Monday, March 18, 2024

Arsenal book Champions League spot

Date:

Share post:

LONDON – Arsenal reached the knockout stage of the Champions League for the 15th straight season with a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund last night, and Liverpool put themselves in position to advance if they win at home over Basel next month.

Yaya Sanogo ended his 15-month wait to score for Arsenal with a second-minute goal in London, and Alexis Sanchez scored in the 57th. Borussia Dortmund (4-1) already had clinched in Group D, and the Gunners (3-1-1) are assured of no worse than second place.

Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen also clinched berths in the final 16. Atletico (4-1), which lost to Real in last season’s final, beat Olympiakos 4-0 in Group A

Real Madrid (5-0) clinched first place in Group B as Cristiano Ronaldo scored in a 1-0 win at Basel (2-3), which are second with six points. Liverpool and Ludogorets are 1-3-1 with four points, and Liverpool hold the tiebreaker based on head-to-head record going into the December 9 match.

At Sofia, Bulgaria, Liverpool tied Ludogorets 2-2 as they try to reach the knockout stage for the first time since 2008-09. Dani Abalo scored in the third minute after goalkeeper Simon Mignolet allowed a rebound on Marcelinho’s shot, but the Reds went ahead on Rickie Lambert’s first Champions League goal in the eighth minute and Jordan Henderson’s goal in the 37th. Georgi Terziev tied the score with a header off a corner kick in the 88th.

At Basel, Ronaldo tapped in a cross from Karim Benzema in the 35th minute, and Real Madrid matched their club record of 15 consecutive victories in all competitions.

Ronaldo’s 71st Champions League goal tied Raul Gonzalez for second behind Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, whose hat trick Tuesday gave him a record 74. Ronaldo has 26 goals in 19 games this season, including four in five Champions League matches.

Previous article
Next article

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related articles

PM announces 15 strategies to grow economy

15 Strategies to grow the economy as announced by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley in the 2024/25 Financial...

PM: Barbados’ economy on the right track

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley says the Barbados economy is on the right trajectory. Delivering the 2024/25 Financial Statement...

Road fatality on East Coast Road

Police are on the scene of a road fatality that occurred on East Coast Road, St. Andrew about...

No new taxes

There will be no new taxes in the 2024/25 Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals. That was one of the...