THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2016 SPORTS

UEFA Champions League tables

PARIS: UEFA Champions League group tables after Tuesday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Group A Rostov 4 0 1 3 3 10 1 Arsenal 4 3 1 0 12 3 10 — qualified Group E Paris SG 4 3 1 0 9 3 10 Monaco 3 1 2 0 4 3 5 — qualified Tottenham 3 1 1 1 2 2 4 Basel 4 0 1 3 2 8 1 Leverkusen 3 0 3 0 3 3 3 Ludogorets 4 0 1 3 4 13 1 CSKA Moscow 3 0 2 1 3 4 2

Group B Group F Napoli 4 2 1 1 9 7 7 Dortmund 3 2 1 0 10 3 7 Benfica 4 2 1 1 6 5 7 Real Madrid 3 2 1 0 9 4 7 Besiktas 4 1 3 0 6 5 6 Lisbon 3 1 0 2 4 4 3 Dynamo Kiev 4 0 1 3 2 6 1 3 0 0 3 1 13 0

Group C Group G Barcelona 4 3 0 1 14 4 9 Leicester 3 3 0 0 5 0 9 Man City 4 2 1 1 10 8 7 FC Copenhagen3 1 1 1 5 2 4 M’gladbach 4 1 1 2 4 7 4 FC Porto 3 1 1 1 3 3 4 Celtic 4 0 2 2 4 13 2 Club Brugge 3 0 0 3 1 9 0

Group D Group H Atletico Madrid4 4 0 0 5 1 12 Juventus 3 2 1 0 5 0 7 — qualified Sevilla 3 2 1 0 2 0 7 Bayern Munich4 3 0 1 11 3 9 Lyon 3 1 0 2 3 2 3 — qualified PSV Eindhoven4 0 1 3 4 9 1 Dinamo 3 0 0 3 0 8 0 Postecoglou spares Cahill from Bangkok boot-camp : talisman eight points, two behind leading Saudi : Bayern Munich’s Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso falls over PSV Eindhoven’s Mexican midfielder Andres Guardado (bottom) during will be rested for the World Cup qualifier Arabia, while Thailand have yet to secure a the UEFA Champions League group D football match between PSV Eindhoven and Bayern Munich at the Stadium in Eindhoven on against Thailand to allow the veteran striker point after four straight defeats. Tuesday. —AFP to fully recover from an Achilles complaint Forward , fullbacks Josh that ruled him out of domestic football last Risdon and Milos Degenek, and week. Roar striker have been Cahill’s omission was confirmed yester- retained after being added to the squad of Bayern book berth in last day by coach , who 23 who played the Japan and Saudi Arabia trimmed the Socceroos squad from 30 to qualifiers. 23 for the match in Bangkok on Nov. 15. Forwards Apo Giannou and Chris 16 of Champions League The 36-year-old, who missed Melbourne Ikonolidis as well as defender Ryan City’s 2-1 win over on Friday, is McGowan have been omitted. expected to return to A-League action on Postecoglou was unhappy with his side’s EINDHOVEN: Robert Lewandowski netted win,” said Ancelotti. “It was important that we did later, however, when a Philipp Lahm cross Friday against Brisbane Roar. attack in the home draw against Japan and twice on Tuesday as Bayern Munich came from not lose our self-confidence after it went 1-1. clipped the hand of Andres Guardado. But Postecoglou said he would be criticised his team for “wasting half the behind to win 2-1 at PSV Eindhoven and seal “We still have two games to reach first place. Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi pointed to the spared the trip to Thailand where the game” before lifting in the second half. their place in the last 16 of the Champions “This is important, but qualifying was more spot and Lewandowski converted the penalty Socceroos will have an intensive training He will hope the injection of more pace League. important.” past PSV goalkeeper , who was camp before the qualifier. out wide from wingers Burns and Tommy ’s side are guaranteed a place Having lost 4-1 away in Munich a fortnight making his Champions League debut. “Tim has been left out