Barry's Blog

GROUP E LIVERPOOL 3-0 MARIBOR SLUGGISH SALAH Mohamed Salah broke the deadlock in the second half with a clever, flicked finish but James Milner had a penalty brilliantly saved by 39-year-old goalkeeper Jasmin Handanovic. Midfielder Emre Can exchanged passes with Milner to curl in the second from the edge of the box and Daniel Sturridge drilled in a third late on. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41822020 MY OPINION If you compare the 2 performances between this week and last week the difference is that last week Liverpool got the early goal which was enough to pull Maribor apart. It took a lot longer this week and that was a major factor for me but they still got the 3 points. SEVILLA 2-1 SPARTAK MOSCOW BOMBING BANEGA   Clément Lenglet (Sevilla) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Éver Banega with a cross following a corner. Éver Banega (Sevilla) left footed shot from outside the box to th...

GROUP D OLYMPICOS 0-0 BARSALONA FRUSTRATING MATCH FOR ALL Luis Suarez poked one shot wide and Silvio Proto saved a Messi free-kick after he had been brought down on the edge of the area. Olympiacos came into the game and a Samuel Umtiti and Marc-Andre ter Stegen confused each other in their own area and ended up conceding an unnecessary corner. Barça were missing the presence of the suspended Gerard Pique in the centre of their defence. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5036555/Olympiacos-0-0-Barcelona-Lionel-Messi-held-draw.html MY OPINION A draw is a good thing away from home but it must have angered Barcelona that they did not score with the4 attacking threat that they have. Olympicos will be very happy with this point as they would never have come out to win. SPORTING LISBON 1-1 JUVENTOS HIGUIAN GOAL KEEPS JUVE IN TOUCH Sporting had opened the scoring with a low shot from inside the area by Brazilian midfielder Bruno Cesar i...

GROUP C ROMA 3-0 CHELSEA EL SHAARAWY EATS EXCITING BLUES The Blues would have progressed with a victory, but trailed within 39 seconds when Edin Dzeko flicked Aleksandar Kolarov's cross down to Stephan El Shaarawy, who smashed home from 25 yards. El Shaarawy made it 2-0 when ex-Roma defender Antonio Rudiger failed to deal with Radja Nainggolan's long ball forward. Chelsea were three behind when Diego Perotti cracked home from 20 yards after Blues defenders failed to close him down. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41807331 MY OPINION Chelsea looked stable most of this season but this result could rock them either way and understand it. It was all on scoring Romas first goal so early made Chelsea have to play which the Italians did not allow them to do this was the Italians outclassing them   ATHLETICO 1-1 QUARABAG THOMAS SAVES ATHLETICO FROM  HUMILIATION  The visitors looked set to take an easier route to a new slic...

GROUP B CELTIC 1-2 BAYERN MAGNIFICENT  MARTINES Bayern Munich took the lead in the first half when Kingsley Coman pounced after Dedryck Boyata's hesitation. The home side played valiantly and were rewarded by Callum McGregor's equaliser after the break at Celtic Park. The scoreline was only level for four minutes, with Martinez suffering a cut as he headed the winner. MY OPINION This was a game defined by bad luck as Celtic could not get their defensive line back after they scored their equal8iser and this was what hurt them. Now for Celtic they have to target getting into the Europa League and learning as much as they can from Bayern and PSG. I think Bayern will get better as the season progresses. PSG 5-0 ANDERLECT KURZAWA KIKKAS OFF ANDERLECT Marco Verratti opened things up in the 30th minute with a well-taken effort. Brazil star Neymar, after fluffing his earlier shots, made it 2-0 deep into first-half stoppage time with a fine ...

GROUP A BASIL 1-2 CSKA WERNBLOOM WAITS TIL PERFECT MOMENT Basel seemed set to advance from Group A alongside Manchester United with two games to spare when they led at half-time through Luca Zuffi's clever 32nd-minute shot. The game changed when CSKA's fit-again playmaker Alan Dzagoev came on for the second half and sparked the visitors' attack. Dzagoev lifted a deft shot over Basel goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik in the 65th, and midfielder Pontus Wernbloom fired in a low shot in the 79th from outside the penalty area. http://www.espn.co.uk/football/report?gameId=495248 MY OPINION Basil had a chance to take control of this group but now are in the dogfight with CSKA for that second spot and it will not be easy for them to get this back. The Swiss are still on track but one strange result could change everything now. MAN U 2-0 BENFICA BRILLIANT BLIND  Former Benfica midfielder Nemanja Matic's powerful effort struck the foot of t...

MLS PLAY OFFS COLOMBUS CREW 4-1 NEW YORK CITY MERMAN GIVES CITY LITTLE CHANCE And the Crew had plenty to cheer about after Kamara opened the scoring in the sixth minute, the Crew forward bundling the ball home from close range. New York were dealt a blow seven minutes into the second half when defender Callens saw red following a video review and Columbus made the most of their numerical advantage – Artur doubling the home side's lead six minutes later. Sean Johnson was unable to keep out Meram in the 69th minute as the Crew raced clear before Villa pounced with 12 minutes remaining to score New York's first play-off goal since their inception in 2015. Villa's strike offered Patrick Vieira's men some hope until Afful waltzed through New York's defence in stoppage time to restore Columbus' three-goal lead.   https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/columbus-crew-4-new-york-city-1-hosts-poised-advance-mls-play-offs#YieO7rEW5P3LD7p0.99 MY OP...

MLS PLAY OFFS NEW YORK 1-2 TORONTO GENIUS GIOVINCO Following a New York turnover, Vazquez fed Jozy Altidore, whose cross from the right flank ricocheted off goalkeeper Luis Robles to Vazquez near the top of the box for the finish. After Bradley Wright-Phillips drew a penalty on Drew Moor, Daniel Royer scored from the spot in first-half stoppage time on New York's first shot on goal. Giovinco drew a foul conceded by Felipe Martins just outside the box and then bent the free kick over a four-man wall to make it 2-1 in the 72nd minute. http://www.espn.co.uk/football/report?gameId=498043 MY OPINION New York have hope but would not be a club expecting to go further in the competition than they are. Toronto if they play a smart game should be able to get out of this situation without any sense of worry or stress as they can wide down the clock and play a defensive line. For New York to believe they must score first. VANCOVER 0-0 SEATTLE SOLID SEATT...