Sports

Atleti squeak through to knockout stage; Real Madrid win group

Sports Desk, Dec 7 (EFE).- Atletico Madrid qualified for the Champions League round of 16 thanks to a win Tuesday against Porto and AC Milan’s loss to Liverpool, while cross-town rivals Real Madrid beat Inter Milan to advance as group winners.

Diego Simeone’s squad started Match Day 6 with just 4 points and in real jeopardy of finishing last in Group B. But as they have done so many times, the Colchoneros rose to the occasion in Porto.

The visitors suffered a setback 13 minutes into the game, as a tearful Luis Suarez left the pitch with an injury, but Antoine Griezmann broke the 0-0 deadlock in the 56th minute and Atleti looked to be in control until Yannick Carrasco picked up a red card.

But before his team had a chance to capitalize on the man advantage, Porto’s Wendell got himself sent off.

Angel Correa made it 2-0 in the final minute of regulation and Rodrigo added a third goal in the 92nd minute. Sergio Oliveira converted a penalty in the dying seconds to narrow the deficit to 3-1.

Porto finished third and are headed to the Europa League, a consolation denied to AC Milan, who dropped to fourth after falling to Liverpool at the San Siro.

Fikayo Tomori gave the hosts the lead in the 29th minute, only to see his effort canceled out by Mohamed Salah in the 37th. Divock Origi made it 2-1 for the Reds with a goal 10 minutes into the second half.

Liverpool, who secured their round-of-16 berth on Match Day 4, become the first English side to post victories in all six of their group stage matches.

Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu was the venue for a game between two teams that had already punched their tickets for the knockout stage.

The hosts went ahead of Inter in the 17th minute as Toni Kroos scored the Blancos’ record 1,000th goal in the Champions League.

Both teams created chances, but Inter’s prospects for a comeback evaporated with the expulsion of Nicolo Barella in the 64th minute after an encounter with Eder Militao that saw the Real Madrid man get a yellow card.

Marco Asensio scored in the 79th minute to nail down the top spot in Group D for Real Madrid.

The only thing to be decided in Group A was which team would finish third.

While neither group winners Manchester City or second-place Paris Saint-Germain had anything at stake on Tuesday, their respective opponents were vying for the opportunity to fight on in the Europa League.

RB Leipzig showed plenty of motivation against visiting Man City and prevailed 2-1 over Pep Guardiola’s men on goals by Dominik Szoboszlai and Andre Silva.

Riyad Mahrez narrowed the deficit in the 76th minute, but City went down to 10 men minutes after Kyle Walker fouled Silva and Leipzig took all 3 points to claim third place.

In Paris, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe each had a brace as PSG hammered Club Brugge 4-1. EFE apa/dr

Related Articles

Back to top button