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Inzaghi kicks off celebrations for jubilant Juventus support
By Henry Winter in Turin | |
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Juventus (0) 1 Man Utd (0) 0 ANOTHER remarkable moment in recent Anglo-Italian fortunes saw Juventus qualify, along with Manchester United, for the quarter-finals of the Champions' League last night. Filippo Inzaghi's late goal, coupled with Rosenborg's draw at Olympiakos, sent the relieved Italians through as one of the two runners-up. United, pressurised hard all night, will be relieved they cannot meet the team who ruined their perfect Group B record in next week's draw. A game so important to Italian fortunes was played out before a noisy, expectant crowd, though the Stadio delle Alpi was nowhere near capacity. Among the visitors' songs was a tribute to absent friends. Having developed a calf problem, Andy Cole began on the bench. Nicky Butt failed even to make the substitutes' numbers, having damaged his hamstring. Here was a test of United's resources. Karel Poborsky attempted to provide penetration down the right while Ronny Johnsen, who shadowed Zinedine Zidane, and David Beckham filled the central roles. Out left, Ryan Giggs tried to keep Angelo di Livio in check and make forays of his own. But the reality that Gary Pallister was United's most important player as the half unfolded indicated that Juventus offered the greater danger, particularly around the half-hour mark. Yet, barring an early scare when Inzaghi broke free, the opening period belonged to United. Showing a more direct side to their game, they flourished after 15 minutes when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, attempting to fill the void left by Cole, twice threatened Angelo Peruzzi. The keeper dealt comfortably with their first incursion but the second shimmered with danger. The move was a delight to watch, initiated by Beckham, a young man who clearly felt this elevated stage was to his liking. The England international flicked the ball out to Gary Neville, who then brought Poborsky into play. The Czech Republic international, who enjoyed one of his best internationals against Italy at Euro 96, lifted in an excellent centre which was met by Giggs. The ball was directed neatly to Solskjaer, who turned in that smooth style of his and shot low but fractionally wide of Peruzzi's left-hand upright. Back came Juventus, so aware that they must ensure victory if what the local pink 'un called a "miracle" of progressing was to be achieved. Inzaghi carried the greatest menace, his quick feet often creating space. Pallister, ably assisted by Henning Berg, was in commanding form and needed to be as Inzaghi insinuated his way forward. Three times the Italy forward went close. Peter Schmeichel made a routine save from Inzaghi, who then tested United's captain again as the half-hour was reached. Juventus were going closer and really should have scored when fine approach work by Zidane and Di Livio opened up United's box. Inzaghi, connecting as he fell off balance, saw the ball flash wide of Schmeichel's goal. Zidane, too, could have swept Juventus ahead but United, holding firm, reached the safety of half-time on level terms. The second half was largely one-way traffic, Juventus pressuring and missing a hatful of chances while United sought to prosper on the counter-attack. These were tense times for Ferguson's men, the supporters' nails bitten to the quick, as Juventus pushed and probed, prompting outstanding performances from Pallister, Berg and Schmeichel. On they came, these black-and-white adventurers, desperate to salvage points or simply pride. Fabio Pecchia, a left-sided substitute, enjoyed two eminently takeable chances but fluffed both, the second with the net opening up as if to embrace his shot. It was real backs-to-the-wall stuff for United. Fonseca, sent free by Zidane, hit a post. Suddenly an Italian cheer went up. The giant screens signalled that Rosenborg were trailing to Olympiakos, one of the results Juventus needed to bring off their miracle. Then mocking cries of English jubiliation were heard as Rosenborg levelled. Juventus redoubled their efforts. Zidane played through Inzaghi, who brought another marvellous stop from Schmeichel. Same story, moments later: Schmeichel was at his defiant best. United were briefly unsettled when Zidane felled Johnsen, who had been such an assiduous shadow. The French referee, positive throughout, showed no favour to his compatriot, only a yellow card. Zidane then displayed his more creative side, dispatching a violent shot goalwards which Schmeichel brilliantly