SOFIA: Cristiano Ronaldo helped Champions League holders Real Madrid survive an early scare in Bulgaria and come away with all three points from a 2-1 win over Ludogorets Razgrad in Sofia yesterday.
Ludogorets, a modest provincial club who have only been in existence for 13 years, stunned the 10-time European champions with a sixth-minute strike and threatened throughout despite Ronaldo taking a hand.
The Portuguese star missed one penalty and had a goal disallowed before scoring from a second spot-kick to spare Real’s blushes -- all in the first 25 minutes.
French striker Karim Benzema made sure Real’s reputation remained intact with the winning goal 13 minutes from time.
In Madrid, Atletico Madrid got their campaign back on track as Arda Turan’s goal 15 minutes form time was enough for a 1-0 win over Juventus.
Chances had been hard to come by in a physical contest between the Spanish and Italian champions, but Turan’s cool finish to end Juventus’ run of over 500 minutes without conceding this season sealed a vital three points for Diego Simeone’s men.
Malmo’s 2-0 victory over Olympiakos means all four sides in Group A are tied on three points with four matches to play.
Last season’s beaten finalists Atletico came into the game desperate for the points having been surprisingly beaten away to Olympiakos on match day one. In Basel, Liverpool became the latest English club to fall victim to FC Basel as the Swiss side triumphed 1-0 in their Group B clash. In the last three years, Basel have beaten Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in European competition and won home and away against Chelsea, and on this occasion a solitary, scrappy goal in the 52nd minute from captain Marco Streller inflicted a damaging defeat on Brendan Rodgers’s side.A tenacious Basel team were worthy winners, even if they were left hanging on at times as they tired in the closing stages, and the Swiss champions indicated that they must still be taken seriously in the group as they bounced back from a 5-1 thumping at the hands of Real Madrid two weeks ago.
But Liverpool, having already struggled to beat Bulgarian rookies Ludogorets Razgrad 2-1 at Anfield, must now be dreading a double-header with the defending European champions in which they will put their prospects of reaching the last 16 on the line.
In London, Danny Welbeck gave Arsene Wenger the perfect anniversary gift as the Arsenal striker’s hat-trick inspired a crucial 4-1 win against Galatasaray.
Wenger celebrated the 18th anniversary of his arrival at Arsenal yesterday, but the Gunners’ boss demurred this week when offered the chance to reflect on his numerous moments of triumph in north London.
Instead Wenger remains focused on ensuring his current crop will one day be recalled as fondly as some of his previous, more successful, vintages.
Arsenal had been spluttering through a dispiriting run of one win from their last six matches in all competitions -- including a lacklustre 2-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund that marked their first loss in the opening game of the Champions League group stages since 2003. AFP
