A superb Thierry Henry goal was not enough to spare Arsenal from another year of underachievement in Europe on Wednesday as Bayern Munich held out to squeeze into the Champions League quarterfinals 3-2 on aggregate. Henry’s opportunist strike midway through the second half earned the Gunners a 1-0 win on the night.
Jose Mourinho has admitted that he enjoyed Chelsea’s stomach-churning triumph over Barcelona on Tuesday even more than watching his former club FC Porto triumph in last season’s Champions League final. The acrimony that marred the first-leg encounter between the two sides failed to prevent them from delivering an epic encounter.
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/ 6 December 2004
A ship as unsteady as Arsenal have been in recent weeks can scarcely afford to do without a skipper. But that is exactly what the English champions will have to do on Tuesday night when they seek to navigate their way past Norwegian champions Rosenborg at Highbury and into the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Manchester United is set to step up their bid to prise Wayne Rooney away from Everton after booking their place in the Champions League proper. A 3-0 win over Dynamo Bucharest in Manchester on Wednesday put Alex Ferguson’s side into the money-spinning group stage of the tournament, guaranteeing a £15-million windfall.
Arsenal have made English football history by wrapping up their 13th English title without losing a match and with four games to spare. A 2-2 draw with north London rivals Tottenham on Sunday secured the point the Gunners needed to put themselves beyond the reach of nearest rivals Chelsea and claim their third title in eight seasons.
Thierry Henry is confident Arsenal can survive a massive test of their nerve against Chelsea on Tuesday night. The Gunners go into the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal as favourites to go through following a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge in the first leg.
Sir Alex Ferguson has vowed Manchester United will bounce back from the trauma of their Champions League exit at the hands of FC Porto. Portugal midfielder Costinha’s last-minute equaliser on Tuesday night ensured United’s season now hinges on 90 minutes on April 4 — when Ferguson’s men will face Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park.
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/ 1 December 2003
Chelsea stormed to the summit of the English Premiership on Sunday when a controversial penalty gave them a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. Frank Lampard’s 30th-minute spot-kick was enough to secure a crucial victory for Chelsea. Previous leaders Arsenal were held to a 0-0 draw by Fulham.
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/ 28 November 2003
A rare headed goal from Harry Kewell fired Liverpool into the third round of the Uefa Cup and left Steaua Bucharest cursing their luck in Liverpool on Thursday. The Australian winger’s 49th-minute strike was enough to secure a 1-0 victory that sent Gerard Houllier’s side through 2-1 on aggregate.
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/ 17 November 2002
South African rugby is facing its biggest crisis since the country’s emergence from apartheid-imposed isolation.