Afflalo and PSG sink Magic end Olympiakos road17 skid to progress THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013 19 Mourinho admits mistakes in Chelsea defeat Page 18 LEVERKUSEN: Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno (right) collides with Manchester United’s Shinji Kagawa during the Champions League group A soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester United yesterday. — AP United brush off Bayer, reach last 16 LEVERKUSEN: Manchester United confirmed their place in and his free-kick which Spahic headed into his own net. September, United got their wish to be able to focus on just before the hour mark when they laid siege to the United the Champions League’s knock-out phase with an emphatic His shot led to Evans’ goal and his deft chip beat improving their sixth place in the Premier League with their goal as they hit the post and forced goalkeeper David de Gea 5-0 win at an overwhelmed Bayer Leverkusen yesterday. A Leverkusen’s goalkeeper Bernd Leno and found Smalling place in the knock-out stages confirmed. Despite all their pre- into a point-blank save.At the other end, Rooney slipped his volley from right-back Antonio Valencia and an own goal unmarked for the fourth. The result keeps David Moyes’ match talk about not being intimidated, as they were for their marker, but pushed his shot wide as United threatened a third from Leverkusen centre-back Emir Spahic gave United a com- United top of Group A and three points ahead of second- 4-2 defeat at Old Trafford in September, Leverkusen allowed goal. manding early lead before defender Jonny Evans added a placed Shakhtar Donetsk, who United host at Old Trafford in a United to run riot throughout. United’s opener came when It came moments later from a corner when Rooney forced third with an hour gone. fortnight. Donetsk’s 4-0 win at home to Real Sociedad means Kagawa won the ball in midfield, squared to Giggs, who Bayer goalkeeper Bernd Leno into a save and centre-back England defender Chris Smalling added their fourth on 77 Leverkusen drop to third in the group and a point behind the found Rooney on the left wing. Evans collected the rebound, rounded the stranded Leno and minutes after he met Wayne Rooney’s chip at the back post. Ukrainians. Having offered little resistance against United, The England striker floated his pass over two Leverkusen tapped home on 66 minutes. The fourth came 13 minutes Nani then latched on to a Ryan Giggs long ball for a fine solo Leverkusen now need to win at Real Sociedad in their final defenders and Kagawa, but found Valencia at the back post from time when Kagawa slid his pass through the Leverkusen goal for the fifth on 88 minutes with the Leverkusen defense game, and hope United beat Donetsk, to reach the last 16. on 22 minutes. The Premier League side doubled their tally defense for Rooney to chip over Leno and give Smalling the in tatters. England’s Rooney proved he can create as well as Leverkusen deservedly suffered their first home defeat in when Rooney’s free-kick was headed into his own net by simplest of tap-ins. With the defense all at sea, Nani met a deft finish as he had a hand in the first four goals in an outstand- 14 games since losing 2-1 to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga Spahic, under pressure from United right-back Chris Smalling long ball from Giggs, rounded Leno and fired home for a fine ing performance. It was his cross which Valencia converted back in March. Now unbeaten in 11 matches since on 30 minutes. Leverkusen had their best passage of pressure individual goal which summed up United’s night. — AFP Bayern rack up 10th straight CL victory Guardiola’s side seal 3-1 away victory MOSCOW: Bayern Munich eased past CSKA difficult because the players had no grip. But players including Franck Ribery, Bastian Moscow 3-1 yesterday to set a Champions over 90 minutes we were better than our Schweinsteiger and Mario Mandzukic, are top League (CL) record with their 10th straight opponents. Getting 10 wins in a row is very on 15 points from five games, with also quali- victory and underline their ambitions to hard and I am proud of my players, the club fied City on nine from four matches. The become the first team to successfully defend and everyone involved.” Russians are third on three. On a freezing the title. The Bavarians, who had already Barcelona set the previous record of nine Moscow evening and amid heavy snowfall, it qualified for the knockout stage, struck wins in 2002-3. The Germans, the only team was the hosts who got off to a stronger