keep up hopes of advancing themselves. The Russians have been in great scoring form so far in this group and continued ther streak with an early opener from Shatov inside 15 minutes. The majority of their success had come through Dzyuba and the Russian forward extended his scoring streak on 74 minutes before Vezo was sent off on 80 minutes for the visitors whose 2-0 defeat puts the hosts at least five points clear of the rest.

Olympique Lyonnais hosted KAA Gent knowing anything but a win would see them eliminated from the competition and adrift at the bottom of the group while Gent had the chance to move up into second ahead of the final game. Lyon had yet to win in their four games and had only scored twice so it was likely a shock when they stormed into an early 1-0 lead through Ferri's seventh minute strike. However, the Belgians drew level on 32 minutes through Milicevic for 1-1 before sealing the three points with a 2-1 success after Coulibaly struck late on. 

Wednesday night saw the remaining four groups from A-D take the focus with all but one side still in contention to reach the next stage but some surprise results saw the lineup of the next stage become clearer.

A
Due to a vastly superior goal difference to those below them, Paris St Germain travelled to face Malmo FF with qualification all but wrapped up while the hosts hoped to edge closer to the Europa League spot. However, the hosts were dealt two rapid blows as PSG raced into a 2-0 lead inside 14 minutes with Rabiot's third minute opener followed by a strike from Angel Di Maria. The visitors extended their lead through former Malmo forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic on 49 minutes before a second from Di Maria and the French side's fifth goal on 68 minutes wrapped up the points. The night go even worse fr the hosts though as Lucas Moura completed a 5-0 rout with eight minute remaining.

Shakthar Donetsk hosted group leaders Real Madrid hoping to stage a shock win that would all but secure a spot in the Europa League and end Madrid's unbeaten streak. Real started well and opened the scoring inside 18 minutes through star striker Cristiano Ronaldo but from there the game was pretty tight up to the interval. However, the visitors kicked into gear with two strikes within seven minutes of the restart as Dani Carvajal and Luka Modric made it 3-0. The points looked to be wrapped up on 70 minutes as Ronaldo struck his second for a 4-0 lead but Shakthar staged a stunning comeback to ensure a tense finale. Teixeira began the charge with a 77th minute penalty before making it 4-2 just six minutes later but when Ferreira made it 4-3 on 88 minutes, the visitors' hold on the game was on a knife-edge but they managed to just about hold on to secure the win and move clear at the top.

B
Ahead of their hosting of VFB Wolfsburg, CSKA Moskva knew a win would keep them in the hunt to qualify for the next stage in a group where all four teams were in contention. The sides looked to be locked in a tight game as the score remained at 0-0 well past the hour mark but the Russian's were unfortunate to fall behind on 67 minutes as a shot deflected in off goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev for 1-0. However, the CSKA keeper was pulling the ball out of the net again just before the end as André Schurrle sealed a 2-0 win in the 88th minute to send the Germans second at the very least.

As the group was so tight, Manchester United knew that qualification for the next stage would go down to the final game regardless of the result of them hosting PSV Eindhoven. The Red Devils have been short of form in front of goal recently and this game was no different as they and the Dutch side were unable to break the deadlock as the points were shared in a 0-0 draw that ensured Wolfsburg sit one and two points clear of the two sides in the standings.


C
After being eliminated in the previous matchday, FC Astana hosted Benfica knowing a Europa League spot was their best hope while the already qualified Portuguese side hopes to go clear at the top in an early kick-off. Astana had yet to win in the group so it was a surprise when they opened up a 2-0 lead inside 30 minutes with an opener from Twumsi on 17 minutes followed by Anicic's strike. However, Benfica battled back and pulled one back just before the interval through Jimenez Rodriguez before he added a second to level the score at 2-2 in the 72nd minute. The hosts waste of a strong lead saw them denied a first win as Benfica moved three points clear ahead of the later game.

Atletico Madrid hosted Galatasaray with both sides still in the hunt to qualify but with the hosts knowing a success for them would guarantee a spot in the next stage and leave the Turks with just the Europa League spot to fight for. The hosts started the better of the two sides as they took an early lead through Antoine Griezmann's 15th minute effort and the French forward sealed the win and qualification with a second goal for 2-0 in the 65th minute.

D
After Juventus and Manchester City had secured qualification in the previous matchday, Borussia Monchengladbach hosted Sevilla knowing a Europa League spot was the best prize to hope for and for the visitors a win would give them the unique chance of chasing a Europa League treble in as many years. The Germans struck first as Lars Stindl made it 1-0 inside 30 minutes in what was an otherwise close first half. Gladbach had yet to win in the group so far but furthered their push with two goals in ten minutes from Johnson and Araujo on 68 and 78 minutes to open up a 3-0 lead. Perez pulled one back for the visitors on 82 minutes but saw his effort instantly cancelled out by Stindl's second a minute later for 4-1. Sevilla had the last mark on what became a six goal game as Banega slotted in a 90th minute penalty for 4-2.

Juventus hosted Manchester City with both sides safely in the next stage but with the illusive top spot in the group to battle for and with the Blues a point ahead going into the game, the pressure was on the Bianconeros. They dealt well with such pressure by taking an early lead as Mario Mandzukic made it 1-0 in the 18th minute. City pushed and pushed to draw level as they looked to bounce back from the 4-1 humiliation to Liverpool at the weekend but to no avail as Juve held on to their slim lead to secure all three points and go two points clear at summit of the group.