clawed away. English admiration spiralled into delight as news flashed up that Rosenborg had gone ahead. The pressure finally told. With six minutes remaining, and moments after Cole had been thwarted by Peruzzi, Juventus scored. Di Livio found Zidane down the left and the Frenchman was away, creating space cleverly before lifting the ball across the six-yard box to Inzaghi, who made no mistake. If celebration was sparked by that moment, then sheer pandemonium erupted when the screen informed the 47,781 present that Olympiakos had equalised, so sending Juventus through to the last eight. __________________________________________________________ Group B Juventus (0) 1 Man Utd (0) 0 Inzaghi 83. Juventus: Peruzzi, Ferrara, Torricelli, Di Livio, Conte (Montero 64), Inzaghi, Iuliano, Birindelli (Dimas 75), Fonseca, Tacchinardi (Pecchia 46), Zidane. Subs Not Used: Rampulla, Cingolani, Aronica, Giandomenico. Booked: Zidane. Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Johnsen, Pallister, Beckham, Sheringham, Giggs, P. Neville, Poborsky (McClair 79), Solskjaer (Cole 73), Berg. Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Clegg, Thornley, Mulryne, Curtis. Booked: Berg. Att: 47,786 Ref: Giles Veissiere (France). Kosice (0) 0 Feyenoord (0) 1 Van Bronckhorst 82 P W D L F A Pts Man Utd 6 5 0 1 14 5 15 Juventus 6 4 0 2 12 8 12 Feyenoord 6 3 0 3 8 10 9 FC Kosice 6 0 0 6 2 13 0 __________________________________________________________ December 11 1997 FOOTBALL United fall short of perfection FROM OLIVER HOLT, FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT, IN TURIN Juventus ...1 Manchester United ...0 THE anointing of Manchester United as one of the great European powers was put on hold last night. Planned for the Stadio delle Alpi, it foundered on the rock of desperation and determination that flooded from the Juventus team whose mantle United were seeking to don, and ended in the anticlimax of a defeat that took Juventus through to the last eight of the European Cup to join the English champions. In a dramatic finale, Juventus, who had spurned so many chances that it seemed they would never score, finally broke the deadlock in the 84th minute, when a cross from Zidane was headed past Peter Schmeichel at point-blank range by Filippo Inzaghi, ruining United's hopes of recording their first win on Italian soil in six attempts and condemning them to their first defeat after five successive Champions' League wins. Then a huge cheer echoed round the stadium when the two giant scoreboards flashed the news from Athens that Olympiakos had equalised against Rosenborg, so allowing Juventus through. As United trudged off, they seemed to have forgotten that they had already made it into the draw for the quarter-finals, which will take place next week. The rules will prevent the teams meeting again at that stage. United began almost languidly and, just as they had in the first match between these teams in October, they nearly went behind before a minute had elapsed. Inzaghi rose to meet a cross from Fonseca and held his head in despair when it was saved by a diving Schmeichel. United, playing without Paul Scholes, a flu victim, Nicky Butt, who had a hamstring strain, and Andy Cole, who was among the substitutes, moved David Beckham into the centre of midfield and most of their brightest moments in the first half stemmed from his raking crossfield balls and his economy of play as he linked with Sheringham and Giggs. One driven, volleyed pass to Giggs took the breath away. United did create two early half-chances, the first when Ferrara's weak back-header almost let in Solskjaer, the second when Giggs nodded Poborsky's cross down at the back post and Solskjaer turned and squeezed a shot just wide of the post. Those aside, though, Juventus were dominant. A cross from Zidane rolled invitingly across the United area in the twentieth minute, but nobody met it. Ten minutes later, Inzaghi should have produced better than a weak volley when he met a cross from Di Livio. Two minutes after that, Juventus wasted their best chance when Zidane's ball let in Di Livio, but he crossed behind the onrushing Fonseca. When it reached Inzaghi, he could only prod it wide. Ten minutes before half-time, Fonseca turned provider, but again Juventus could not convert the chance. This time, Zidane met the cross at the far post and, arching backwards, hooked his shot just wide of Schmeichel's left-hand post. In the stands, the Juventus supporters grew more and more restless. Juventus replaced Tacchinardi with Pecchia at half-time and the substitute went close with his first touch when he headed a cross from Fonseca inches