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13 December 2008

PSV Eindhoven vs Liverpool Full Highlights Video, Match Report

Liverpool came from behind to beat PSV Eindhoven and qualify for the Champions League last 16 as winners of Group D.

PSV Eindhoven vs Liverpool Match Report

Liverpool qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League as Group D winners following a comfortable 3-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven.

Ryan Babel's header clawed a below-par Reds side back on level terms on the stroke of half-time, before second-half goals from Albert Riera and David N'Gog secured the points needed to knock Atletico Madrid off the top of the group.

Rafael Benitez's side could now be handed a slightly easier last 16 tie as they will be paired with a side who finished runners-up in their group.

The Reds were already assured of their place in the next stage so Benitez opted to rest the likes of Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Jose Reina in a much-changed starting line-up.

In a low-key opening to the game it was the home side who showed first when Diego Cavalieri was forced to palm away a powerful 20-yard strike from Timmy Simons after 16 minutes.

Liverpool were seeing plenty of the ball but looked short of ideas in the final third, with N'Gog and Babel both guilty of giving possession away cheaply.

PSV duly took advantage as they grabbed the lead in controversial circumstances after 36 minutes.

Liverpool felt the corner which led to the goal should have gone their way and the visitors' mood was not helped when Javier Mascherano failed to head the set-piece clear.

The ball dropped to Danko Lazovic and he steered a shot from the corner of the six-yard box under the diving keeper to the delight of the home fans.

Riera was booked for claiming there was a handball in the build-up to the goal and the perceived injustice seemed to inspire the Reds to up their efforts.

N'Gog wasted their best chance of the first half as he meekly headed a pinpoint Andrea Dossena cross straight at the keeper from 12 yards.

But first-half stoppage time brought an equaliser when a previously out-of-sorts Babel leapt highest to glance a lofted Lucas free-kick past the diving keeper from ten yards.

After the interval it was all Liverpool despite the home side knowing a win could see them qualify for the UEFA Cup via third place in the group.

N'Gog wasted a couple of half-chances before Riera settled the visitors' nerves with a stunning strike on 68 minutes.

The Spain winger light up a low-key night with a sensational left-foot shot from 25 yards which found the top corner past a flat-footed keeper.

Liverpool made sure of the points and top spot in the group when the previously anonymous N'Gog was played in on goal by a superb Robbie Keane through ball and he dispatched a low angled shot past the keeper from 15 yards.

PSV Eindhoven vs Liverpool Main Full Highlights Video

PSV Eindhoven: Isaksson, Culina, Marcellis, Brechet, Salcido, Mendez (Manco 80), Simons, Dzsudzsak, Bakkal (Nijland 83), Lazovic, Amrabat (Koevermans 72).
Subs Not Used: Cassio, Rodriguez, Pieters, Wuytens.

Booked: Simons, Mendez.

Goals: Lazovic 36.

Liverpool: Cavalieri, Arbeloa (Darby 69), Carragher (Kelly 81), Agger, Dossena, Mascherano, Leiva Lucas, Babel, Ngog, Riera (Spearing 76), Keane.
Subs Not Used: Reina, Gerrard, Alonso, Benayoun.

Booked: Riera, Arbeloa, Dossena.

Goals: Babel 45, Riera 69, Ngog 77.

Att: 35,000

Ref: Nikolai Ivanov (Russia).

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Man Utd 2-2 Aalborg Highlights Video, Match Report

Manchester United were held to a draw by Aalborg at Old Trafford - but still topped their Champions League group.

Man Utd vs Aalborg Match Report

Danish side Aalborg held Manchester United to a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford but Sir Alex Ferguson's side still progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League as group winners.

It had looked comfortable for the home side early on as Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez had chances either side of the Argentine's goal, less than three minutes into the match.

Ryan Giggs was given too much space in the centre of midfield and lifted a simple ball over the defence. Tevez was far more alert than the sleepy defence and reached Giggs' pass, scoring with a first-time flick past Karim Zaza.

More goals looked on the cards as chances fell for Jonny Evans, Nani and Rooney again, all in the opening 20 minutes.

AaB, to their credit, were happy to soak up the pressure - albeit unconvincingly - and then find the gaps left by the home side, with Thomas Augustinussen and Marek Saganowski missing the target early on.

But the goals were still a shock when they came, both of them against the run of play.

Nani had almost scored after being played in behind the AaB defence when, two minutes later, he gave away a free-kick.

The set-piece was swung in to the front post where Michael Jakobsen had made a clever run, untracked by the static United defence, and he was able to glance a diving header beyond Tomasz Kuszczak and into the far corner of the net.

The second goal, scored just before half-time, mirrored the first with John O'Shea missing an identical chance to Nani's before AaB went up to the other end to shock the home crowd.

Anders Due found the space to whip in a deep cross which Jeppe Curth nodded back across goal and, miraculously, past Kuszczak. It was a wonderful, curling effort which gave the match some much-needed spice.

It at least snapped United out of the rut they had casually worked their way into after their early dominance, and the second half began in familiarly promising fashion.

Seven minutes into the half, after Tevez had already missed a good headed chance, Rooney powered his way into the AaB area and poked a low drive past Zaza from 15 yards.

Yet, much to the frustration of the United bench, the reigning European champions couldn't push on to clinch the three points.

A Steve Olfers sliding tackle took the ball from substitute Paul Scholes' feet just as he looked ready to score, and Zaza made two good saves from Gary Neville and Olfers' deflected header.

In truth they were probably affected by events in the other Group E game, which allowed them to finish top, but they would have liked to have taken their chances and cruised through to the next phase.
Man Utd 2-2 Aalborg Main Full Highlights Video

Man Utd: Kuszczak, Neville (Rafael Da Silva 76), Ferdinand, Evans, O'Shea, Nani, Gibson (Park 46), Anderson, Giggs (Scholes 46), Rooney, Tevez.
Subs Not Used: Foster, Vidic, Fletcher, Possebon.

Goals: Tevez 3, Rooney 52.

Aalborg: Zaza, Bogelund, Olfers, Jakobsen, Pedersen (Sorensen 76), Curth (Caca 74), Enevoldsen, Augustinussen, Risgaard, Due (Kristensen 65), Saganowski.
Subs Not Used: Kenneth Nielsen, Nomvethe, Braemer, Ronnie Schwartz Nielsen.

Booked: Curth.

Goals: Jakobsen 32, Curth 45.

Att: 74,382

Ref: Laurent Duhamel (France).

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