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Roma routs Chelsea; PSG, Bayern enter knockout stage

Defensive mistakes cost English champions dear in Rome as Stephan El Shaarawy strikes twice in Roma's 3-0 rout of Chelsea.

Stephan El Shaarawy

Rome, November 1: Stephan El Shaarawy struck twice, including the fastest goal of this season's Champions League after 39 seconds, to help thrust AS Roma to the top of their Champions League group with a convincing 3-0 win over lacklustre Chelsea.

Following the sides' thrilling 3-3 draw in London two weeks ago, the Italy striker's brace was the highlight of another impressive Roma display which allowed them to leapfrog the English champions at the summit of Group C.

El Shaarawy's thunderous first-minute goal was the earliest in the competition this term and, despite Chelsea creating early chances, Antonio Rudiger's defensive indecision allowed the striker to nip in for a neatly-taken second after 36 minutes.

Not for the first time this season, Chelsea again looked uncharacteristically disorganised at the back as Diego Perotti thrashed home a third in the 63rd to move Roma on to eight points, one clear of Chelsea, who slip to second.

The Premier League side's only consolation after their nightmarish Halloween performance was that they were still effectively in control of their destiny after Atletico Madrid's surprise home draw with Qarabag left them with three points.


In Group A, Manchester United are almost certain to reach the knockout stage after they beat Benfica 2-0 at Old Trafford to make it a perfect four wins.

An own goal by Benfica's 18-year-old keeper Mile Svilar on the stroke of halftime and a Daley Blind penalty in the 78th minute were enough for United, who struggled at times to find their fluency.

CSKA Moscow scored twice in the second half to beat Basel 2-1 as the Russians gave themselves a Champions League lifeline and frustrated their opponents' hopes of booking an early spot in the last 16.

Basel had looked set to wrap up a place in the knockout stage with two games to spare after Luca Zuffi's instinctive lob gave the Swiss side the lead after 32 minutes, but the match was turned on its head following the break.

Alan Dzagoev came off the bench to level in the 65th with a composed chip before CSKA's Swedish midfielder Pontus Wernbloom fired in a vicious drive with 11 minutes remaining to complete a superb comeback.


Paris Saint-Germain qualified for the last 16 in emphatic fashion when they extended their perfect Group B record with a 5-0 home win against Anderlecht, with full-back Layvin Kurzawa scoring a hat-trick.

Neymar, back in the team after being sent off during the French 'classic' against Olympique de Marseille nine days ago, scored the second goal on the stroke of half-time after Marco Verratti's opener, with Kurzawa completing the scoreline after the interval.

Kingsley Coman and Javi Martinez fired Bayern Munich into the knockout stages, netting a goal each as they beat Celtic 2-1 to make it two wins out of two against the Scottish champions.


Gonzalo Higuain scored a typically clinical goal to earn Juventus a 1-1 draw at Sporting after the Serie A side had been rattled by their opponents in a lively Group D clash.

Sporting, the better side in the first half, took a deserved lead through Brazilian midfielder Bruno Cesar in the 20th minute.

As Juve crept back into the game, Sporting goalkeeper Rui Patricio made a brilliant save to deny Higuain in the 69th minute but was powerless to stop the Argentine forward equalising 10 minutes later.

The win kept Juventus second in the Group with seven points from four games, three ahead of their opponents, and on course for a place in the last 16.

Barcelona lead the group with 10 points despite their seemingly inevitable passage to the last 16 was postponed by a determined Olympiakos Piraeus side as the Greek champions held the Spanish giants to a 0-0 draw in an absorbing clash. It is for the first time since December, 2012, that the Catalans have failed to score in Champions League group tie.


COLLATED RESULTS



Group A

Manchester United 2 Mile Svilar 45og, Daley Blind 78pen
Benfica 0

FC Basel 1 Luca Zuffi 32
CSKA Moscow 2 Alan Dzagoev 65, Pontus Wernbloom 79


Group B

Celtic 1 Callum McGregor 74
Bayern Munich 2 Kingsley Coman 22, Javi Martinez 77

Paris Saint-Germain 5 Marco Verratti 30, Neymar 45+4, Layvin Kurzawa 52,72,78
Anderlecht 0


Group C
AS Roma 3 Stephan El Shaarawy 1,36, Diego Perotti 63
Chelsea 0

Atletico Madrid 1 Thomas Partey 56
Qarabag FK 1 Michel 40


Group D

Olympiakos 0
Barcelona 0

Sporting 1 Bruno Cesar 20
Juventus 1 Gonzalo Higuain 79

Story first published: Wednesday, November 1, 2017, 5:17 [IST]
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