wide. United threatened briefly at the other end when Giggs struck a fierce volley just over from Sheringham's cross, but now Juventus were playing with greater urgency. Four minutes after half-time, Zidane played a brilliant ball through the heart of the United defence to Fonseca. His shot beat Schmeichel, but cannoned off the outside of a post to safety. Two minutes after that, Schmeichel rushed off his line to smother a shot from Inzaghi as the unmarked Fonseca screamed for it in the middle. Every few minutes now, roars of acclaim or disappointment greeted scores from the other Champions' League matches that could affect the fate of Juventus. None of the groans, though, matched the outpouring of disbelief that met the waste of the best chance that Juventus could have wished for. Sixty minutes had gone when Di Livio, breaking from midfield, played a sharp ball inside Phil Neville to Zidane. Eschewing the chance to shoot, Zidane pulled it back unselfishly to Pecchia, who was presented with an open goal. Somehow, he managed to mis-hit it and it rolled wide of the unguarded net. Two minutes later, Schmeichel produced the best save of the match. Zidane volleyed a shot from left to right that seemed destined for the bottom corner, but the Dane flung himself at it and pushed it past the post. Zidane fell to his knees in despair and clutched his hands to his head. In the end, though, the Frenchman had the last laugh. JUVENTUS (4-3-1-2): A Peruzzi - A Birindelli (sub: M Dimas, 75min), C Ferrara, M Juliano, M Torricelli - A di Livio, A Conte (sub: P Montero, 65), A Tacchinardi (sub: F Pecchia, 46) - Z Zidane - D Fonseca, F Inzaghi. MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-2): P Schmeichel - G Neville, H Berg, G Pallister, P Neville - K Poborsky (sub: B McClair, 80), D Beckham, R Johnsen, R Giggs - O G Solskjaer (sub: A Cole, 73) E Sheringham. Referee: G Veissiere (France). Group B P W D L F A Pts Man Utd 6 5 0 1 14 5 15 Juventus 6 4 0 2 12 8 12 Feyenoord 6 3 0 3 8 10 9 Kosice 6 0 0 6 2 13 0 The quarter-finalists: AS Monaco; Bayer Leverkusen; Bayern Munich; Borussia Dortmund; Dynamo Kiev; Juventus; Manchester United; Real Madrid. Copyright 1997 The Times Newspapers Limited. _________________________________________________________________________ December 11 1997 FOOTBALL Ferguson has final warning for Lippi BY OLIVER HOLT MARCELLO LIPPI, the relieved coach of Juventus, last night issued an invitation to Alex Ferguson after the Italian champions had crept into the quarter-finals of the European Cup with a late, late win over Manchester United in the Stadio delle Alpi that ruined the English club's perfect record in the competition. At a post-match press conference in which he denied there was any real disappointment in losing when they had already qualified for the last eight, Ferguson said that Lippi, who had prowled the touchline as his side wasted chance after chance, had shaken him by the hand and whispered in his ear. "He pulled me to one side and said: 'We will see you in the final'," Ferguson said. "But we will not be so kind next time if we get there. People may say that we have made it harder for ourselves by not knocking them out, but if you believe you are good enough to win the competition, you have to believe you can beat anybody along the road. "It was like a World Cup final in the last ten minutes and I think some of our players were so disappointed that they actually forgot they had qualified at the final whistle. I am a bit disappointed with our defending, but it was a good lesson for us. It will not do them any harm." Ferguson added: "It would have been nice to win all six games, but it is a great achievement to have got through to the quarter-finals. We have done the hard part now, because there is always a lot of tension connected with that process. "Juventus missed a lot of chances tonight and I thought they might never score, but they kept at it and they got their reward." The last word went to Lippi, who feels he has seen in United's performances this season the seeds of a decade of domination. "They have some very interesting young players," he said. "I think that in the next ten years they could become one of the best teams in the world - one of our great rivals." Copyright 1997 The Times Newspapers Limited. _________________________________________________________________________ Thursday 11 December Champions League: Juventus 1 - 0 Manchester United Inzaghi just in time for Juventus (Football Guardian) By David Lacey in Turin Thursday December 11, 1997 Manchester United did their best not to look like cats who had got the cream in the Stadio Delle Alpi