Foxes Go Top as Reds Hammer City

After yet another International break in what has been a short season so far, the Premier League resumed with the top four all having the chance to end week 13 on top but the results saw some real surprises with three sides scoring four goals in comfortable wins. In a fitting tribute to those lost in the recent terror attacks in Paris, every game was preceded by the French national anthem - 'La Marseillaise'

Saturday's early kick-off came from Vicarage Road as Watford hosted Manchester United with the visitors knowing a win would see them move to the top above Man City. The Hornets fell behind early on as Memphis Depay put the Red Devils 1-0 up inside 11 minutes and the lead continued long into the second half until a frantic finish. Troy Deeney levelled for the hosts with an 87th minute penalty for 1-1 but had the horror of connecting to a Bastian Schweinsteiger cross to hit into his own net in the final minute to give United a 2-1 win.

In the first of six 3pm games, Chelsea hosted fellow stragglers Norwich City at Stamford Bridge with the Blues and Canaries both desperate to move clear of the bottom three. However it was to be a good day for Jose Mourinho's men as they sealed a 1-0 win courtesy of a 64th minute strike from Diego Costa.

Everton hosted Aston Villa at Goodison Park with the in-form Toffees eager to close up on the top four while Villa searched for a first success under Remi Garde. However, Villa's hopes were dented as early as the 17th minute as Ross Barkley fired in for 1-0 before Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead on 28 minutes. Everton were in firm control as the interval neared as Barkley struck his second and the hosts' third on 42 minutes before Lukaku followed suit just before the hour mark to complete a 4-0 rout.

This time last year, Leicester City propped up the league table but as they travelled to St James' Park to face Newcastle United, they had the chance to go to the top. Foxes striker Jamie Vardy went into the game knowing a goal would bring him level with Ruud van Nistelrooy's record of scoring in 10 successive games and he did just that just before the interval to put the visitors ahead at 1-0.  The Magpies fell further behind on 62 minutes as Leonardo Ulloa struck for 2-0 before the points and top spot were secured for the visitors in the 83rd minute as Shinji Okazaki made it 3-0.

Southampton and Stoke City have both had a mixed first third of the season with them both around mid-table ahead of their meeting at St Mary's. Stoke started the better of the two sides with an early opener from Bojan Krkic in the tenth minute and in a battling game, the effort from the Spanish striker proved to be enough to secure a 1-0 win and the three points for the Potters.

Swansea City hosted AFC Bournemouth at the Liberty Stadium with both sides desperate to boost their flagging seasons with the Swans on the fringes of the bottom three and the Cherries sitting one place off the bottom. The Cherries made the better start of the two sides and took a lead inside ten minutes with a strike from Joshua King before a Dan Gosling strike on 28 minutes put the visitors in control at 2-0. However, Swansea were far from out of the contest as André Ayew pulled one back just two minutes later for 2-1 and the Swans would go into the interval on level terms after Jonjo Shelvey slotted in a 39th minute penalty for 2-2. Both sides pushed for a winner in the second half but had to settle for a point each which the hosts will surely be the happier about. 

West Bromwich Albion went into the weekend on the fringes of the bottom three so the prospect of high-flying Arsenal visiting The Hawthorns would be a tough test. A close first third of the game was ended by the opener for the Gunners on 29 minutes as Olivier Giroud struck for 1-0 but his effort was cancelled out in stunning style just six minutes later as James Morrison rocketed a shot past Petr Cech to equalise. The Baggies' joy extended into the interval as they went ahead on 40 minutes after Mikel Arteta deflected the ball into his own net for 2-1 and that was how it remained until the final whistle as the Gunners wasted the chance to top the table.

The evening kick-off saw a huge clash between the day's original leaders Manchester City and in-form Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium with City sitting third after Leicester and rivals Unites leapfrogged them. Both sides were boosted by the return of their star strikers with Sergio Aguero starting for City while Reds' pair Christian Benteke and Daniel Sturridge were named on the bench.

The Reds were gifted the lead inside seven minutes as Eliaquim Mangala deflected past Joe Hart for 1-0 after Roberto Firmino's cross and Liverpool were two goals to the good on 23 minutes as Philippe Coutinho fired in a stellar effort past the helpless Hart. City were in serious trouble just after the half-hour mark as a spectacular combination between Emre Can and Coutinho saw Firmino seal his first goal for the Reds for 3-0. The hosts remained in the hunt though as the interval neared with Sergio Aguero firing in a stunning strike for 3-1 but his return lasted just an hour with the Reds introducing Christian Benteke soon after. The Belgian was influential in the last say on the score as he headed on for Martin Skrtel to volley past Hart to complete a 4-1 triumph.

After a bumper Saturday, Super Sunday saw just one game but what a game it was as Tottenham Hotspur hosted West Ham United in a five-goal thriller of a London derby at White Hart Lane. The hosts made the first mark on the game as Harry Kane scored a 22nd minute opener for 1-0 before Toby Alderweireld added a second on 33 minutes to put Spurs in control at 2-0. Kane added his second and the hosts' third just five minutes after the restart to leave the Hammers needing a miracle to avoid defeat but such a feat seemed impossible as Kyle Walker made it 4-0 with just seven minutes left. West Ham did have some slight consolation in their afternoon as Manuel Lanzini struck in the 87th minute for 4-1 but it mattered little as their rivals moved clear in fifth place.

The week's action came to an end with the Monday Night Football feature from Selhurst Park as mid-table Crystal Palace hosted struggling Sunderland with the visitors looking for their first away win of the season. A tight game on a cold London evening saw the sides remain level as the game entered the final third but Sunderland boosted their hopes of ending their travelling hoodoo as Jermain Defoe struck in the 80th minute and the strike proved to be enough as the Black Cats claimed a 1-0 win.