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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2013 SPORTS Sneijder sinks Juventus to send ‘Gala’ to last 16 Galatasaray 1 MILAN: AC Milan forward Mario Balotelli (right) grimaces in pain after being Juventus 0 fouled by Ajax’s Daley Blind during a Champions League, Group H, soccer match between AC Milan and Ajax yesterday. —AP ISTANBUL: An 85th minute strike from Wesley Sneijder secured what Milan limp will go down as a controversial 1-0 win for Galatasaray over Juventus and a place in the last 16 of the Champions League yesterday. into last 16 Galatasaray’s second win in six games left them second in Group B on seven points, allowing the Turkish again went close in the 19th minute with giants to join Real Madrid in the last Davy Klaassen’s diving header which 16 of the competition. Juventus fin- AC Milan 0 Abbiati did well to turn around his post. A ished third on six points, two more moment of madness from Montolivo saw than FC Copenhagen, and drop into him shown a straight red card and left the Europa League. Milan with 10 men for the remaining 68 The match resumed in the 32nd Ajax 0 minutes. minute at the Ali Sami Yen stadium Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri after officials called a halt to pro- immediately rang the changes, bringing ceedings while the match stood off Italy forward Stephan El Shaarawy - scoreless on Tuesday due to heavy ISTANBUL: Galatasaray’s players celebrate winning during the UEFA Champions League group B MILAN: AC Milan is through to the who was making his first start after three snowfall. Officials had managed to football match yesterday, at Turk Telekom Arena in Istanbul. —AFP Champions League last 16 after holding months out with injury - and replacing clear the pitch of snow for the Ajax to a goalless draw yesterday despite him with Andrea Poli. Milan fans, realizing remaining 59 minutes of the game, another postponement. “It was diffi- Juventus eventually grew into their final 20 minutes, with Carlos Tevez playing most of the match with 10 men how difficult the situation had become, however snow continued to fall and cult to play the ball, maybe it would stride and were by far the dominant finally finding his feet. On 74 minutes after captain Riccardo Montolivo was sent immediately got behind the players, several areas of the pitch were virtu- have been better not to play. It was team towards the end of the second the Argentinean striker squeezed off. Montolivo was shown a straight red upping the noise levels at San Siro and ally unplayable. Juventus coach dangerous for the players,” Mancini period, however the chances they did between two defenders on the right card in the 22nd minute for a stamp on resoundly jeering every time Poulsen Antonio Conte was clearly unhappy, told Sky Sport Italia. create were only ever half-chances. and from the resulting corner defend- Christian Poulsen. The Ajax midfielder was touched the ball. Ajax almost made its especially as a large chunk of dam- “It was a difficult situation, but Four minutes after the restart er Giorgio Chiellini saw an effort go loudly jeered every time he touched the numerical advantage count immediately aged pitch lay in Juventus’s attacking the lads did well. The point we took Frenchman Paul Pogba, playing in wide. ball and was substituted at halftime. but Schone was denied by another fine end for the second half. from Turin served us well and today central midfield for injured Andrea Four minutes later Tevez failed to Poulsen had gone closest to scoring but Abbiati save. He complained vociferously of the we deserved the win.” Conte said his Pirlo, managed to get a shot away get enough height on his cross from headed off the inside of the post in the The Dutch side could have taken the playing conditions to the match ref- pleas to have the match postponed from outside the area as Galatasary the right of goal as Juventus piled the fifth minute. Ajax dominated but failed to lead on the stroke of halftime when it was eree at half-time, but to no avail. It fell on deaf ears. “We’ve been penal- failed to clear but his effort was col- pressure on. And minutes later Tevez find the goal it needed, thanks mainly to awarded a free kick in a dangerous, cen- made for a farcical game of football, ized in a very harsh manner,” com- lected by Fernando Muslera. cut the ball back for Claudio an impressive performance from Milan tral position after Sulley Muntari shoul- with many passes incomplete, over- plained the Juventus coach. “I con- Sneijder was next to show a Marchisio following Arturo Vidal’s goalkeeper