here last night but, with their place in the Champions League quarter-finals secure, a certain amount of whisker-preening was inevitable. Yet, while United's attack tended to jog through the match, Peter Schmeichel and his defenders had much to do after half-time once Juventus had brought a proper sense of urgency to their game. Schmeichel made several saves, Fabio Pecchia missed an open goal and then Filippo Inzaghi headed in from Zinedine Zidane's cross with seven minutes remaining. There was jubilation on the Juventus bench when news came through that Rosenborg had been held 2-2 in Greece by Olympiakos, which was enough to send Juventus through as one of the two best runners-up. Andy Cole and his calf strain were left on the bench and Nicky Butt, having developed a hamstring injury, missed the game altogether. But, even with Paul Scholes staying home to nurse his flu, United still put out a strong side. Karel Poborsky came in on the right, with David Beckham moving to central midfield, and Ole Solskjaer joined Teddy Sheringham up front. Juventus looked to Zidane for the sort of momentum he had provided in their victory at Old Trafford last season but, with Didier Deschamps unfit, their formidable Gallic influence had been halved. In addition Alessandro Del Piero, whose goal after 19 seconds had stunned United supporters in October, was suspended. True, Inzaghi did his best last night to put Juventus ahead within half-a-minute. Alessandro Birindelli's pass found Daniel Fonseca in space on the right and from his centre Inzaghi produced a sharp downward header which was on its way to the left-hand corner until Schmeichel dropped on it. After that, with Ronny Johnsen tracking down Zidane and Beckham again making good use of the greater freedom he has when moving inside, United began to play with the discipline, composure and authority which characterised their performances in Europe this season. Poborsky's recall ensured their attacks had more natural width and, after Ryan Giggs had nodded back his long cross, Solskjaer, shooting on the turn, was just wide on the quarter-hour. After Schmeichel's early save Juventus began to be frustrated by a combination of Henning Berg, Gary Pallister and the offside flag. The sluggishness of their passing was doing little to help Fonseca and Inzaghi break clear without exercising the linesman's right arm. For Juventus the most promising avenue of approach continued to lie on their right when the ball was played in behind Phil Neville. Angelo Di Livio opened up the wing in this way for Fonseca 11 minutes before half-time and from his centre Zidane just failed to force the ball past Schmeichel. The Italian side clearly had to raise the pace and, when they did, they nearly scored twice in the opening three minutes of the second half. First Pecchia, who had come on for Alessio Tacchinardi, head d wide after Fonseca had again found the right weight and angle with his cross. Then Fonseca hit the outside of the near post after Zidane had sent him clear. These moments, plus encouraging news from other European fronts, roused both Juventus and their followers. Twice in as many minutes Schmeichel left his line to grab the ball from the feet of the oncoming Inzaghi. Yet when the United goalkeeper charged out again, this time in an effort to intercept Zidane on the right, the Frenchman had the wit to leave Schmeichel stranded and Pecchia facing an open goal. Somehow he shot wide. Zidane did much better in the 67th minute, meeting a ball from Pecchia with a smart turn and volley which looked like finding the inside of the right-hand post until Schmeichel, at full stretch, managed to turn it behind. Juventus (4-4-2):Peruzzi; Birindelli, Ferrara, Iuliano, Torricelli; Di Livio, Conte, Zidane, Tacchinardi; Inzaghi, Fonseca. _________________________________________________________________________ JUVENTUS 1-0 MANCHESTER UNITED (Official United Home) Manchester United's dreams of Champions' League perfection died in the Stadio delle Alpi but Alex Ferguson will know just how strong his squad now is. With injuries keeping Andy Cole on the bench until the final few minutes and Nicky Butt in the stands, Ferguson's men were always going to have to battle for their lives to get anything from a game Juventus had to win. They looked to have done exactly that, with Peter Schmeichel showing why Alex Ferguson rates him the greatest keeper in the world as they withstood a second half siege. But even Schmeichel could do nothing seven minutes from time as Zinedine Zidane finally found the way to breakdown Ferguson's resolute red army. The French midfielder had slumped to his knees