{ECT: Road to the Wembley} AC Milan, AS Monacao, PSG & Dortmund through semis

[Ohm]

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Napoli 2 - 2 Real Madrid
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Stodion Olympik was set for a match from Europa Champions Tophy.

FC Schalke starting lineup.

Real Madrid starting lineup.

Real's defender blocked Gareth Bales' threatening thorugh ball that could've produce a goal producing chance.

Romelu Lukaku scored a volleyd goal to open the scoring.

Christiano Ronaldo was very much skillful on the ball.

Ronaldo created a chance himself coming from the wing, had a strike from that angle but keeper saved it.

Raul Albiol's header given his team two goals lead.

At the first time, away side were in front by two goals to nil.

Edin Dzeko scored on a beautiful chance that came from a wonderful through ball pass by one of his team-mates.

Sergio Ramos received a yellow card.

Real Madrid brought on striker for striker as a part of tactical changes.

Christiano Ronaldo trying creating chances for his team-mates in attacking positions.

Willian's lovely ball in straightfully found Higuain's first touch, Higuain scored a brilliant goal after that. Home side now had equalized the scoreline.

The way Napoli got that equalizing goal, left the opponent's keeper stunned.

The game finished as draw, both sides sharing four goals 2-2.

Match Facts

Match Events

RATINGS

|

GOALS

|

ASSISTS

|

SAVES

Napoli

|

Higuain 1, Dzeko 1

|

Sahin 1, Willian 1

|

ter Stegen 6

Real Madrid

|

Albiol 1, Lukaku 1

|

Marcelo 1

|

Howard 6

@joejoe018 @AliB​

 

[Ohm]

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FC Schalke 3 - 1 FC Porto
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FC Schalke's starting lineup.

FC Porto's starting lineup.

Jerome Boateng headed on a ball in from a corner but it was saved by some safe hands.

Xabi Alonso's free kick attempt was much much close to the target but still ball wasn't been netted.

.......And Ladies and gentlemen, Frank Ribery did not dive that day!!

Frank Ribery converted his penalty chance into goal.

Much like every other player, Ribery also has his own celebration style.

Andre Schurrle scored a brilliant volleyd goal, and equalized the scoreline. It was a clean, strong and a top class finish.

A few minutes later, Paulinho extended his team's lead with just one another well finished volleyd goal.

While Schalke players were doing best of their life, Ramsey failed on a simple chance against an average keeper. Manager please note that too.

HT: Schalke 2, Porto 1.

Schalke defender made a clean tackle to turn down opposition's counter attack.

Axel Witsel came on from the bench for Aaron Ramsey.

In the late minutes, Klaas jan Huntelaar added yet another goal to his team's tally that it sealed 3-1 win over FC Porto.

FT: FC Schalke 3 - 1 Fc Porto.

Match Facts

Match Events

RATINGS

|

GOALS

|

ASSISTS

|

SAVES

FC Schalke

|

Schurrle 1, Paulinho 1, Huntelaar 1

|

Benzema 1, Alonso 1

|

Valdes 4

FC Porto

|

Ribery 1

|

-

|

Szczesny 3

@rishabh96 @santhoshSKR​

 

[Ohm]

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Manchester United 3 - 1
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Old Trafford was all set for the European clash between Manchester United and FC Bayern Munich.

Manchester United's starting lineup.

FC Bayern's starting lineup.

Wilfried Zaha, WOAH! What a skillful player he is!

Oh wait!

WTF!!

Celebrating? Celebrating what?!!

Steven Gerrard had a strike, the ball was saved by the keeper but it remained in the game, Seydou Doumbia was joining on the spot - SCORED!!

After being 2-0 down, actually he just had got a lot work to do.

Manchester United were in front at the half time.

There was a strong battle between two players of two different clubs for one small single thing called 'football'.

Steven Gerrard netted third goal for Manchester United.

Luka Modric's header was good enough to have found breakthough. They were 3-1 down now.

Mario Mandzukic and Wayne Rooney getting replaced.

Bayern Munich finally stopped conceding goals.

