Sports

UCL: Real, Dortmund In Semi-Final

Published

13 years ago

April 10, 2013

It was late drama in Turkey and Germany as Spanish giants, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund made it to the semi final stage of this year’s UEFA Champions League.

After coming into the second leg of the Champions League quarter Final against Turkish champions, Galatasaray with a comfortable 3-0 first leg victory, Cristiano Ronaldo got Real off to a perfect start with seventh minute goal to all but kill the tie as a contest.

But a second half fight back by Galatasaray occasioned a frenetic finish to an otherwise comfortable night for Jose Mourinho and his men. Emmanuel Eboue kicks started the rennauisance when he scored in the 58th minute.

Former Mourinho wards, Wesley Sneijder and Didier Drogba put Galatasaray 3-1 up in the 70 and 72 minute and 3-4 on aggregate to put Real on the edge.

But Ronaldo struck again in their minute of added time to seal Real’s passage to the semi final with a 5-3 aggregate victory.

In Germany, it was another late dramatic finish as homers, Borussia Dortmund, starring defeat in the face at the end of regulation time scored twice withion stoppage time to break Malaga’s heart and send their fans to delirium.

The first leg had ended goalless in Spain last week, but when Malaga took the lead twice, first through Joaquin in the 23rd minute and Eliseu in the 82nd, Malaga looked home and dry with the semi final ticket.

However, Reus and Felipe Santana’s added time goals added to Lewandowski’s 40th minute effort to complete an unlikely turn-around for Dortmund to progress and promise likely all Spanish and German semi finals with Barcelona and Bayern favourities to join the party from the remaining quarter final matches.

Real Madrid survived a second-half onslaught from Galatasaray in their Champions League quarter-final to reach the last four for a record 24th time.

Cristiano Ronaldo silenced the Turkish crowd with an early volley and Galatasaray rarely threatened until Emmanuel Eboue’s thumping strike.

Wesley Sneijder steered in and Didier Drogba’s backheel left Real rocking, before Ronaldo killed their hopes.

Real substitute Alvaro Arbeloa was sent off following two late bookings

The Spanish champions’ comfortable 3-0 victory in the Bernabeu left Jose Mourinho’s team within touching distance of the semi-finals and many expected the second leg to be a formality for the nine-time European champions.

For the opening hour it was exactly that, as Real played with a measure of confidence and assurance from the first whistle.

But Eboue’s spectacular goal sparked a dramatic turnaround and set up a grandstand finish in Istanbul.

Mourinho, bidding to become the first man to win the Champions League with three different clubs, will be relieved that his team regained their composure in the final 10 minutes to put the tie to bed.

Ronaldo finally put the tie beyond the Turkish champions as he drilled past Fernando Muslera in injury-time – almost 90 minutes after seemingly ending their hopes with the opener.

But Real quickly found their rhythm and already had Galatasaray on the back foot before Ronaldo swept in Sami Khedira’s low right-wing cross.

If Galatasaray’s task was not difficult enough already, the away goal left the hosts needing to score five goals to advance.

However Real continued to control possession and were only denied a second goal in the first half by Uruguay international Muslera.

Ronaldo was the architect of a flowing move, flicking into the path of Angel Di Maria whose fierce shot was instinctively pushed over the crossbar by Muslera.

Galatasaray barely threatened in the opening 45 minutes, with Sneijder forcing Real goalkeeper Diego Lopez into his first save with a low 20-yard shot shortly before the half-time break.

Real continued to stroke the ball around in the early stages of the second half as they looked to further subdue their already-deflated opponents.

However, Borussia Dortmund scored twice in injury time to snatch a dramatic Champions League victory over Malaga and secure a place in the semi-finals.

Marco Reus and then Felipe Santana struck for the German side, although the winning goal – poked home from a matter of inches – looked offside.

After a goalless first leg in Spain, Joaquin scored from 20 yards for Malaga before Robert Lewandowski equalised.

Substitute Eliseu looked to have scored Malaga’s winner before the late goals.

Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp had talked before the match about his desire to see his team’s “wonderful story” continue but it looked as though they would pay for wasting several good chances during the first leg.

Eliseu had finished from close range eight minutes from time – another goal allowed to stand despite a strong hint of offside – to leave Dortmund needing to score twice.

But the vociferous home crowd were sent into raptures as first Reus slotted home into an empty net from eight yards after the ball ran fortuitously into his path and then Santana pounced after a huge scramble inside the penalty box.

Several Dortmund players looked to be offside as the initial ball was played into the Malaga area and, seconds later, Santana was also in an offside position when he scored the winner, touching home a goal-bound effort from substitute Julian Schieber.

Dortmund’s obvious joy was in stark contrast to the emotions of the defeated Malaga players, with a cruel end especially harsh on coach Manuel Pellegrini, who had only arrived in Dortmund on Tuesday after flying back from his native Chile, where he had attended the funeral of his father on Monday.

The campaign was Malaga’s first in the Champions League and there will be no possibility of a repeat next season as a series of off-the-field financial problems means they are banned from European competition during the next campaign when they are eligible to compete.

Dortmund remain the only undefeated team in the competition – but after a disjointed performance that required an ending reminiscent of Manchester United’s victory over Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final to seal their progress.

