|
Roma, Chelsea, Schalke through
06/03/2008 07:52 - (SA)
Belgrade - Roma knocked Real Madrid out of the Champions League at the Bernabeu on Wednesday to reach the quarter-finals and were joined by Chelsea and Schalke 04.
Roma's 2-1 win secured a 4-2 aggregate victory while Chelsea thrashed Olympiakos Piraeus 3-0 and Schalke beat Porto 4-1 on penalties following a 1-1 draw over two legs.
The Italians never looked overawed by nine times European
champions Madrid and were unlucky not to take a first-half lead
when Alberto Aquilani's screamer from 30m hit the post.
Spanish champions Real, sorely missing injured striker Ruud
Van Nistelrooy, lacked ideas in midfield and bite up front but
nearly took the lead themselves early in the second half when
Julio Baptista's free kick from 25 metres hit the bar.
They fell behind to a flying Taddei header in the 73rd
minute, shortly after having central defender Pepe sent off, and
Roma's passage to the last eight was sealed by substitute Mirko Vucinic after a Raul goal had briefly restored Real's hopes.
Successive
Raul slotted Robinho's through ball past goalkeeper Doni in the 75th minute but Vucinic silenced the vociferous home crowd
with an injury-time header as Real threw men forward.
Roma coach Luciano Spaletti was delighted with his team's
second Champions League win in their fourth outing at the
Bernabeu that condemned Real to their fourth successive
first-knockout round exit.
"I expected a tough game but my team came here to get a
result and they responded perfectly," he told a news conference.
"We suffered at times but we deserved to go through. We
didn't steal this tie from Real. I think both sides played well and that makes the win here at this ground even more special."
Schalke, having reached the knockout round for the first
time in three attempts, continued their run by beating Porto,
whose left back Fucile was sent off in the 82nd minute.
Lisandro had given 2004 champions Porto a 1-0 lead on the
night four minutes later with an unstoppable shot on the turn to
force extra time but missed his team's final spot kick.
Celebrations
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer kept Schalke afloat with a string of
saves before denying Bruno Alves and Lisandro in the shootout.
Jermaine Jones then steered in the final spot-kick to start
his team's celebrations at the Dragao stadium.
"That was a real fighting display," Schalke coach Mirko Slomka told Premiere TV. "We gave everything.
"It was a super performance from Manuel Neuer, and not only in the penalty shootout. He also made fantastic saves during the match."
Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard and Salomon Kalou settled a
one-sided game at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea joined Premier
League rivals Arsenal and Manchester United in the last eight.
If Liverpool beat Inter Milan when they visit the Italian
Champions with a 2-0 first-leg lead next Tuesday then all four
English teams will be through to the quarter-finals.
The match in west London was five minutes old when Ballack
set Chelsea on their way by heading home Lampard's cross at the near post for his first Champions League goal of the season.
The pair changed roles as Lampard stroked home a rebound to
make it 2-0 after visiting goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis could
only parry Ballack's shot. Ivory Coast forward Kalou completed the scoring from close range shortly after the break.
"We held the ball well, we were patient and quick when we
needed to be," Chelsea coach Avram Grant told a news conference. "I was happy because we played some clever football."
|
Rugby