Match Facts

Match Events

RATINGS

|

GOALS

|

ASSISTS

|

SAVES

Manchester United

|

Wilshere 1, Doumbia 1, Gerrard 1

|

Rooney 1

|

Buffon 2

FC Bayern

|

Luca Modric

|

Gotze 1

|

Cesar 2

@niru1988 @Neer.​

 

[Ohm]

GROUP - A

POS             TEAM                   P    W    D    L    GF    GA    GD    PTS

1            [Q]FC Porto               6    4    1    1    13     6    +7     13
2            [Q]Liverpool              6    2    1    3    10    10     0      7
3               FC Schalke             6    2    1    3     8    12    -4      7
4               FC Barcelona           6    1    3    2     7    10    -3      6

GROUP - B

POS            TEAM                   P    W    D    L    GF    GA    GD    PTS

1           [Q]AS Monacao             6    5    0    1    10     1    +9     15
2           [Q]Chelsea                6    3    1    2     6     4    +2     10
3              Real Madrid            6    1    2    3     6    10    -4      5
4              Napoli                 6    1    1    4     5    12    -7      4

GROUP - C

POS             TEAM                   P    W    D    L    GF    GA    GD    PTS

1            [Q]Atl Madrid             6    3    2    1    12     4    +8     11
2            [Q]AC Milan               6    2    3    1     9     9     0      9
3               Manchester Utd         6    1    3    2    11    13    -2      6
4               FC Bayern              5    1    2    3     6    12    -6      5

GROUP - D

POS             TEAM                   P    W    D    L    GF    GA    GD    PTS

1            [Q]PSG                    6    4    2    0     9     3    +6     14
2            [Q]Bor. Dortmund          6    3    1    2    10     8    +2     10
3               Juventus               6    1    3    2     7     8    -1      6
4               Manchester City        6    0    2    4     3    10    -7      2

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

QUARTER FINALS

FC Porto vs AC Milan

AS Monacao vs Liverpool

Atletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund

PSG vs Chelsea

NOTE: There will not be two match legs. The teams appearing on left side would play at their home since those teams have been the winner of Group A, B, C & D respectively. The semifinals and final will be played at Wembley.
​

@santhoshSKR @Sami Kumar @Na Maloom Afraad @Raghu @SambarVadai @Sulaiman7 @Davoo

 

[rishabh96]

So I needed 7-0 victory over Porto to qualify. Well played Schalke.

 

[Ohm]

Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid are in need for a co, anybody?

@themusketeer @SixerBoy11 @ankurcshah @Arun.

 

[Sami Kumar]

And there goes my unbeaten streak...

 

[ankurcshah]

[HASHTAG]#AUPAATLETI[/HASHTAG] for me!!! @ChaitS

 

[Ohm]

#AUPAATLETI for me!!! @ChaitS

Atletico? Already gone to themusketeer. Only Dortmund left, you should take that maybe?

 

[ankurcshah]

Suree

 

[Ohm]

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FC Porto v AC Milan
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

First knock out game from Europa Champions Trophy, between FC Porto and AC Milan.

The players in pictures before the kick-off.

FC Porto's starting lineup.

AC Milan's starting lineup.

Sami Khedira striking the ball that came straigth to him from not so healthy clearence by Porto's defender. The long shot wasn't an useful effort, ball went far over the bar.

Kaka's playmaking approach was helping his side to get some counter attacks working earlier. He lobbed the ball over the heads of Porto players, Llorente had a great first touch. And He shoot... the ball hit bar and went off!

It was still in the game, Striker was joining on the spot, HE SCORED!! A flat finish going in wasn't an easy task for the keeper to stop, he could not dive quickly to get it and the goal was conceded.

Kevin De Bruyne had the reason to celebrate, he had scored an important goal in this evenly important fixture.

Frank Ribery was making his move towards the goal leaving defenders trailing, one of the defender made a fine tackle at a fine time but Manuel Neuer jumped in, took a dangerous challenge over the attacker and referee pointed for a penalty in Porto's favor.

Frank Ribery was the shooter from 12 yards...

Spoiler: Did he score or not?

STOPPED! Manuel Neuer easily managed to catch the cheap strike. That would surely cost the trailing team. It remained 0-1 Ac Milan.

GOAL! Fernando Llorente created the chance beating his marker, Tomas Muller was available for him in great attacking position, Muller had the brilliant first touch...

and scored on a brilliant and clean finish going into the net.