start against the run of play in snowy Moscow in the competition with a perfect record this with Sergei Ignashevich’s header cleared off with Arjen Robben’s superb left-footed strike season, have not yet secured top spot in the line by Dante in the fifth minute. in the 17th minute. Mario Goetze added Group D and will await the result between But Bayern, who also set a club record with another after a fine run before Keisuke Honda Manchester City and Viktoria Plzen later. “It is their sixth straight Champions League away cut the deficit with a penalty just after the a fantastic achievement to win 10 consecu- win, stunned the home crowd with their first hour. tive games in Europe especially if you consid- chance as Robben finished well after Toni Thomas Mueller responded with a penalty er we also played Barcelona and then Kroos’ pinpoint through-ball and Thomas MADRID: Galatasaray’s Ivorian forward Didier Drogba (left) vies with Real Madrid’s midfielder Asier of his own to restore their two-goal lead in Borussia Dortmund on the way to the final Mueller’s cutback for the Dutchman. Kroos Illarramendi during the UEFA Champions League football match Real Madrid CF vs Galatasaray SK at the the 65th and give Bayern their best ever start (last season),” scorer Robben told reporters. delivered another perfect cross minutes later Santiago Bernabeu stadium yesterday. — AFP with five wins from five group games. “We have said we don’t play for records, we with Robben narrowly failing to connect in “Playing on this pitch today was adventur- play to win titles. But we have a great team the box. CSKA, already out of contention for a ous,” Bayern coach Pep Guardiola told and I am proud to be part of it.” top two finish and desperate to salvage a Madrid trash Galatasaray reporters when asked about the snow. “It was Bayern, who were missing several key Europa League spot, had several good chances either side of the break. Ahmed MADRID: Gareth Bale scored a marvelous free-kick as 10- were then reduced to 10 men after just 26 minutes when Musa, who broke clear, managed only a weak man Real Madrid eased into the last 16 of the Champions Ramos pulled back Bulut as he raced onto a ball over the shot under pressure on the stroke of halftime. League with a 4-1 win over Galatasaray yesterday. Madrid top and Scottish referee Willie Collum had no hesitation of Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer then snatched had to play just under three quarters of the game with a brandishing the 17th red card of Ramos’ Madrid career. the ball from under Honda’s legs after the man less after Sergio Ramos was shown a red card for drag- Madrid coped admirably despite the sending-off and ging back Umut Bulut as he broke clear on goal. Bale then were in front on 37 minutes when Bale sending a dipping Japanese waited too long to shoot. Honda opened the scoring with his fifth goal in six games, but free-kick from fully 35 yards into the top corner. The lead then missed another golden opportunity Bulut equalized for the Turkish champions just a minute lasted barely 60 seconds, though, as a wonderful through when he failed to connect with a simple tap- later. Alvaro Arbeloa restored Real’s lead just after the break ball from Didier Drogba played in Bulut to level. Bale in before Bayern, on the backfoot again, and the full-back then teed up Angel di Maria to make the should have restored Madrid’s lead when he fired an effort struck back through Goetze. points safe 12 minutes later. And Isco rounded off the scor- just over from inside the area. But Los Blancos did make it The midfielder, who was also on target in ing with a wonderful piece of skill as he left Selcuk Inan on 2-1 just six minutes after the interval through an unlikely Saturday’s 3-0 league win over his former side the floor before side-footing the ball home. Victory seals source as Arbeloa bundled home Di Maria’s cross. Borussia Dortmund, netted with a fine solo Madrid’s place in the last 16 as group winners, whilst Arbeloa then saw another effort fly just wide before effort. The hosts cut the deficit with a 62nd Galatasaray will have to beat Juventus at home on match- venturing forward once more to square for Di Maria to minute penalty by Honda after a handball by day six if they are to qualify after the Italian champions make it 3-1. Galatasaray boss Roberto Mancini introduced Dante but their joy was short-lived with beat FC Copenhagen 3-1 in the night’s other match in former Real favorite Wesley Sneijder in a bid to turn the Bayern restoring the two-goal cushion thanks Group B.