Champions League: Chelsea 6-1 Nordsjaelland - Manchester United 0-1 CFR Cluj - Celtic 2-1 Spartak Moscow: As It Happened
Chelsea's reign as Champion League holders is close to an end, Celtic face Spartak Moscow with their qualifcation hopes hanging by a thread and Manchester United meet CFR Cluj
- Group E: Chelsea 6-1 Nordsjaelland- FT; Shakhtar Donetsk 0-1 Juventus- FT
- Group F: Bayern Munich 4-0 BATE Borisov- FT; Lille 0-1 Valencia- FT
- Group G: Barcelona 0-0 Benfica- FT; Celtic 2-1 Spartak Moscow- FT
- Group H: Braga 1-2 Galatasaray- FT; Manchester United 0-1 CFR Cluj- FT
Another amazing end to a Champions League matchday, and let's have a look at which teams will be drawn in the last-16 on 20 December:
Group winners: Paris Saint Germain, Schalke 04, Malaga, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Manchester United
Runners-up: FC Porto, Arsenal, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Valencia, Celtic, Galatasaray.
It promises to a be a thrilling knock-out phase in February. Until then, thak you for joining IBTimes UK for another night of Champions League football.
21:38: Celtic can breath easier now, but my goodness Benfica came close to snatching it. Cardozo went through before the ball was pulled back and smashed over the top of the Barcelona goal. So close for the Portuguese side, but Neil Lennon's men are through. Kris Commons kept his nerve to put them through. Chelsea are out however, the first holders to exit the group phase in the Champions League era despite a big win against Nordsjaelland.
GOAL: Bayern Munich 4-1 BATE Borisov (Flipenko)
21:33: Some good news, and some bad news for Celtic fans. Kim Kallstrom has been sent off for Spartak after going through Kris Commons. The bad news is that Lionel Messi is off at the Nou Camp leaving Barcelona down to 10-men, where Benfica are pushing hard for a winning goal.
21:30: Worth noting that with Chelsea winning and Shaktar losing to Juventus, the holders are going out virtue of their record against the Ukraine side which while it stands at 4-4, the two away goals scored at Stamford Bridge means Donetsk go through at Chelsea's expense. Harsh you could say but thems the rules.
21:28: With Chelsea heading out of the Champions League, and Manchester United looking likely to lose at home to Cluj, it's nice to have some British success on the final night of Champions League group phase action. Four minutes Celtic have to hang on and pray that Benfica don't score late against Barcelona.
21:26: Could that be the goal that sends Celtic through? Samaras does brilliantly to bring the ball down and he wins a penalty after Sichip makes a clumsey challenge. Kris Commons steps up, and batters the ball off the crossbar and over the line. Benfica have nine minutes to find something at the Nou Camp.
GOAL: Celtic 2-1 Spartak Moscow (Commons)
GOAL: Bayern Munich 4-0 BATE Borisov (Alaba)
GOAL: Braga 1-2 Galatasaray (Yilmaz)
21:21: No idea how Celtic aren't ahead at Parkhead. Charlie Mulgrew's header goes into the ground and almost bounces over Pesyakov before the Spartak stopper tipped the ball over the bar. Just 11 minutes left and Celtc must score with the game still level at the Nou Camp.
21:19: Everyone getting in on the act now for Chelsea and this time it's substitute Oscar, who draws Hansen before netting his fourth goal of the group stage. He's been very impressive for The Blues at this level, but it might be his last involvement in the 2012/13 campaign
GOAL: Chelsea 6-1 Nordsjaelland (Oscar)
21:13: At Parkhead, Celtic are toiling it must be said to get a goal which could, could secure their passage into the knock-out phase. Lionel Messi is on at the Nou Camp and remember he is chasing a certain Gurd Muller record this evening, if you hadn't heard.
21:11: A fifth for Chelsea and it's Juan Mata, who exchanges passes with Eden Hazard and simply passes the ball beyond Hansen, who after saving a penalty, has had a torrid evening in the Nordsjaelland goal. All looking like too little too late for the holders through.
GOAL: Chelsea 5-1 Nordsjaelland (Juan Mata)
GOAL: Bayern Munich 3-0 BATE Borisov (Xherdan Shaqiri)
21:07: A spate of goals on the hour mark to update you on. The most significant of those comes in Ukraine, where Kucher's own goal after Lichteiner's cross looks like making Chelsea's 4-1 lead against Nordsjaelland, which Fernando Torres has added to, irrelvant. The Blues need Shakhtar, who need a draw to top the group, to score twice in the remaining 34 minutes if they're to stand any chance of going through.