primarily because Oar can create more chances against lowly in the top two in Group D with two matches still ago, PSV took a shock lead when It was 1-1 at the break and Bayern were all we have a 10-day lead in, which is very rare, Thailand. to play after a night on which Poland hot-shot headed the hosts ahead inside the opening business at the start of the second half as left- and I want to be able to put the squad “Jamie Maclaren has started the season Lewandowski could have scored five goals, hav- quarter of an hour in controversial fashion. back David Alaba cut back inside to force an ear- through a lot of work,” Postecoglou said in well in Brisbane and transformed that form ing also hit the woodwork on three occasions. Thomas Mueller had a chance in the first two ly save from Pasveer. With 25 minutes left, a media release. into a goal on the weekend so he will come “Overall we played well going forward, but minutes and Lewandowski hit the crossbar with Ancelotti injected some pace by bringing on “He has done a lot of travel for club and into the squad, as will Burnsy, which gives took a little bit too long to move the ball in the a header with barely four minutes gone at the wingers Douglas Costa and Kingsley Coman for country and I have decided it is better he us options up front,” he said. first half,” said Bayern’s forward Thomas before the home side took a Robben and Joshua Kimmich. “I tried to change remains in Melbourne where he is being Goalkeepers - , Mitchell Mueller. “We should probably have won by more shock lead. Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer the system to play with two wingers and open managed well to ensure he is back on the Langerak, Defenders - Milos so we can’t be 100 percent satisfied.” Dutch reacted quickly to parry Davy Proepper’s header, the space,” explained Ancelotti. The switch paid park as soon as possible and ready for us Degenek, , , Trent champions PSV’s slim chances of qualifying are but Colombia defender Arias was on hand to off. It was Costa’s excellent pass between two down the track.” Sainsbury, Brad Smith, , over with ’s side third in the section head home the rebound from close range on 14 defenders which freed Alaba to put in the cross Cahill, Australia’s most prolific scorer Midfielders - Craig Goodwin, and eight points adrift of Bayern. Bayern’s home minutes as the visitors’ appeals for offside were for Lewandowski to tap home the winning goal with 48 goals from 94 internationals, has , , , clash on December 6 against Atletico-who are waved away. on 74 minutes. It was his 19th goal in 17 games been used sparingly in the final phase of , , Aaron also through after beating Rostov 2-1 — is likely Lewandowski headed ’s cross for club and country and his fourth in as many qualifying and came off the bench in their Mooy, Tommy Rogic. to decide who wins the group. onto the post on the half-hour amid protests Champions League games this season. last start, a 1-1 draw against Japan in Forwards - Nathan Burns, Craig “It was a painstaking start to the game, but that his marker Hector Moreno was holding him He hit the woodwork for a third time on 85 Melbourne. Goodwin, , , we came back step by step and deserved the back. Bayern’s luck finally turned four minutes minutes with a half volley. — AFP Australia are second in Asia’s Group B on , Jamie Maclaren. —Reuters PSG beat Basel 2-1, advance from Champions League group

