Steven Bloor 

Champions League 2011-12: Matchday three – in pictures

A round-up of the best images from all the matches including those of Manchester City and Manchester United
  
  


Tuesday Champions League: Cani scores against Manchester City after only 4 minutes
Premier League leaders Manchester City are still searching for their first Champions League victory, and after just four minutes is looks like they might have to wait a bit longer as they go a goal behind. What's worse is that it is down to sloppy play by City. Firstly David Silva makes a loose pass in midfield and then Nigel De Jong puts in an inadequate tackle. Giuseppe Rossi then shoots from the edge of the box and Joe Hart can only parry the ball back out to the edge of the six yard box where Cani reacts first to slot the ball into the net. Not the sort of start Roberto Mancini would be wanting Photograph: Roger Parker/Fotosports/EPA
Tuesday Champions League: David Silva comes off second best in a challenge with Gonzalo Rodriguez
Despite City having the lion's share of possession they're unable to overcome Villarreal's tenacious defending. Here Silva comes off second best in a challenge with Gonzalo Rodriguez Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
Tuesday Champions League: Adam Johnson of Manchester City tangles with Villarreal's Bruno Soriano
Mancini elects to play Adam Johnson from the start, a rarity these days, but five minutes before half-time he seems to have changed his mind and brings off Johnson for Gareth Barry. Unsurprisingly Johnson doesn't look too happy with the decision Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Tuesday Champions League: Villarreal's Marchena scores an own goal & Manchester City's Dzeko cheers
Three minutes later the home side are on level terms courtesy of an own goal by Villarreal's Carlos Marchena. He stuck out a leg to prevent a vicious low cross from reaching Edin Dzeko, which he did, but unfortunately he diverted it into his own net Photograph: Nigel Roddis/Reuters
Tuesday Champions League: Dzeko tries to take on Borja Valero and Cani in search for a winner
Dzeko tries to take on Borja Valero and Cani in search for a winner, but he seems out of sorts today - he's having trouble finding the target with either his boots or his head Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Tuesday Champions League: David Silva backheels the ball
Just as the City staff were no doubt rehearsing their "glad to have a point...no easy matches at this level..." type of excuses, City put together one final attack deep in injury time. James Milner plays a lovely disguised pass to Pablo Zabaleta out on the right who then fires a low ball into the middle. Silva is there at the near post, and he helps the ball on with a tricksy flick with his backheel... Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
Tuesday Champions League: Sergio Aguero celebrates after scoring the winner against Villarreal
… where at the far post Sergio Aguero is waiting to stab the ball home and get Mancini out of jail. You can tell how much the result means to the City boss by the amount of fist-pumping he does on the touchline. So City get their first win in the tournament despite not playing well, but they won't care as it means their dreams of qualifying are still on Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images
Tuesday Champions League: Antonio Valencia comes of second best when he battes with Adrian Salageanu
City's neighbours are also in Champions League action and looking for their first win in this campaign. Though United are dominating the first half they're having trouble breaking down Otelul Galati. Here Antonio Valencia comes off second best when he battles with Adrian Salageanu Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Tuesday Champions League: Sorin Frunza faces a lunging Wayne Rooney
That's not a sight Sorin Frunza or any football would want to see, a lunging Wayne Rooney Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images
Tuesday Champions League: Javier Hernandez soars through the air as he controls a high ball
That's a bit more graceful, Javier Hernandez soars through the air as he controls a high ball Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Tuesday Champions League: Manchester United's Fabio
The advertising hoardings have some advice for Manchester United's Fabio Photograph: AP
Tuesday Champions League: Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring a penalty against Otelal Galati
Sergfiu Costin should take that hoarding's advice as just after the hour mark, for some inexplicable reason he sticks out his arm and bats the ball as it's played across the area. The referee points to the spot. Wayne Rooney sends Galati keeper Branko Grahovac the wrong way and it's 1-0 to United Photograph: John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images
Tuesday Champions League: Wayne Rooney scores his 2nd penalty in United's 2-0 win over Otelul Galati
In injury time Rooney gets a chance for a repeat performance when he goes down like a sack of spuds after a tap from Liviu Antal. Rooney hits the ball to the same side and this time Grahovac guesses correctly but he's beaten by the pace and accuracy of Rooney's kick. Like their neighbours, United have got the three points despite not playing particularly well, but as Sir Alex Ferguson's side had yet to win before this match, all he'll care about are those three points Photograph: John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images
Tuesday Champions League: Goekhan Inler of Napoli is fouled by Bayern Munich's Anatoliy Tymoshchuk
Over in Naples it's a tight affair in the game between Napoli and Bayern Munich. The German side went ahead after only two minutes courtesy of a smart shot by Toni Kroos. The home side equalised six minutes before half-time when Maggio's shot was deflected off Badstuber and into the net Photograph: Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images
Tuesday Champions League: Napoli goalkeeper De Sanctis reacts after saving a penalty against Bayern
Bayern heap on the pressure after the Napoli equaliser and early in the second half get a penalty after Cannavaro is adjudged to have handled. Mario Gomez steps up and strikes a rather weak penalty which Morgan De Sanctis easily saves diving to his left. The match finishes 1-1 which means Bayern are still top of the group with Napoli second and Man City third Photograph: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters
Tuesday Champions League: FC Basel's Jacques Zoua controls the ball
Despite the high kicking antics of Jacques Zoua FC Basel have no reply to Benfica's two goals. The Portuguese side are now two points clear of Manchester United at the top of Group C Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images
Tuesday Champions League: Lille's Debuchy jumps for the ball with Inter Milan's Cambiasso and Motta
A single goal from Inter's Pazzini is enough to separate the sides in Lille and keep the Italian side top of Group A and the French side at the bottom Photograph: Reuters
Tuesday Champions League: Ronaldo sets up Benzema's goal with a header
At the Bernabeu, Real Madrid were in imperious form and scored four as they swept aside Lyon to register their third consecutive victory and put them top of Group D. The rout started in the 19th minute when a Cristiano Ronaldo header found it's way to Karim Benzema at the far post where he had the easy job of tapping the ball home Photograph: Dani Pozo/AFP/Getty Images
Tuesday Champions League: Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos & Pepe vie with Olympique Lyon's Dejan Lovren
Lyon's Dejan Lovren has his hands full trying to wrestle a scoring opportunity from the Real Madrid defence Photograph: Juan Carlos Hidalgo/EPA
Tuesday Champions League: Real Madrid's Ozil shoots and the ball goes in off Olympique Lyon's Lloris
Mesut Ozil sees his shot come off Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris on it's way into the net for Madrid's third. Romos completed the rout in the 81st minute Photograph: Susana Vera/Reuters
Tuesday Champions League: Kelava and Vida of Dinamo Zagreb struggle to gain control of the ball
This image of Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper Ivan Kelava and Domagoj Vida struggling to gain control of the ball seems to sum up their night as they lost 2-0 at home to Ajax and they stay rooted to the bottom of Group D Photograph: Nikola Solic/Reuters
Tuesday Champions League: Celebrations after CSKA Moscow's 3-0 victory over Trabzonspor
Celebrations over in Moscow after CSKA Moscow's 3-0 victory over Trabzonspor which puts the Russian side in second place in Group B Photograph: Sergey Ponomarev/AP
 

Leave a Comment

Required fields are marked *

*

*