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UEFA Champions League: Alphonso Davies rescues Bayern Munich; AC Milan knocked out

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UEFA Champions League: Alphonso Davies rescues Bayern Munich; AC Milan knocked out
UEFA Champions League: Alphonso Davies rescues Bayern Munich; AC Milan knocked out

New Delhi: The UEFA Champions League knockouts kicked off last week and the first set of games were concluded tonight as we have four more teams that have joined the top eight teams in the Round of 16. The matchday started off with a bang as Feyenoord provided a huge shock to everyone by knocking out AC Milan after holding on to a draw at the San Siro. Celtic took Bayern Munich to the limit in their game as well, holding on almost till the end. Meanwhile a goalfest between Moncao and Benfica ended level on the night and last season’s UEFA Europa League winners, Atalanta, faced a shocking exit.

Bayern Munich 1-1 Celtic (3-2 on aggregate)

Just when it looked like Celtic have done the unthinkable and take the game to extra time, Bayern Munich dug deep to snatch a victory on aggregate. A stoppage-time goal from Alphonso Davies denied Celtic a famous victory as Bayern Munich secured a 1-1 draw on the night, winning 3-2 on aggregate to progress. The Bundesliga champions dominated possession early on, but Celtic looked the more dangerous side in attack. Harry Kane came closest in the first half, rattling the crossbar just before the break.

Celtic found their breakthrough after the hour mark, capitalizing on a defensive mix-up as Nicholas-Gerrit Kühn finished superbly past Manuel Neuer. As the game edged toward extra time, Davies delivered the heartbreak, reacting quickest to a rebound and bundling the ball home. Bayern now advance to the next round and have a tough task ahead as they face either Bayer Leverkusen or Atlético Madrid in the last 16.

AC Milan 1-1 Feyenoord (1-2 on aggregate)

Feyenoord produced the shock of the night as they held Milan to a 1-1 draw at San Siro, securing a 2-1 aggregate victory to advance to the next round. Former Feyenoord striker Santiago Giménez, who swapped the Rotterdam based club for Milan just last month, gave the visitors the perfect start, heading home inside the first minute. The Rossoneri pushed for an equalizer, with João Félix missing narrowly and Theo Hernández hitting the post before halftime.

Milan’s hopes took a huge blow early in the second half when Theo Hernández was sent off for simulation. Feyenoord capitalized on their numerical advantage, as Julián Carranza rose highest to head in Hugo Bueno’s cross with less than 20 minutes to play. Despite having a man sent off in injury time for themselves, Feyenoord held on for the win. The Dutch champions will now prepare for a last-16 clash against either Inter or Arsenal.

SL Benfica 3-3 AS Monaco (4-3 on aggregate)

A goalfest was on display in Portugal as both Benfica and Monaco ushered in a flurry of goals with Benfica surviving a rollercoaster 3-3 draw with Monaco to advance 4-3 on aggregate after a pulsating encounter. The hosts struck first through Kerem Aktürkoğlu before Takumi Minamino’s near-post finish pulled Monaco level. Eliesse Ben Seghir then produced a stunning curler to briefly put the visitors ahead in the tie.

Vangelis Pavlidis restored Benfica’s aggregate advantage from the penalty spot, only for George Ilenikhena to level the score again with an instant impact off the bench in the 81st minute. It looked like the game was headed to extra time with Monaco winning on the night but, Orkun Kökçü’s instinctive finish settled the tie, and despite a late VAR check denying them a penalty, Benfica booked a last-16 showdown with either Barcelona or Liverpool.

 Atalanta 1-3 Club Brugge (2-5 on aggregate)

Last season’s UEFA Europa League winners, Atalanta, marched into the game knowing that they needed a win to advance against the Belgian side but it was not meant to be. Club Brugge stormed into the last 16 with a dominant 3-1 victory, sealing a 5-2 aggregate triumph. Belgian youngster, Chemsdine Talbi, set the tone early, as he scored twice inside the first 30 minutes to leave the Italian side with a mountain to climb. Ferran Jutglà then added a stunning long-range goal in first-half stoppage time to all but settle the tie.

Atalanta responded immediately after the break, as Ademola Lookman converted from a Davide Zappacosta cross in the 46th minute to spark the hopes for a comeback. They had a chance to mount one as well when Lookman won a penalty, but his effort was saved by Simon Mignolet in the 61st minute. Tempers flared late on as Rafael Tolói was sent off, confirming Brugge’s progression to the round of 16 for only the second time in their history, where they will meet either Lille or Aston Villa.

 The second leg of the knockout phases began tonight with four teams securing their place in the round of 16. Let’s dive in to find out what happened across Europe!  Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today

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