On a night of high drama at Old Trafford, FC Porto fought back to earn a 2-2 at Manchester United FC thanks to an 89th-minute equaliser from substitute Mariano.

Absorbing
United looked to have snatched victory from this absorbing quarter-final first leg when their own substitute Carlos Tévez put them 2-1 in front with six minutes remaining but Mariano’s even later intervention means that just as they did five years ago, Porto left Old Trafford celebrating a draw. It was richly deserved too, Porto going in front through Cristián Rodríguez’s fourth-minute strike – his first in the UEFA Champions League – and continuing to trouble United even after Wayne Rooney’s equaliser on the quarter-hour.

Early strike
Where Porto’s 1-1 draw here took them past United in the 2003/04 first knockout round, this result – and performance – will give Jesualdo Ferreira’s team real hope of ousting the champions in next Wednesday’s second leg in Portugal. Porto fulfilled Ferreira’s pre-game promise that his players would rise to the occasion, attacking United from the off. Lisandro gave United an early warning when he tested Edwin van der Sar with a near-post drive inside the third minute. Sixty seconds later the Dutch goalkeeper was beaten. Cristiano Ronaldo lost the ball inside his own half and though Jonny Evans intercepted Lucho’s through pass, the Northern Irishman diverted the ball straight to Rodríguez, who cut inside and drove a left-footed shot across Van der Sar and into the far corner.

Last-gasp Mariano Goal Puts Porto in Position … read more »

There will be an English flavour to the UEFA Champions League quarter-final draw in Nyon on Friday 20 March after Manchester United FC and Arsenal FC swelled the Premier League contingent to four by eliminating Italian opposition on Wednesday.

Open draw
Holders United, 2-0 winners on the night and on aggregate against FC Internazionale Milano, join Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC in the hat along with an Arsenal side who needed penalties to oust AS Roma after both legs finished 1-0 to the home team. FC Barcelona and east-coast rivals Villarreal CF are also still involved, although fellow Spanish Liga side Club Atlético de Madrid were knocked out by FC Porto on away goals. FC Bayern München, 12-1 aggregate victors against Sporting Clube de Portugal, complete the eight-team lineup. The draw is open and without country protection.

Stadio Olimpico final
The event at UEFA HQ begins from 12.00CET and will be conducted by UEFA General Secretary David Taylor and the ambassador for the Rome final, Bruno Conti. The quarter-final first legs will be played on 7/8 April and the return matches the following week. The four winning teams will know who they will meet in the semi-finals – taking place on 28/29 April and 5/6 May – as those pairings will also be decided during the draw ceremony. The final will be played on Wednesday 27 May at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 20.45CET.

2008/09 UEFA Champions League quarter-final lineup

Arsenal FC (England)
Chelsea FC (England)
FC Barcelona (Spain)
FC Bayern München (Germany)
FC Porto (Portugal)
Liverpool FC (England)
Manchester United FC (England)
Villarreal CF (Spain)

Aggregate: 2 – 0
Man. United         2 – 0        Internazionale
Vidić 4,
Cristiano Ronaldo 49

Manchester United FC progressed to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals after headed goals from Nemanja Vidić and Cristiano Ronaldo earned them a 2-0 victory over FC Internazionale Milano.

Nervy night
The champions of England, Europe and the world remain on course for an unprecendented quintuple of trophies this term after surviving an uncomfortable encounter with the Serie A leaders, who could easily have scored at least one goal. Inter’s coach José Mourinho arrived here with a reputation for getting results against United – most famously with FC Porto five years ago – but while he left with a chorus of “You’re not special any more” ringing in his ears, his side certainly ensured a nervy night for their hosts.

Urgent start
Rather than energise United, Vidić’s fourth-minute opening goal seemed to send Sir Alex Ferguson’s men into their shells in a stuttering first-half display. Vidić had rewarded an urgent start when he got clear of Patrick Vieira and met Ryan Giggs’s corner with a powerful header which flew inside an unguarded far post. Yet United, apparently unsure whether to defend their advantage or push on, did neither.

Holders United Head Through To Quarter-finals … read more »

Aggregate: 6 – 3
Barcelona         5 – 2         Lyon
Henry 25, 27,                        Makoun 44, Juninho 48
Messi 40, Eto’o 43,
Keita 90+ 5

Four goals in 18 first-half minutes and a superb individual display from Thierry Henry helped FC Barcelona into the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals at the expense of Olympique Lyonnais despite a defiant performance from the French champions.

Decisive spell
Henry, who had worked with Lyon coach Claude Puel at AS Monaco FC, put the home team in front in the 25th minute and added another composed finish two minutes later as the visitors were punished for lapses in concentration. After Lionel Messi made it 3-0, Henry set up Samuel Eto’o to thump in a fourth, although Lyon – beaten in the first knockout round for the third year in a row – refused to concede defeat, Jean II Makoun and Juninho Pernambucano restoring respectability to the scoreline with strikes either side of half-time. The latter was sent off in stoppage time, however, and appropriately Barcelona had the last word as substitute Seydou Keita scored a fifth in added time.

Lyon undone
The opening goals had carried plenty of warning but the roars which greeted them signified both joy and relief because Puel’s side had played with enthusiasm to keep Barça at bay. After the creativity of Andrés Iniesta had given Xavi Hernández and Eto’o glimpses of Hugo Lloris’s goal, once again it was Henry – author of the vital headed equaliser in the first leg – who unlocked the away defence. The opener bore the creative hallmark of Rafael Márquez. Lyon, having been encamped in their penalty area for several minutes, suddenly lost their defensive shape and surged forward. Márquez won a loose ball and instantly angled a clever chipped pass over Cris and Jean-Alain Boumsong for Henry to streak through and slide past the exposed Lloris. Two minutes later Xavi spotted the Frenchman alone and in line with the Lyon back four; speed of thought and pass left Henry to supply another assured finish. Suddenly Barça’s path to the quarter-finals looked clear.

First-half Flurry Seals Barça Passage … read more »

Aggregate: 1 – 1 Arsenal (7 – 6) win on penalties Arsenal
Roma    1 – 0     Arsenal
Juan 9

Arsenal FC are through to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals after an epic penalty shoot-out win at AS Roma.

Shoot-out
It took only nine minutes for Roma defender Juan to level the aggregate scores, yet almost two hours later – despite numerous chances at either end – there was still nothing to choose between the sides as first extra time and then spot-kicks ensued. Both goalkeepers made saves in the shoot-out, from Mirko Vučinić and Eduardo da Silva respectively, before Max Tonetto’s decisive miss. Tonetto blazed Roma’s eighth effort over as the Giallorossi’s dream of playing the final at their home stadium, as they had done in 1984, died.

Juan strikes
Arsenal, who had come to attack, made the more assured opening, but the first few minutes turned out to be all about Juan. First the Brazilian, back from a thigh injury, came to David Pizarro’s rescue after Robin van Persie had pounced on a back-pass. The centre-back then briefly limped off with the majority of the 65,000 tifosi fearing the worst, yet was soon back with a bang as Francesco Totti’s left-wing cross found its way through the legs of William Gallas and Rodrigo Taddei for Juan to control before calmly side-footing past Manuel Almunia.

Arsenal Advance After Epic Rome Shoot-out … read more »