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| November 22, 2001 | Thursday | Ramazan 6, 1422 |
Mixed fortunes for English giants
PARIS, Nov 21: English sides enjoyed mixed fortunes as they kicked off their Champions League second phase on Tuesday, Manchester United holding titleholders Bayern Munich 1-1 in Germany while Liverpool slumped 3-1 at home to Barcelona.
Dutch forward Ruud van Nistelrooy looked to have pulled off a famous win for United when he volleyed in from close range to break the deadlock after 74 minutes of a tense Group A affair and claim his fourth goal of the tournament.
But Brazilian Paulo Sergio rescued Bayern with the equaliser in the 87th minute after a mistake by French defender Mikael Silvestre.
United coach Alex Ferguson said his side should have closed out the win.
“It was an individual error - but Mikael made our goal and it was a fantastic performance by him,” Ferguson told ITV television.
“It was a very good second-half performance from the players and I’m very pleased with that. It’s a decent result,” he added, while conceding that “we deserved something better.”
Bayern’s French international fullback Bixente Lizarazu said the match had not really caught fire until the closing stages.
“We’re not satisfied - but then nor are they,” he observed.
In the other Group A match, Boavista of Portugal beat French side Nantes 1-0 with Erwin Sanchez on target in the first half.
Boavista, who qualified in second place behind Liverpool from their first phase group which included 1997 champions Borussia Dortmund, scored rather against the run of play on 24 minutes at the Bessa Stadium.
Bolivian forward Sanchez smacked in a wicked, dipping left-foot volley for his third goal of the tournament after 24 minutes, but Nantes keeper Mickael Landreau was very much at fault, letting the ball spin out of his grasp and over the line.
In Group B, Liverpool, four times European champions - their last title coming in 1984 - surprisingly let slip a 1-0 lead at Anfield against a fired-up Barcelona.
England striker Michael Owen scampered past three bamboozled defenders to slot the ball home and put Liverpool in front on 27 minutes.
But Barca weathered the storm and Dutchman Patrick Kluivert smacked home the equaliser in the 41st minute with a right-foot volley past Jerzy Dudek from a clipped pass by Rivaldo for his fifth goal of the campaign.
Barca lost at Anfield in the UEFA Cup semi-final last season to slide out as the English giants went on to win the trophy
But they gained revenge in some style as Fabio Rochemback, who came on as a second-half substitute for Gabri, netted on 65 minutes with a peach of a curling drive.
Former Arsenal winger Marc Overmars then burst through the home defence to poach the third with five minutes remaining.
Liverpool assistant manager Phil Thompson said he could not fault his men despite the result - which leaves his men with a mountain to climb given they have to go to AS Roma, their victims in the 1984 final, as well as into the lions’ den of Turkey’s Galatasaray, who finished 1-1 in Istanbul.
“I thought we were magnificent - the lads have played against a very good team,” said Thompson, standing in for Gerard Houllier as the Frenchman recovers from heart surgery.
“Every one of their team was comfortable on the ball, and their passing and movement was outstanding,” Thompson added.
“Teams can get beaten in their first game and still qualify and that’s what we’ll be aiming for,” he said defiantly.
Barcelona coach Carlos Rexach was glad to give his doubters something to think about after his side’s victory.
In Turkey, a first-half goal from former Blackburn and Marseille defender Sebastien Perez looked as if it would be enough to enable Galatasaray to see off Roma.
But Brazilian Emerson levelled with a bicycle kick in the final minute to save a point for the visitors.
Tuesday’s results:
Group A
In Munich:
Bayern Munich 1 Manchester United 1
In Oporto:
Boavista 1 Nantes 0
Group B
In Istanbul:
Galatasaray 1 AS Roma 1
In Liverpool:
Liverpool 1 Barcelona 3.
UEFA Cup third round, first leg:
In Bordeaux:
Girondins Bordeaux 1 Roda JC Kerkrade 0
In Tel Aviv:
Hapoel Tel Aviv 2 Lokomotiv Moscow 1.
—AFP/Reuters
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