SIX OF THE BEST

 

OK, it was the 2nd leg of the third preliminary round of the Champions League this week. United haven't needed to bother with it for the past few years but it's always worth a look from a general UK perspective anyway. Last season, Liverpool, Arsenal and Hearts were trying their hand at this stage, though the Edinburgh side had to settle for getting parachuted into the UEFA Cup. This year the Scousers and Gunners were back again but the Scottish Old Firm of Celtic and Rangers were joining them and it was so far so good from the first leg.

Liverpool faced Toulouse at Anfield. Peter Crouch opened the scoring for the Scousers who despite injuries were never going to face much resistance from a sludgy looking French side. The Reds still decided to hit top gear in the second half though, Sami Hypia making it 2-0 on the night before Dirk Kuyt hit a late brace for last season's competition finalists to cruise through to the group stages yet again and on this occassion without any real effort!

Arsenal faced Sparta Prague at the Emirates Stadium. Thomas Rosicky quickly hit the net against his old club but the Gunners appeared to be satisfieid with that untill half time. Even in the second half, a stubborn Sparta defence kept themselves in the match, which looked to be best reembered for the Gunners getting payback for some rough Sparta tackling in the first leg. However late goals from Francesc Fabregas and Da Silva Eduardo saw the Gunners through to the group stages.

Celtic faced Spartak Moscow at Celtic Park. Like the two English sides, Celtic openeed the scoring, in their case through Scott McDonald, but Roman Pavluchenko equalised just before half time to make this a tougher match. The second half proved to be a tight affair with both sides having chances late on but though the Celts ended 90 minutes as the better team, the Russian side had still done enough to force an explosive game into extra time.

Neither side looked like budging in extra time with Spartak proving to be a stubborn side by holding out despite one of their players being red carded late on in the second half. Late on in the second period of extra time, Celtic were given the best chance of winning the tie by being awarded a penalty only for the ball to hit the bar! The two-legged tie had to be settled on penalties and it was here that Celtic made home advantage count, winning the shootout 4-3.

Rangers faced Red Star Belgrade at the Marakana. The Gers opted to go all out defense but even then had to dodge one immediate bullet. After that though, the 4-5-1 formation did it's job. The most dissapointed player on the night turned out to be the sole Gers striker who only had one decent shot but given that the home side's gameplan had been to put the frighteners on, Walter Smith can be satisfied with this result, the 1-0 1st leg win allowing his side through.

So, next up is the group stages and this is where United enter the picture. We're in Group F where we face Sporting Lisbon, Roma and Dynamo Kiev. One thing we can't kid ourselves about is that there are any easy games in this group, we faced Roma in the quarter finals last season for starters and I wouldn't rule out either Sporting or Dynamo giving us trouble either. We should make it through but we certainly can't afford the offnights of last season.

In general, the UK has six teams in the Champions League group stages for the first time ever. Chelsea, like United, enter the picture and they're in Group B with Valencia, Rosenborg and Schalke 04(jammy gits). Of the preliminary survivors, Liverpool face Porto, Marseilles and Besiktas(all interesting clashes but the Scousers should go through). Arsenal are in Group H and will face the winners of the Seville vs AEK Athens tie(with Seville 2-0 up from the first leg), Slavia Prage and Steuea Bucharest(Gunners should go through). Celtic are in Group D and face AC Milan, Benefica and Shatkar Donetsk(Celts garaunteed a UEFA Cup parachute but not a Champions League knockout spot) and Rangers are in Group F facing Barcelona, Lyon and vfB Stuttgart(wouldn't hold out much hope for Gers).

Going down a level, the UEFA Cup 2nd preliminary round 2nd leg matches were also going on. Blackburn beat MyPa 2-0 at Ewood Park after a couple of second half goals to complete Rovers' journey from the Intertoto Cup. Dunfirmline bowed out though, the SD1 side losing 1-0 to BK Hacken at the Ulevvi Stadium but last season's Scottish Cup winners can't exactly complain about that performance, other UK minnows have had bigger disasters this season.

Scotland still do have a representative in the 1st round round and of all sides its Aberdeen! They face Dnipro, a Ukranian side that certainly have recent experience of dealing with UK opposition with the first leg at Pittodrie! Their domestic form is solid, the squad hails entirely from Eastern Europe and is based out of the city of Dniprovpetrovsk. The tie is workable for the Dons but that's assuming they play their A game and they haven't had a good start to the season themselves.

As for the English sides in the competition, well Spurs face Cypriot side Anorthosis Famagusta, 1st leg at White Hart Lane(should be a cinch). Everton face Ukranian side Metalist Kharkiv with the first leg at Goodison Park(I'll give the Toffees the benefit of the doubt). Bolton face Macedonian bunch FK Rabotnicki with the first leg at the City Stadium(Wanderers should get through) with preliminary survivors Blackburn face Greek side Larissa, first leg at the Alkasar Stadium(toughest task of the English sides, too close to call).

Catching up with United next week

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