after being foiled by Schmeichel but this time he worked space on the left to cross for Filippo Inzaghi to nod past the exposed keeper. Inzaghi set off on a personal lap of honour, with the Juve fans cheering even louder within seconds as news of the Olympiakos leveller that meant they were through to the quarter-finals was posted on the giant electric scoreboard. There was no way back, as United's hopes of joining AC Milan, Paris St-Germain and Spartak Moscow in the elite 100% club came to an end. Yet even so United learned as much as the Italians did from a night when their courage under fire was tested to the full, and not found wanting in any way. They might even have done better than that, Cole coming off the bench and failing to capitalise on a great chance just before Inzaghi struck. But Juve just deserved their victory and perhaps Ferguson may rue his men did not take their chance to put them out. Ferguson conceded his team had been over-powered and intimidated on their last visit here 14 months ago, and even if Juve were missing the flair of Alessandro Del Piero and the drive of Didier Deschamps, they still had plenty to offer. And Italian clubs had reached the last eight for 10 successive seasons and they had lost at home just eight times in 130 European starts. That Juve threat was demonstrated within 30 seconds when Uruguayan Daniel Fonseca sprang onto Alessandro Birindelli's ball down the right and crossed for Inzaghi to head at Schmeichel. With calf victim Cole on the bench, Ole Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham bore the responsibility of scoring only United's second goal on Italian soil, Norman Whiteside having managed the only previous goal here in Turin in 1984. With Karel Poborsky, handed an unexpected chance by the trio of absentees (a hamstring accounted for Butt) on the right, and Ryan Giggs spreading left, United had an abundance of width. United's movement was as impressive as their discipline, defensive bulwarks Gary Pallister and Henning Berg soaking up everything Juve could throw at them while there were positive signs when they broke. One brilliant ball by David Beckham picked out Giggs on the flank, with the Welshman's cross just behind Teddy Sheringham, while Solskjaer almost cashed in on Birindelli's weak back header. And United's best chance of the first period came in the 16th minute. Poborsky, in space on the right, found Giggs at the far post, and when he knocked down Solskjaer swivelled to fire just wide of the upright. Pallister then failed to get real power on a header from Giggs' corner although the central defender was then back in his more customary role, brilliant standing up to rob Fonseca as he burst onto the rugged Moreno Torricelli's ball up the left. That brought Juve back to life, with Inzaghi volleying at Schmeichel before stabbing wide after Zidane had linked with Angelo Di Livio to open up the United left. And Zidane then missed a great opening when Antonio Conte picked out Fonseca's run down the right, Gary Neville's attentions forcing the French ace to fire wide. Still neither keeper had made a real save, but with Fabio Pecchia introduced on the left for the underwhelming Alessio Tacchinardi at the interval and Zidane pushed right up, it became far livelier. Pecchia might have scored with his first touch, a looping header that dropped just the wrong side of the upright from Fonseca's cross. United responded in kind, Sheringham drilling from deep onto Giggs' left foot, his volley a whisker too high, before they had a real escape. Zidane's ball behind Gary Neville showed his sheer class, and as Schmeichel came from his line, Fonseca thrashed the ball past him, only for it to rebound back off the outside of the post. United had their backs-to-the-wall and survived a stunning miss by Pecchia on the hour. Di Livio played Zidane into the box on the United left, and even Schmeichel's frame could not prevent the Frenchman slipping past him for Pecchia to tap into the open net. Yet the substitute got his feet in a horrendous mess and contrived to slide wide. A rare United foray saw Gary Neville test Peruzzi before Cole's introduction for Solskjaer with 16 minutes left. Seven minutes later, that blistering pace should have brought United the goal that would have killed Juve off. Beckham sent Cole away clear through the middle. Ferrara looked dead for pace, but somehow got back to rob the fleet-footed striker, Peruzzi pouncing on the ball at the third attempt. And within two minutes, Inzaghi ensured Juve would come back from the Champions' League grave when he joyfully converted from a matter of yards to leave the tifosi in