Benfica roll, FCK stun United


Written by: Stephen Sharp Bookmark and Share
2006-11-01 22:54:41

Nuno Gomes celebrates his goal (Action Images)
  Nuno Gomes celebrates his goal (Action Images)
LISBON/COPENHAGEN, Nov 1 (SW) - Benfica rallied from a Matchday 3 torching to take a big Champions League Group F win over Celtic while a lackluster Manchester United side were taken down by FC København.

Benfica - Celtic 3-0
Looking for revenge after a 3-0 defeat at Celtic Park, Benfica went in front after 10 minutes when Gary Caldwell put into his own net from Nélson's cross.

Caldwell was the scapegoat again 12 minutes later as he inadvertently headed a ball forward by Quim into the path of the rushing Nuno Gomes, setting the Portuguese international up for the second goal.

The Bhoys never seemed to show up in this one and despite changes at half-time, Benfica stayed strong with Gomes putting a shot wide before Andrei Kariaka struck home the third in the 76th minute.

Celtic's frustration's were summed up late on when Shunsuke Nakamura had a fine set-piece effort saved by Quim to preserve the clean sheet.

FC København - Manchester United 1-0
Manchester United decided to field a weakened side in Denmark and it proved to be their downfall as they were stunned by FCK.

Perhaps feeling a bit too confident, Sir Alex Ferguson made radical changes to his side and they looked nothing like the United side that stormed through their opening Champions League games as the first half providing little in the way of entertainment.

The second half was far better than the first with United nearly going in front 10 minutes in, but John O'Shea miserably put a shot wide with the goal gaping.

Wayne Rooney, coming off of a hat-trick at the weekend, also was guilty of profligacy a few minutes later when he pushed an effort wide of the target, and they would be made to pay in the 73rd minute.

Former Aston Villa striker Marcus Allbäck pounced on a ball in six-yard box headed in by Atiba Hutchinson, and the Swede poked past Edwin van der Sar for the winner.

The final whistle marked FCK's first-ever Champions League victory and a famous scalp for the side who stay alive in Group F on four points.




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