• Champions League round-up

United dumped out by Basel as City bow out with a win

ESPN staff
December 7, 2011
Manchester United failed to reach the Champions League knock-out stages © Getty Images
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Phil Jones' last-gasp goal was not enough as Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League after a 2-1 defeat by FC Basel.

It was a disappointing night for English sides as Manchester City also failed to reach the knockout stages despite a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich at Eastlands.

While City did everything in their power to secure a place in the last 16, United held their fate in their own hands and needed a single point from their trip to Switzerland, but were unable to find a way back into the game after Marco Streller's early goal.

United dominated possession and continually peppered Yann Sommer's goal, but were left to rue a series of wasted chances as they failed to find the net for the first time this season.

The visitors fell behind after nine minutes when Streller capitalised on some hesitation in the United backline after Nemanja Vidic and Chris Smalling collided. With Smalling staying on the ground, Xherdan Shaqiri picked up the ball unchallenged on the left wing, and found Streller via the boot of David de Gea, as Streller lashed home for a surprise lead.

The muddy goal areas appeared to impede the United forwards, and Wayne Rooney scuffed his shot after Nani crossed from the right, and Park Ji-Sung did little better with the follow-up. To compound Sir Alex Ferguson's woe, Nemanja Vidic was stretchered off in the first half after falling awkwardly on his knee.

Markus Steinhofer volleyed the ball against his own crossbar under pressure from Ashley Young, but as United desperately searched for an equaliser, they left themselves exposed at the back, and Basel doubled their advantage when Shaqiri's cross found Alexander Frei, who stooped to nod the ball home from three yards out with six minutes remaining.

Jones' 89th-minute goal set up a nervous finish at St Jakob-Park, when his rebounded effort snuck over the line after Federico Macheda hit the crossbar, but they were unable to find a critical equaliser. Victory allowed Basel to book their place in the last 16 for the first time since 2002-03, while for United, who had reached three of the last four finals, there is the unwelcome consolation of the Europa League.

Manchester City's win was not enough to secure a place in the last 16 © PA Photos
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Benfica secured top spot in Group C and join United's vanquishers Basel in the knockout phase after they overcame Otelul Galati in a hard-fought 1-0 victory at the Estadio da Luz. Oscar Cardozo scored the only goal of the night for the Portuguese side in the seventh minute with a simple tap-in to deny the Romanians a point in their debut season in the competition.

Meanwhile, Premier League leaders Manchester City had little to celebrate despite a convincing 2-0 win over Bayern Munich. With the German giants already through to the last-16, Bayern manager Jupp Heynckes could afford to leave many of his first-choice players on the bench.

City had the ball in the back of the net after quarter-of-an-hour, but Joleon Lescott was deemed to have impeded keeper Hans-Jorg Butt after David Silva's free-kick from the right found its way into the top corner.

Silva broke the deadlock after 36 minutes, collecting Edin Dzeko's flick on the edge of the area, and showing superb technique to swivel and drill a low shot past Butt. And having enjoyed much of the possession, City were rewarded with a second goal when Yaya Toure slid home from Dzeko's cross.

But it was all in vain as Napoli progressed at City's expense after the Italian side enjoyed a 2-0 win over Villarreal in Spain. Goals from Gokhan Inler and Marek Hamsik in the last 25 minutes at El Madrigal gave Napoli the win they needed to secure second place.

In a remarkable turnaround in Group D, Lyon joined group winners Real Madrid in the knockout stages after Bafetimbi Gomis scored four goals in a 7-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia. Lyon had started the night with only a faint hope of qualification as they had to hope Real beat Ajax and that they won in Zagreb with a shift of at least seven goals in their favour.

Ajax's 3-0 home loss to Real Madrid, who finished the group with a 100% record, was only to be expected with two strikes from Jose Callejon sandwiching an effort from Gonzalo Higuain.

There were more dramatic scenes in Group B where CSKA Moscow snatched a 2-1 win away to group winners Inter Milan, leapfrogging Trabzonspor and Lille to claim second place.

The Russian side's only hope was that their two group rivals played out a draw while they pulled off an improbable win at the San Siro. Lille and Trabzonspor duly obliged with a cagey 0-0 draw in France.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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