Isco crossed a brilliant ball-in finding his forward who messed in the end by finishing it just too wide on a not so well taken volley.

'Fernando Torres' ladies and gentlemen, was looking dangerous!

A perfectly timed clearence by Milan's player in back.

Surprisingly, the team in form with home advantage were fell down in this crucial game. Porto were down by 2 goals to nil at the end of the first half.

In the very first minute of the second half, Isco inspired a dangerous looking counter attack.

Quick reaction and a very good save by Manuel Neuer on the ball headed by Toni Kroos.

Frank Ribey who failed earlier on penalty, came back strong and scored first goal for his team reducing the goal margin.

There were some good passes played between the players, a well executed counter attack produced a goal in the end. Ribery was the scorer of the goal!

Tactical change from the away bench as the manager would have wanted to hold the lead until the final whistle.

EQUALIZER! Frank Ribery the man coming from the wings had seen some space and his team-mate standing in great attcking and on-side positions, he corssed an accurate ball-in that found Torres, and Torres just finished a simple but clean goal after the first touch.

They have the reason to celebrate because they have equalized. FC Porto 2, Ac Milan 2.

Szczesny making an easy save. Easy, but it was the much needed one. Any mistakes here would have made them to slip the game again.

Frank Ribery again, inspiring an attack.

In the last stages of the game it was huge deal for the men in back to stop the attacks.

At the end of the 90 minutes both the sides finished sharing same number of the goals in them. The game was set to move into extra period of 30 more minutes.

He was absolutely brilliant on the ball throughout the game, and rose his performance in the extra period.

Fantastic effort from Pedro and an even better save from Manuel Neuer. It would have been a match winner but it just turned into the match saving save.

End of the first extra half and it was still 2-2.

The goals at this stage in the game would have costed the game to the side conceding the goal. Both sides were looking defensively strong and determined in the second half of the extra period.

It was all over. The penalties to the decide the winner.

Spoiler: Match Fact, Events, Ratings

Match Facts

Match Events

RATINGS

|

GOALS

|

ASSISTS

|

SAVES

FC Porto

|

Ribery 1, Torres 1

|

Ribbery 1, Torres 1

|

Szczesny 3

AC Milan

|

Muller 1, De Bruyne 1

|

Llorente 1

|

Neuer 7

@santhoshSKR @Sami Kumar​

 

[Ohm]

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Monacao v Liverpool
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AS Monacao had an opportunity to host the second quarter final fixture from Europa Champions Trophy, against Liverpool.

Players and officials at the pre-match anthem.

AS Monacao's starting lineup.

Liverpool's starting lineup.

AS Monaco's star man inspiring an early attack.

Daniele De Rossi taking a shot from too long distance. He's the player who oftenly could score from such long positions but that just wasn't his time.

AS Monacao's player got in good position and was a moments away from scoring but the defenders came out to rescue.

Hugo Lloris made a brilliant diving save!

Very well worked the defender to stop that cross.

Well, it wasn't that complete stuff. The attacker regained the possession from the ball's position after deflection. He gave the low cross to his team-mate who was joining the attack, Sissoko striked...

Keeper saved it! But the ball still remained in the field, an attacker was joining on the spot, he headed the ball and a GOAL was happened, for Monaccaaaao!!

Well he knew what he had done. They were a weak looking side, but were the highly in-form players, and at this stage in the competition they got themselves in a massive positions.

That was a terrific bicycle kick from Luis Suarez. Unfortunately it didn't producthe goal, it hit the bar but that moment made the whole audience to rise their eyebrows.

At the end of the first half, home side were in front. AS Monacao 1, Liverpool 0.

Brilliant save by Igor Akinfeev!

Substitution from both benches. As the away side were trailing they needed to have some fresh legs on the pitch. While, home side must have wanted to make sure they grab the win from the leading position.

That was one strong heading effort, but it just proved out be the worse day for the strikers again! The ball hit the bar and gone off the field.

Luis Suarez! When he got the chance, he did shoot a curve coming in and finding the goal leaving everyone else stunned... but the ball just hit the bar, ANOTHER TIME!

