Rangers’ Champions League hopes were left hanging in the balance when a late equaliser from Unirea Urziceni denied them a crucial first victory in the tournament this season. A 4-1 defeat to the Romanian champions at Ibrox a fortnight ago meant Rangers headed into tonight’s clash in Bucharest knowing defeat would spell the end of their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages.

Lee McCulloch thought he had secured the win with a superb strike with just 11 minutes to go but Unirea hit back to claim a point when substitute Marius Onofras grabbed a last-gasp leveller. (more…)

Sevilla joined the growing list of clubs to have booked their spot in the last 16 of the Champions League tonight after holding on for a draw against battling Stuttgart at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium. Winger Jesus Navas, captaining the side in the absence of a number of senior players, put Sevilla ahead in the 14th minute but the visitors staged a second-half fightback and deservedly claimed a point thanks to Zdravko Kuzmanovic’s deflected 25-yard strike 12 minutes from time.

The result ends Sevilla’s 100% record in Group G but, thanks to the 1-1 draw in the match between Unirea Urziceni and Rangers, they are guaranteed a place in the knockout stages. (more…)

Two goals in the last five minutes spared Jose Mourinho’s blushes at Dynamo Kiev and reignited Inter Milan’s Champions League campaign. Andrey Shevchenko, a legend at Inter’s city rivals AC Milan, scored the only goal of the first half after 21 minutes and it looked like being enough for a shock win.

Inter piled on the pressure in the second period and it finally paid off as the in-form Diego Milito equalised in the 86th minute and Wesley Sneijder won it one minute from time. Even a draw would have kept the Italians bottom of Group F, but as it was they went top - a point ahead of Rubin Kazan and Barcelona.
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Liverpool’s hearts were broken by a cruel last-minute equaliser that has all but ended their Champions League dreams for a traumatic season. The much-maligned Ryan Babel had scored a wonderful goal with just seven minutes left and if Liverpool could have hung on to that lead they would still have had a realistic chance of reaching the last 16. But Liverpool’s season has been littered with shattering luck and bitter body blows, as well as beach-ball goals. (more…)

Rubin Kazan followed up their shock victory against Barcelona a fortnight ago with a defensive masterclass to leapfrog their Catalan opponents in Champions League Group F ahead of the evening game between Dynamo Kiev and Inter Milan. Barcelona were the victims of one of the biggest shocks in Champions League history when goals by Aleksandr Ryazantsev and Gokdeniz Karadeniz guided the Russians to a 2-1 victory at the Nou Camp a fortnight ago, also the first game they had won in the competition.

Although Barca dominated possession tonight they produced few clear-cut chances as the Russian champions produced a perfect defensive display and they could even have taken all three points had Alexander Bukharov taken his chances after being introduced as a substitute with a little under half an hour remaining. (more…)

Didier Drogba made a scoring return to European action to help Chelsea through to the last 16 of the Champions League, even though his brace could not help the Blues continue their 100% record against Atletico Madrid tonight. Drogba had missed Chelsea’s opening three Group D games through suspension, but he was brought straight back into the starting line-up and looked to have earned Carlo Ancelotti’s side the win with two goals in the last eight minutes.

Those strikes cancelled out a stunning volley by Atletico striker Sergio Aguero in the 66th minute, but the young Argentinian had the last say as he curled home a brilliant injury-time free-kick to salvage a 2-2 draw for the hosts.
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AC Milan and Real Madrid shared the points at San Siro in a 1-1 draw to leave both on course for the second round of the Champions League. Karim Benzema gave Real the lead in the 29th minute, but Ronaldinho replied with a penalty ten minutes before the break.

Alexandre Pato had a goal controversially disallowed moments later before Dida denied Raul a late winner in a dramatic game at the San Siro. (more…)

Antonio Valencia’s deflected injury-time effort preserved Manchester United’s long Champions League unbeaten home record and swept Sir Alex Ferguson’s men into the last 16. Trailing 3-1 to a spirited CSKA Moscow outfit with barely six minutes remaining, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side delved into their box of tricks, pulling a goal back through Paul Scholes before Valencia’s 25-yard effort flew in off Georgi Schennikov.

The perfect ending was denied new dad Wayne Rooney when he curled what would have been the winner over the bar.
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