full chorus. The party was guaranteed at the final whistle, with confirmation of the Athens draw. Fair enough too, for this was a resurgent Juve. United, though, went down with heads held high. Juventus: 1-Angelo Peruzzi; 2-Ciro Ferrara, 13-Mark Iuliano, 15-Alessandro Birindelli, 3-Moreno Torricelli, 8-Antonio Conte, 7-Angelo Di Livio, 20-Alessio Tacchinardi, 21-Zinedine Zidane, 18-Daniel Fonseca, 9-Filippo Inzaghi. Manchester United: 1-Peter Schmeichel; 21-Henning Berg, 6-Gary Pallister, 2-Gary Neville, 12-Philip Neville, 7-David Beckham, 5-Ronny Johnsen, 15-Karel Poborsky, 11-Ryan Giggs, 10-Teddy Sheringham, 20-Ole Gunnar Solskjaer _________________________________________________________________________ Juventus teach United a lesson - Trevor Huggins TURIN, Italy, Dec 11 (AFP) - Juventus gave Manchester United a lesson in European football here on Wednesday night, when they beat Alex Ferguson's men 1-0 to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League. United, who had already qualified for the last eight, withstood all the second-half pressure until the 84th minute, when Filippo Inzaghi headed the winner and the Delle Alpi stadium erupted. Juventus squandered three chances in the opening 45 minutes and also missed an open goal in the second half, but they fully deserved their win after dominating the latter part of the game. Ferguson accepted the defeat, but promised that after five straight victories in the competition a lesson had been learned, and that United come back even stronger in March. "I don't think we played well, and I think we could have lost by more goals in the second half... there was no edge to our game tonight," he said. "We can have no complaints. Juventus were a better team in the second half. But I do think that we helped them." The atmosphere from the 68,000 crowd was electric in the closing minutes, as first Juventus scored and the crowd exploded again soon after when the maxi-screen flashed up Olympiakos' equaliser in Athens. That 2-2 draw, along with Paris St Germain's narrow win, meant that the Turin club who won this competition in 1996 and who lost the 1997 final, were through to the quarters in 1998. Ferguson said: "It became like a World Cup final in the last few minutes, and we'd forgotten that we'd actually qualified. The players came off really disappointed -- we forgot we were already there. "And that's what happens in a game like that, the excitement and the euphoria get through. It's an amazing game football, you can't understand it." Though satisfied at his own team having got through, Ferguson said there was a moral in their defeat here. "We said from day one that if we score in every game we'll be there in the quarter-finals and we qualified by doing that," he said. "And tonight we didn't score and thereby lost the game and it's a good lesson for us. "It's a lesson we'll take into the quarter-final... and in that match we'll be a lot stronger." Both sides had just chances in the first five minutes of the second half, but the closest was Fonseca, who ran onto to Zidane's defence-splitting pass and hit the near post with his angled shot. Three minutes and a copycat move saw Zidane put Inzaghi through -- only for the outrushing Schmeichel to block the shot. Substitute Fabio Pecchia then missed the open goal, after Di Livio had outwitted the United defence. Zidane was the next to find out just how good a goalkeeper Schmeichel is; the Frenchman collected a ball from Pecchia on the edge of the area, controlled it with one touch and the volley forced a superb acrobatic save from the great Dane. But minutes later, Di Livio started the match-winning move, prodding the ball deep into the left-hand side of the United area. Zidane ran through, chipped the ball back and over Schmeichel for the unmarked Inzaghi headed home from three yards. United were meanwhile left to rue the missed chance that fell to substitute Andy Cole just two minutes before the end. The United striker was put clean through but failed to beat the undefended Juventus goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi, and missed the chance to put the Italian champions out of the competition. _________________________________________________________________________ Juventus scrape through like national side TURIN, Italy, Dec 11 (AFP) - Italy's Juventus copied the national side to just qualify from the group stages by a close margin following their 1-0 win against Manchester United in the European Champions League here on Wednesday. Italy finished second to England in their World Cup group and only went through to France 98 through a 1-0 play-off victory over Russia