Although that attempt was failed, it helped the other striker to snatch the when goal when everyone except him was motionless. The on-side striker scored with a simple header. It leveled the scoreline.

Daniel Sturridge, the substitute had scored the equalizer.

He tried to keep the possession of the ball but pitch wasn't that widen enough for him as he took the ball over the sideline.

Substitutes were coming up from both teams as none of the manager would have settled with the draw.

Spoiler: Click to view the decisive moments of the match

Yet another great save from Igor Akinfeev. It was the day he would just never forget even if he found himself on the losing side in the end.

88' AS Monacao had won a late corner. The kick was taken...

STUNNER! ABSOLUTE STUNNER! It was a strong strong header by Demba Ba, the French striker, which turned the game inside a moment leaving the in-form Livepool keeper stunned.

It was the moment they owned, that would surely hand them the tickets to the next round.

Monacao's man in back turned down the late threat formed by Jesus Navas.

And it had been decided. AS Monacao, kept their good form going and came up with a vital win in front of their home crowd. They had dominated each and every moment in the game.

Liverpool, they won't be going through; after an impressive performace in truth they faced the defeat by only some mistakes in the last stages.

Match Facts

Match Events

RATINGS

|

GOALS

|

ASSISTS

|

SAVES

AS Monacao

|

Cabaye 1, Ba 1

|

Flamini 1, Cabaye 1

|

Lloris 3

Liverpool

|

Sturridge

|

-

|

Akinfeev 7

@Na Maloom Afraad @Raghu

 

[Pinch hitter]

we did well in this season, but today is not our day...

 

[Ohm]

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PSG v Chelsea
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moments in pictures before the kick-off.

Home side's starting lineup.

The visitor's stating lineup.

Chelsea man playing in a cross from wide positions.

PSG had won a corner. The ball was in... but there had been some fantastic heading clearence from man in the back, John Terry.

Nemanja Matic the Chelsea player was working in both halfs of the pitch; defensively, agressively, he was fully determined with his job.

PSG player inspiring an attack. A well executed attack could found them leading goal just before the half time.

As the first half whistle blown, two sides were in the position where they started. Both the teams priorly worked hard in defense.

Spoiler: Click here to view the highlights of second half

Robin van Persie was inspiring an attack. He had been dangerous and unstoppable for the opponent's defenders with his uncatchable tricks.

Players being replaced. The home manager looking to grab the much needed one goal lead, and strengthning his attack with introduction of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Luiz Gustavo took a strong shot that could be decisive but in the end keeper made a fantastic save and kept it 0-0.

Substitution from the home bench. Manager hoping the fresh legs could do the trick.

Thiago Silva stopped a most promising attack of the match otherwise it was sure his side would have been seen 1-0 down.

Nemanja Matic received yellow card for his not so healthy challenge over the PSG's player.

The first change from the away bench; Thiago Motta came on to face his old side in his and his team's important day.

Antonio Candreva had a strong low shot on the goal on the ball that came straigth to him after a worse clearence being made...

GOAL! It was a stunner! Keeper had no chance to stop the ball, he dived and did his best to stop it but the strike was very well taken that he couldn't reach it in time.

A goal that could be decisive to seal the win. Brilliant one touch finish from outside the penalty box. That could own the match on his side.

Chelsea players later tried to execute some counter attacks to get that equalizing goals, but their attempts were just not enough to have scored it.

Full time whistle blown; it was PSG who sealed the win after the 90 minutes. Surely the home support helped them to win in that important contest against an evenly matched side.

Chelsea did their best to reach this stage. They worked hard, played well but still this was the day things not gone in their favor. They were defensively a hard working side, but after being 1-0 down they failed to produce few attacks out of which they surely could have found the breakthrough.

Match Facts

Match Events

RATINGS

|

GOALS

|

ASSISTS

|

SAVES

PSG

|

Candreva

|

-

|

Casillas 2

Chelsea

|

-

|

-

|

Weidenfeller 1

@Sulaiman7 @Davoo​

 

[ParkedTheBus]

It was really fun to be involved in this tournament. Felt we were excellent defensively, but lacked that bit of bite from an attacking perspective. Anyway, Luiz Gustavo as a striker and van Persie as a midfielder?