Sports

Arsenal must win trophies to leave legacy – Arteta

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that the Premier League leaders must win trophies if they were to be remembered like the “Invincibles” side that last won the title for the Gunners in 2004.

Arsene Wenger’s side romped to the title 22 years ago without losing a single league game.

Arsenal headede into last night’s clash at home to reigning champions Liverpool with a five-point lead at the top of the table after Manchester City and Aston Villa dropped points against Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, respectively on Wednesday.

Arteta’s men, runners-up for the past three seasons, have two more points and four more goals than Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ managed after 20 games.

But the Spaniard said those stats matter little unless Arsenal go on to win the league.

“No, because ‘the Invincibles’ won a lot,” Arteta told his pre-match press conference on whether his side can be considered better than Arsenal’s last title winners.

“They won consistently, and they created a history and a legacy, and we have to do that.”

The lone major piece of silverware won by Arsenal in six years under Arteta remains the 2020 FA Cup

“There are a lot of stats, but in the last two or three years we have managed more points and more goals than ever before. But at the end, we have to translate that to major trophies,” he added.

“Probably doing what we are doing now would have been enough (in 2004), but now it’s not, and we have to make the margins even bigger.”

Arsenal lost 1-0 to Liverpool at Anfield back in August in what was billed as an early showdown between title rivals.

The defending champions headed to the Emirates 14 points off the top after a difficult second season for Arne Slot, but Arteta insisted the Reds remain a superb side.

The Gunners were without sidelined defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera but were“monitoring the load” on Kai Havertz as the Germany forward intensified his training while continuing to recover from a long-term leg injury.

Sports

AFCON: Osimhen, Lookman Threaten Algeria’s Record

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Nigeria sharpshooters Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will provide a stern test to the flawless record of Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, a son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in Morocco.

Zidane is the only first-choice goalkeeper amongst the eight quarter-finalists to have kept a clean sheet in all of his tournament matches so far, but the task facing him in Marrakesh tomorrow will not be easy.

Former African player of the year award-winners Osimhen and Lookman have tormented defences during the tournament, scoring three goals each.

Zidane, 27, kept clean sheets in group matches against Sudan and Burkina Faso before being rested against Equatorial Guinea.

He was recalled for a last-16 clash with the Democratic Republic of Congo and once again was unbeaten during a dramatic extra-time victory.

Former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, his Spanish wife and another son have been among the crowds in each match Luca played for the Desert Foxes.

“It is special when your family come to watch,” said Luca Zidane, who began his career with Real Madrid B in 2016 and now plays for Spanish second-tier side Granada.

Born in France, Zidane represented his country of birth at five age-limit levels. Under FIFA rules he could also play for Spain or Algeria, where his grandparents were born.

Zidane chose Algeria, debuting in a 2026 World Cup qualifying victory over Uganda last November and, when an injury ruled first choice Alexis Guendoez out of the AFCON, he was promoted.

“I am proud to represent Algeria and play in the Africa Cup of Nations. It is a great experience,” he told reporters.

“I try to be myself, to build my career on my terms, step by step,” he said.

Algeria have been an AFCON bogey team for Nigeria, winning four and drawing two of nine meetings, including a 5-1 drubbing of the Super Eagles en route to winning the 1990 tournament at home. But the current Super Eagles appear to be in the mood to get this one over the Algerians.

The Desert Foxes have put successive group-stage exits behind them under Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic and substitute Adil Boulbina unleashed a thunderbolt to eliminate DR Congo.

Nigeria are the 12-goal leading scorers in Morocco with Osimhen, Lookman and Akor Adams forming a potent frontline.

But coach Eric Chelle will be concerned that the three-time champions have conceded four, the most among the eight title hopefuls.

Sports

Palace ready To Sell Guehi For Right Price

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has said that the club would sell captain Marc Guehi this month if his asking price is met.

The England defender is out of contract in the summer and Manchester City have emerged as contenders to sign him during the January transfer window.

Palace blocked a proposed £35m move to Liverpool last summer but risk losing the 25-year-old for nothing at the end of the season.

City’s interest in Guehi has progressed following injuries to defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias during Sunday’s draw against Chelsea.

“I’m not naive,” said Glasner, as reported by Tidesports source. “If a massive offer comes from City and Marc wants to do it, it will happen.”

Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are among the European clubs to have shown an interest in signing Guehi on a free transfer, and he can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from this month.

“If you’re just valuing sports, everyone in the club will say Marc has to stay,” Glasner added. “The chairman will tell you the same. But it’s not one-dimensional. If you see the financial situation, it’s very important.

“If somebody comes, there will be a moment when the club says ‘now the financial issue is more important than the sports issue’.

“There will be a threshold where the club has to say it will happen, as long as Marc says ‘I want to leave’, because the final decision is always with the player.”

Guehi helped Palace finish 12th last season and win the FA Cup to qualify for Europe for the first time in the club’s history.

The Eagles then won the Community Shield in August, beating Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties, and are 14th in the table and through to the knockout phase play-offs in the Uefa Conference League.

“The chairman rejected many offers in the summer because we want to play a successful season and wanted to win the Community Shield,” Glasner added. “Therefore, Marc is important, and then he rejected the offer.

“The threshold at that time, the money we got offered was not above it. Maybe it was close, but it was not above.”