BASEL: A brilliant 90th-minute goal by Thomas Meunier sealed Paris Saint-Germain’s easy progress into the Champions League round of 16 with a 2-1 win at Basel on Tuesday. A point would have been enough for PSG to progress alongside Group A rival Arsenal when the Gunners scored late to complete a come-from-behind 3-2 win at Ludogorets Razgrad. But PSG defender Meunier made it emphatic with a spinning volleyed shot from outside the penalty area into the top right corner of Basel’s goal. PSG had only Blaise Matuidi’s 43th-minute goal - a deft flick with the inside of his right heel - to reflect its domination until Basel equal- ized with a stunning strike in the 76th. Substitute Luca Zuffi was 35 meters out when he spot- ted goalkeeper Alphonse Areola had strayed off his goal- line, and fired a dipping shot into the net. Basel finished with 10 players after Ivory Coast midfield- er Geoffroy Serey Die was shown two yellow cards with six minutes left in the game. PSG and Arsenal both have 10 points and meet in London on Nov. 23. Arsenal leads the SOFIA: Arsenal’s Aaron Ramssey fights for the ball with Ludogorets’ Natanael during group with a better and would gain by a the Champions League group A soccer match at Vassil Levski stadium in Sofia, draw. It was a winning return to Basel for PSG coach Unai Bulgaria, Tuesday. —AP Emery, nearly six months after he led Sevilla to a third straight Europa League title here against Liverpool. For Basel, unbeaten in domestic league and cup match- Arsenal advances in Champions es, it was a first loss at St. Jakob Park this season. The peren- nial Swiss champion has struggled in Group A, and has not League with win at Ludogorets MADRID: Atletico Madrid’s French forward Antoine Griezmann (R) scores during the led in any of its four matches. UEFA Champions League Group D football match Club Atletico de Madrid vs FC Basel and Ludogorets each has one point and plays in SOFIA: Arsenal sealed its place in the before halftime,” Arsenal manager Arsene Rostov at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, on Tuesday. — AFP Bulgaria on Nov. 23. That game that could decide which knockout stage of the Champions Wenger said. “Now we play Paris at home team finishes third and transfers to the Europa League League after coming back from two and we have a chance to finish top. It is round of 32 in February. The teams drew 1-1 at Basel in goals down to grab a late 3-2 victory at good that we have two excellent goal- Fired-up Atletico determined to their opening match. Ludogorets on Tuesday. keepers and this game proved why we claim Champions League prize PSG took a deserved lead following a corner from the Mesut Ozil scored the winner two need them.” left. The ball broke to defender Meunier whose minutes from time at the Natsionalen Arsenal seemed comfortably in con- shot across the goalmouth was directed in by Matuidi with Stadion Vasil Levski, securing a spot in trol in the early stages before Cafu struck MADRID: Atletico Madrid’s last-gasp 2-1 “At home we want to win every game 3- his back to goal. forward Edinson Cavani was wasteful win over Rostov on Tuesday which sealed a 0 or 4-0 but sometimes teams close up the last 16 for the Gunners for the 17th against the run of play, scoring in the in the 19th when he chipped a shot high over the goal consecutive season. The German interna- 12th minute following a free kick from place in the Champions League last 16 was shop and it’s tough. This is the Champions when sent clear on Basel goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik, and the latest demonstration that Diego League, and we’ve proved we’re in the top tional, who scored a hat trick in a 6-0 rout Wanderson. Meunier twice failed to score with clear shooting chances of the Bulgarians in the previous round Just three minutes later, Cafu set up Simeone’s side are even more determined 16 teams in Europe.” in the second half. — AP to win the trophy that has twice slipped Atletico have evolved from being built of matches, showed his scoring instincts Ke?eru to double the lead from close from their grasp. on defence and counter-attacks to a fluid, again with a superb solo effort after a range. In Arsenal’s previous three After losing to Real Madrid in the final complete team with an ability to hammer breakaway. Champions League games, David Ospina last season on penalties and in extra-time opponents, demonstrated in La Liga by a 7- He collected a through ball, lifted it had conceded only one goal. But the in 2014, Atletico have got stronger in the 1 victory over Granada in mid-October and over goalkeeper Milan Borjan, and then Arsenal goalkeeper made a great save in competition, winning all four of their Saturday’s 4-2 win against Malaga. evaded two defenders before calmly the second half, denying Wanderson one Group D games so far with only Leicester They have also retained a knack for win- slotting into an empty net. “It’s not over -on-one on a counterattack. City matching their 100 percent record. ning testing games by the tightest of mar- until it’s over!” Ozil tweeted. “Difficult Xhaka started the comeback in the Simeone’s men had beaten Bayern gins, particularly in the Champions League, start but great comeback with our 3:2 20th off a cross by Ozil from the left. Munich, PSV Eindhoven and Rostov 1-0 but where they have beaten all of their oppo- win today.” After scoring his first two goals of the Tuesday’s dramatic late win over the nents a solitary goal. Ludogorets struck twice within three season against Sunderland on Saturday Russians was the closest they have come to “We have more alternatives this season,” minutes in the first half through as a substitute, Giroud led the attack dropping points, needing a 94th minute said midfielder Koke, who has taken a more Jonathan Cafu and Claudiu Keseru, only from the start and made his presence felt Antoine Griezmann goal to snatch victory. central role after being used on the left for Arsenal to equalize with goals from three minutes before the halftime, head- The Frenchman, who opened the scor- wing in previous campaigns. “We were hard Granit Xhaka and Olivier Giroud before ing home an Aaron Ramsey cross to level ing just before the half-hour mark to end a to predict last season too, but now we are run of five games without a goal before even more varied.” Atletico top the group the interval. the tie. Ramsey was returning to the Azmoun quickly equalised, thought his on 12 points with two games remaining Arsenal is tied with Paris Saint- starting 11 after a long-term injury. winner had been ruled out for offside and and will battle it out with Bayern, who have BASEL: Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentinian forward Germain atop Group A with 10 points Ozil then secured all the points when had to wait before wildly celebrating. nine, for top spot and seeded status in the Angel Di Maria (C) falls between Basel’s Ivorian defend- from four games. Both have qualified he sped through to score on the break. “In Atletico we always appreciate these last 16 draw. They host PSV on Nov. 23, and er Adama Traore (L) and Basel’s Czech defender Marek with two group stage games to go. The Gunners have now gone 15 games types of wins,” said defender Filipe Luis. “It visit Bayern, who they beat in September, Suchy (R) during the UEFA Champions League group A The French club won 2-1 at Basel. “I unbeaten in all competitions since the often happens. on Dec 6. —Reuters football match. — AFP was delighted that we managed to level opening day of the season. —AP