The other goals come in Group H where despite Galatasaray equalising against Braga, Cluj's opener at Old Trafford through Luis Alberto's stunning strike means the Romania side are going through alongside the Premier League leaders.
GOAL: Braga 1-1 Galatasaray (Burak Vilmaz)
GOAL: Chelsea 4-1 Nordsjaelland (Fernando Torres)
GOAL: Shakhtar Donetsk 0-1 Juventus (Kucher og)
GOAL: Manchester United 0-1 CFR Cluj (Luis Alberto)
20:59: Juan Mata's free-kick is a good one and Gary Cahill's beautifully flighted header beyod Hansen to restore Chelsea's two-goal lead.
GOAL: Chelsea 3-1 Nordsjaelland (Gary Cahill)
20:57: Celtic almost storm back into the lead as Lustig crosses in towards Samaras whose volley rattles the post.
GOAL: Bayern Munich 2-0 BATE Borisov (Thomas Muller)
20:55: Not in script this one. Just 21 seconds after the restart and Nordsjaelland half the deficet through Joshua John, who gets in behind the Chelsea back four and puts the Danish side back in it.
GOAL: Chelsea 2-1 Nordsjaelland (John)
20:52: Perhaps a lifeline for Valencia in the battle to finish top of the Group F as Jerome Boateng is sent off for Bayern Munch six minutes after the break.
20:47: With a significant amount of stoppage time at the end of the first half at Stamford Bridge we're behind a number of the games across Europe, many of which have resumed after the interval.
20:42: With many of the groups already decided we were always in for a slightly tedious night, and bar the events at Stamford Bridge, it's gone with the form book across Europe. Three penalties and two goals have following in west London where Chelsea lead 2-0 but re still heading for Champions League elimination due to Shakhtar's goalless draw with Juventus.
Celtic are also set for their curtain call in their season's Champions League, with a 1-1 draw against Spartak, while Barcelona are holding Benfica, not good enough to see them though to the last 16. Manchester United meanwhile are level with CFR Cluj who are heading through virtue of Braga's lead against Galatasaray.
20:35: The home side double their lead and Fernando Torres is the scorer. Moses plays the ball in behind the Nordsjaelland back four and Torres nips in, is only half tackled by goalkeeper Hansen and the ball breaks for the Spaniard and he puts the ball into the open net. Half-time at Stamford Bridge; a remarkable half of football.
GOAL: Chelsea 2-0 Nordsjaelland (Fernando Torres)
20:29: Celtic have problems now as Spartak grab a deserved leveller. Emenike holds of Ambrose before playing in Ari who chips Fraser Forster and finds the net despite Kelvin Wilson's best efforts. Back in the balance for Nel Lennon's men.
GOAL: Celtic 1-1 Spartak Moscow (Ari)
20:26: Running out ways to describe what we're watching in west London. Chelsea earn a second penalty in as many minutes as Mata's shot deflects onto the hand of Adu. After Hazard's miss, David Luiz steps up to send hansen the wrong way and find the top corner.
GOAL: Chelsea 1-0 Nordsjaelland (David Luiz)
GOAL: Lille 0-1 Valencia (Jonas)
20:23: Unbeliveable stuff at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea, who have Petr Cech to thank after saving a penalty at one end earn one of their own at the othr as Gary Cahill's header is handled. But in keeping with Rafa Benitezis start as manager, Eden Hazard's effort is kept out by Hansen. Remarkable stuff and it stays goalless.
GOAL: Braga 1-0 Galatasaray (Mossoro)
20:20: Well Chelsea were also dead and buried in the Champions League. Nordsjaelland are awarded a penalty for a questionable hand ball against Gary Cahill but Stokholm is denied by Cech.
20:19: United and Celtic both survive attempts on goal from their respective visitors. First at Old Trafford Modou Sougou goes through but Scott Wootton makes a decisive block before north of the border Emineke shoots over when well placed for Spartak.
20:14: Against the bar! The closest Chelsea have come as Moses' cross in driven across the six yard box and the Nordsjaelland captain Stokholm slices the ball goalwards but against the crossbar.
20:10: Celtic have offered little going forward in the opening quarter of the game, but they hit the front through Gary Hooper. Samaras' cross is cut out by Juan Insarralde, but the ball breaks to Hooper who goes clean through and sweeps beyond Pesyakov. The SPL champions are going through to the last 16 as it stands.