when Pierluigi Casiraghi hit the crucial goal. But Juventus, European Cup champions in 1996 and runners-up this year, had an even closer shave in this top club competition. Filippo Inzaghi scored in the 84th minute to earn them a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in their last group A match in Turin. But it was not until little known Olympiakos player Pedrag Djordjevic scored from a free-kick to equalize at 2-2 against Norwegians Rosenborg Trondheim with two minutes to go were Juventus into the December 17 Geneva draw. Qualifiers on the night Real Madrid, Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen joined Dynamo Kiev, holders Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United and Bayern Munich in the last eight. Real Madrid won Group D after crushing Porto 4-0, while Monaco came back from 2-0 down in Leverkusen to draw 2-2 and win Group F. Leverkusen, like Juventus, went through to the March 4/March 18 quarter-finals as one of the best two runners-up. Leverkusen coach Christian Daum said afterwards: "This qualification is an enormous success for us. We have very clearly shown since the start that we were going all out for the win." However both sides, knowing a draw would put them both through, seemed content to keep the ball in the middle of the field and give up the contest. Daum added: "As far as what happened in the last few minutes, the important thing was to ensure the point needed to qualify. What happened at the end should not divert attention from all our other matches." Juventus squandered three chances in the opening 45 minutes and also missed an open goal in the second half, before Inzaghi broke the hearts of the United fans in the 84th minute. Angelo Di Livio started the match-winning move, prodding the ball deep into the left-hand side of the United area. Frenchman Zinedine Zidane ran through, chipped the ball back and over United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel for the unmarked Inzaghi to head home from just three yards. Djordjevic's 88th minute freekick found the net for Olympiakos to spell a miserable night for visitors Rosenborg Trondheim, who must have thought they had made the quarter-finals. Dimitris Mavrogenidis scored two minutes after the break after a slight deflection to put the Greeks ahead in the Group D match. Within seconds, Sigurd Rushfeldt scored with a powerful header and he added another in the 69th minute to put Rosenborg on course for the quarter-finals. But then came Djordjevic's freekick which ruined the Norwegians' night. French champions Monaco came back from the dead to qualify for the last eight, coming from two goals down to draw with Bayer Leverkusen and win Group F. Both sides were locked on 12 points at start of play, but Leverkusen had to chase the win with Monaco leading the group table on goal difference, despite knowing that a draw would most likely suit both sides. And it was no surprise when Stefan Beinlich opened the scoring for Leverkusen in the 29th minute, firing home a brilliant effort with the outside of his left boot from 20 yards after fine work down the right by Christian Woerns. But Leverkusen stepped up the tempo once more after the break and went 2-0 up on 57 minutes when Eric Meijer nodded home from close range after keeper Barthez could not hold a fierce right-foot shot from Kovac. And the change brought the desired effect as Christophe Pignol pulled one back in the 63rd minute with a low shot after a short free kick routine. With the Germans fading, rapidly Monaco stunned the home fans with a Thierry Henry equaliser after 81 minutes. Henry, fed by Trezeguet on the left, cut inside and drilled a superb effort home. Then came the last few minutes when both teams seemed content to hold the ball and wait for the final whistle spelling qualification. A rampant Real Madrid waltzed past listless Porto, a 4-0 win at the Bernabeu Stadium enabling the Spaniards to qualify in style. Fernando Hierro headed the Spanish champions' first goal after six minutes and Croatian striker Davor Suker added the second on the half hour with a nonchalant volley to quash all fears of potential elimination. As the vociferous home fans switched from cautious anticipation into carnival mode, Brazilian Roberto Carlos put the matter beyond doubt with the third following a rasping freekick four minutes after the break. Suker hammered the fourth from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute as six-times European champions Real handed out a footballing lesson to the Portuguese champions, disappointing throughout the competition. |
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