Christian Abbiati. der-barged over Klaassen. But Schone played and stuck in the mud as play- gratulated the lads because they glimpse of creation on 54 minutes, smart cross to the left, but Marchisio’s Milan rarely threatened but managed blasted over the crossbar. Milan seemed ers tried to compensate for the poor gave everything they could on a the Dutchman pouncing on a loose first-time strike was straight at to earn the draw it needed to qualify for to be content to camp out in its own half conditions underfoot. Galatasaray pitch that wasn’t fit for football, and ball from Drogba to send a drive nar- Muslera. Juve were having the lion’s the knockout stages for the 11th consecu- and try to attack on the break. coach Roberto Mancini, who took this fact penalized us a lot. rowly wide of Buffon’s upright. Buffon share of play but were ultimately tive season. Milan needed just a point to Massimiliano Allegri’s men did not have a over from Fatih Terim the day before “The shame is that we were then pulled off a superb diving stop stunned five minutes from time when progress and was undefeated at home in single shot on target the entire second holding Juventus to a 2-2 draw in reduced to having to qualify in this down low to block Drogba’s goal- Sneijder beat Buffon at his far post the Champions League. Ajax had not won half and it almost got caught out several Turin, admitted the “dangerous” con- last game. Hopefully the experience bound shot from the edge of the from a tight angle after running on to any of its last six away fixtures in the com- times, but Ajax couldn’t find the finishing ditions should have perhaps led to will serve us well for the future.” area. Juventus moved up a gear in the Drogba’s header. —AFP petition but was full of confidence follow- touch. ing a shock 2-1 defeat of Barcelona. The Abbiati pulled off another good save in visitors almost got off to the perfect start the 67th minute, using his legs to block Zenit make history Wasteful Porto eliminated an angled drive from Klaassen, who had but Cristian Zapata perfectly timed his VIENNA: Zenit St Petersburg created Champions League been left unmarked on the right side of utes as he connected sweetly with Danilo’s interception to clear for a corner as Viktor history by becoming the first team to qualify for the knock- the penalty area. Ajax again went close to cross from the right and the ball rebound- Fischer was about to hit Lasse Schone’s out stages with only six points from six matches after a 4-1 breaking the deadlock but Fischer’s Atletico Madrid 2 ed to safety off the crossbar. Six minutes cross. defeat at Austria Vienna yesterday. The Russian side went attempt rolled narrowly past the far post. later it was Atletico who went in front as Ajax went even closer from the result- through thanks to Porto’s 2-0 defeat at Group G table-top- The visitors almost snatched a win with Garcia’s fierce effort from a narrow angle ing corner but Poulsen headed off the pers Atletico Madrid who finished on 16 points. inside of the left upright. Milan was press- the last kick of the game, but substitute caught Porto keeper Helton napping at his ing but struggling to carve out clear Kolbeinn Sigthorsson’s overhead kick flew Porto 0 near post. goalscoring opportunities, while Ajax narrowly wide of the left post. —AP Silvestre Varela then saw a headed effort Austria Wien 4 clip the bar as Porto responded positively and they had a glorious chance to equalize MADRID: Portuguese champions Porto when Aranzubia upended Martinez inside were left to rue a number of missed oppor- the area. However, Josue’s powerful spot- Zenit 1 tunities as they bowed out of the kick was placed too close to the keeper Champions League with a 2-0 defeat away who redeemed himself with a smart save. It to Atletico Madrid yesterday. The visitors wasn’t to be Martinez’s night as he struck struck the woodwork three times in the the post once more moments later. And Atletico eventually took advantage of Zenit dominated most of the match but Vienna keeper first-half and saw Atletico keeper Daniel Porto’s high line on the counter-attack as Heinz Lindner was in great form, saving three times in quick Aranzubia save Josue’s penalty as goals Costa raced onto Oliver Torres’ through ball succession in the first half to deny Hulk twice and Cristian from Raul Garcia and Diego Costa saw the to round Helton and squeeze home his Ansaldi. Zenit deservedly went ahead on 35 minutes when hosts maintain their unbeaten record in the fourth goal in just three Champions League a fine through ball by Hulk found Aleksandr Kerzhakov who Champions League this season.