GOAL: Bayern Munich 1-0 BATE Borisov (Mario Gomez)
GOAL: Celtic 1-0 Spartak Moscow (Gary Hooper)
20:05: As has been the way in the club's previous two homes game since his sacking, the 16th minute sees Chelsea fans conduct a minute's applause for their former manager Roberto di Matteo. Nice way to undermine the new manager that.
20:01: Perhaps predictably, Juventus are showing little ambition in Donetsk against Shaktar with the hosts doing most of the running. Chelsea continue to threaten at Stamford Bridge but Torres can't convert Moses' cross.
19:59: Both Manchester United and Celtic under pressure in their respective games against Cluj and Spartak. A mix up between Chris Smalling and Ryan Giggs sees the ball fall to a Cluj play, who forced returning goalkeeper David de Gea into a decent save. Meanwhile, Neil Lennon's side can't get hold of the ball at Celtic Park.
19:56: After putting the ball in the net, albeit from an offside position, Fernando Torres is into action and Hansen does well to turn away his fiece right-foot shot.
19:55: Long stoppage at the Bridge as Runje goes down in pretty innacuous fashion and is stretchered off. The break does little to disrupt the hosts as Moses hits a volley from Cole's cross Hansen makes a smart save at his near post.
19:52: Not expecting an evening brimmed with goals, with so many of the groups already decided. Worth mentioning that in the group without a British club; Group F, Bayern Munich and Valencia are still fighting for top spot with the German league leaders needing a win to guarentee themselves top spot.
19:47: Underway across Europe, Chelsea on the front foot immediately at Stamford Bridge.
19:44: In Scotland, Celtic are without influential midfielder Victor Wanyama, who misses out due to suspension for their crunch group game against Spartak Moscow. They need a favour from an under-strength Barcelona team against Benfica. Team are out and ready to go across Europe.
19:41: It's been no secret the Chelsea fans' anger at the appointment of Benitez following the sacking of Roberto di Matteo. No wins in the Spaniard's opening three games has done nothing to improve the mood at Stamford Bridge and you sense that is unlikely to be enhanced regardless of the result tonight, should The Blues fail to reach the last-16. There's no place for Oscar in tonight's team, with Oriol Romeu coming in instead of John Obi Mikel. Even in a game they have to win, it's caution all the way from Benitez.
19:31: Teams:
Celtic: Forster, Izaguirre, Ambrose, Wilson, Mulgrew, Lustig, Brown, Commons, Kayal, Samaras, Hooper.
Substitutes: Załuska, Matthews, Rogne, Ledley, Nouioui, Watt.
Spartak Moscow: Pesyakov, Insaurralde, K. Kombarov, Suchý, Rafael Carioca, Jurado, Källström, Kombarov, Ari, Dzyuba, Emenike.
Substitutes: Dykan, Bryzgalov, Pareja, McGeady, De Zeeuw, Yakovlev, Kozlov.
Chelsea: Čech, Ivanović, A.Cole, David Luiz, Cahill, Oriol Romeu, Ramires, Hazard, Torres, Juan Mata, Moses
Substitutes: Turnbull, Ferreira, Azpilicueta, Bertrand, Oscar, Mikel, Marin.
Nordsjælland: J.Hansen, Mtiliga, Parkhurst, Gundelach, Runje, Adu, Stokholm, Lorentzen, Tičinović, Christiansen, John
Substitutes: Raagaard Jensen, Kildentoft, Maxsø, Issah, Beckmann, Laudrup, Lindberg.
19:25: Just 200 days on from the greatest night in the history of Chelsea football club, the west Londoners stand on the brink of relincquishing their European crown with a whimper. Should results not go the way of Rafa Benitez's men the club will exit the competition as holders fo the first time in Champions League history. The Blues must beat Group E whipping boys Nordsjaelland at Stamford Bridge and hope that Shakhtar overcome Juventus in Ukraine.
Celtic go into matchday six needing favours from elsewhere also. They must better Benfica's result against Barcelona at the Nou Camp when they face Spartak Moscow at Parkhead. The Catalans are unbeaten this season, but are without record-chasing Lionel Messi, who needs two goals to break Gurd Muller's 85-goal record in a calendar year.
As ever, all the goals as they go in across Europe, regardless of their importance, including all the updates from Old Trafford where a much changed Manchester United side meet Romanian side CFR Cluj, who need a to better Galatasaray's result on the night to reach the last last-16. Strap in.
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