UEFA Champions League
Rangers, Copenhagen reach Champions League group stage
Rangers returned to the Champions League group stage for the first time in 12 years with a 1-0 win at PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday while Dinamo Zagreb also qualified with an extra-time win over Norway’s Bodo/Glimt.
Antonio Colak tapped in the winner for the Glasgow side on the hour after Milik Tillam robbed PSV defender Andre Ramalho and slipped the ball across the box to the Croatian forward who made no mistake.
Rangers reached the Europa League final last season, losing to Eintracht Frankfurt, and their return to the group stage of the Champions League completes an impressive turn-around for the Scottish club.
After being hit by financial troubles and going into liquidation, Rangers had to start again in the fourth tier of Scottish football in 2012.
“It’s difficult to describe in words, it was a great team performance. It’s an amazing journey we’ll have this year and I’m so proud of all of these guys,” said Colak.
MANCHESTER, England, Aug 24 (Reuters) – Rangers returned to the Champions League group stage for the first time in 12 years with a 1-0 win at PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday while Dinamo Zagreb also qualified with an extra-time win over Norway’s Bodo/Glimt.
Antonio Colak tapped in the winner for the Glasgow side on the hour after Milik Tillam robbed PSV defender Andre Ramalho and slipped the ball across the box to the Croatian forward who made no mistake.
Rangers reached the Europa League final last season, losing to Eintracht Frankfurt, and their return to the group stage of the Champions League completes an impressive turn-around for the Scottish club.
After being hit by financial troubles and going into liquidation, Rangers had to start again in the fourth tier of Scottish football in 2012.
“It’s difficult to describe in words, it was a great team performance. It’s an amazing journey we’ll have this year and I’m so proud of all of these guys,” said Colak.
“I was in tears on the pitch, it was just a moment of joy. As a kid I always wanted to compete at this level and to be here is amazing,” he added.
With Celtic also in the group stage, Scotland will have both their giants in the elite competition for the first time since 2007/08.
Dinamo Zagreb needed extra time to get past Norway’s Bodo/Glimt 4-1, securing a 4-2 aggregate win, after letting their early advantage slip.
Mislav Orsic fired Dinamo ahead from a tight angle in the fourth minute and then a brilliant bicycle kick from Bruno Petkovic extended the lead, making it 2-1 on aggregate.
But the Norwegian champions fought their way back into the game with Albert Gronbaek levelling the tie on aggregate in the 70th minute with a shot which Dinamo keeper Dominik Livakovic should have kept out.
But early in the second period of extra time Dinamo restored their advantage with a composed finish from the edge of the box by Josip Drmic and then made sure of victory with a goal on the break from Petar Bockaj.
FC Copenhagen also made into the group stage after a 0-0 draw at Turkey’s Trabzonspor secured a 2-1 aggregate win.
-Reuters
UEFA Champions League
David strikes as Lille end Real’s long unbeaten run
A first-half penalty earned Lille a shock 1-0 home victory over holders Real Madrid in the Champions League group phase on Wednesday, ending the 15-times European Cup winners’ 14-game unbeaten run in the competition.
Jonathan David converted from the spot three minutes into first-half stoppage time to hand Real, who had not lost in their previous 36 matches in all competitions, their first defeat since January.
The result put Ligue 1 side Lille on three points from two games in the new format of Europe’s premier club competition.
Real, who won their opening match against VfB Stuttgart, are also on three points.
“On the penalty, I try to focus, to keep calm to take a good shot but I’m confident when it comes to taking penalties,” David said. “It has not sunk in yet but it’s a memorable night.”
Real keeper Andriy Lunin said his team had lacked their usual aggression.
“It’s difficult to analyse right after. (We lacked) aggression, creativity, in the end, what we always have,” he said.
“To fight a bit more. In the second half we showed more desire, but in the first half we were worse, that’s obvious. We want to win because we know what colours we’re playing in. But that’s OK. Courage, keep working and prepare for the next game.”
Carlo Ancelotti’s side started with Kylian Mbappe, who joined from Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain in June, on the bench after the France captain picked up a muscle injury last week.
Real’s Vinicius Jr. had the first chance with a low shot in the sixth minute as the visitors controlled the pace and the second came when Endrick’s close-range attempt was blocked by Lucas Chevalier.
Lille went close to opening the scoring after 26 minutes when Andriy Lunin made a spectacular double save to deny David, first from the forward’s header, then by tipping away the Canadian’s follow-up shot.
Their relentless pressure paid off in stoppage time when Eduardo Camavinga handled Edon Zhegrova’s free kick.
A VAR review ensued and David confidently converted the resulting penalty.
The hosts continued to apply pressure in the second half, refusing to sit back and wait as Real enjoyed possession, cutting off the supply to England midfielder Jude Bellingham.
Ancelotti sent Mbappe and Luka Modric on to replace Endrick and Eder Militao and Lille survived a late Real onslaught to hang on for the victory.
-Reuters
UEFA Champions League
Ancelotti makes no excuses after Real’s shock defeat at Lille
Defending champions Real Madrid failed to show the best version of themselves in a shock 1-0 Champions League defeat at Lille on Wednesday and must accept the criticism that comes their way, manager Carlo Ancelotti said.
Lille pressed relentlessly and took the win courtesy of a Jonathan David penalty in first-half stoppage time to hand Ancelotti’s team their first defeat in all competitions since January.
Real Madrid – record 15-times Champions League winners – have three points after two matches following their opening win over VfB Stuttgart.
“Everything was pretty bad. We did badly with the ball, although the team was quite compact in the first half, it was difficult for us to recover the ball, it was difficult for us to make transitions,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“We tried to be a little more aggressive, but it was difficult for us. So… We have to look at things with a cool head, not throw everything away. But obviously we have to improve.
“I am very sincere. The criticism for today’s game is fair, correct and we have to accept it because it is like that. We have not shown a good version in this game.”
Ancelotti said Lille “deserved” to win despite Real’s improved showing in the second half of the match.
“It was difficult for us to get into the game at the level of intensity, at the level of duels, at the level of clarity of play,” the Italian added.
“Obviously, the game could have been tied because we had opportunities at the end, but it wasn’t deserved.
“So we have to learn, as it happened the last time we lost a game, learn from what we have to improve, which is quite clear. I think it’s not very complicated.”
Real, who are second in the LaLiga standings with 18 points, next host third-placed Villarreal on Saturday.
-Reuters
UEFA Champions League
Lookman shines as Atalanta outclass Shakhtar
Ademola Lookman scored one goal and was heavily involved in the other two to drive Atalanta to a 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday as the Italians outclassed their Ukrainian opponents in Gelsenkirchen.
Atalanta have four points from two games, having held Arsenal to a 0-0 draw in their opening match, and Shakhtar remained on one point, after they played out a scoreless draw in the first game against Italian side Bologna.
Atalanta went ahead in the 21st minute when Lookman curled a cross into the area which found Berat Djimsiti in front of goal and he controlled the ball before poking it past the keeper.
Atalanta doubled the lead a minute before the break when Sead Kolasinac squared a pass to Lookman in the middle of the area and the Nigerian struck a first-time shot through the legs of his marker Marlon Gomes into the bottom corner of the net.
The game was all but over as a contest three minutes into the second half after Lookman played the ball out wide to Davide Zappacosta and his cross into the six-yard box was headed home by Raoul Bellanova.
At 3-0, Lookman, who also hit the crossbar in the first half, was taken off with over half an hour to play, his work done for the night and the tie ended with the same scoreline as the last time the sides met in the Champions League in 2019.
-Reuters
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