Champions League: Copenhagen halt Bayern to put Manchester United on brink
Copenhagen ground out a 0-0 draw at Bayern Munich in Champions League Group A to end their opponents’ 17-game winning run in group-stage matches and give themselves a great chance of reaching the last 16.
Copenhagen had an early chance when Roony Bardghji’s 27th-minute shot sailed narrowly wide and Thomas Müller’s close-range header for Bayern was saved by Kamil Grabara. The visitors, whose solid backline has been key to their success this season, defended well and came close again two minutes after the restart through Diogo Goncalves’s curled shot.
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The Danes can qualify for the knockout stages by beating Galatasaray, who are also on five points after drawing 3-3 with the bottom club Manchester United, and they almost snatched a last-gasp winner. Manuel Neuer came to the rescue, however, with a double save to deny Mohamed Elyounoussi and extend the German champions’ record unbeaten run to 39 successive group-stage matches in the competition. Copenhagen’s shock point means United can only qualify if they beat Bayern and the other game is a draw.
Internazionale fought back from 3-0 down to rescue a point with three goals in the second half in a pulsating 3-3 draw at Benfica in a Champions League Group D clash after João Mário scored a hat-trick for the hosts.
Benfica broke the deadlock after five minutes when João Mário finished first time after Casper Tengstedt headed it down for the former Inter player. He then capitalised on a failed clearance from the Inter defence to double the lead, before completing his hat-trick in the 34th minute when he bundled the ball home from close range from a cross.
Marko Arnautovic pulled one back for Inter six minutes into the second half, before Davide Frattesi scored with a well-placed volley. Alexis Sánchez completed the comeback from the penalty spot after 72 minutes after Nicolás Otamendi had tripped Marcus Thuram.
Inter, who had already qualified for the last 16, are level on 11 points with Real Sociedad, who drew 0-0 with Salzburg.
PSV Eindhoven fought back from two goals down to secure a 3-2 win in a high-octane encounter against Sevilla that secured the Dutch side’s progress to the knockout stage alongside Arsenal.
Sergio Ramos gave Sevilla the lead in the 24th minute and Youssef En-Nesyri chipped the ball over the goalkeeper to extend their advantage but the match turned on its head after Lucas Ocampos was sent off in the 66th minute for two yellow cards in the space of three minutes.
Ismael Saibari got PSV back in the game with a fine volley in the 68th minute and the Dutch side equalised with an own goal by the defender Nemanja Gudelj in the 81st. Ricardo Pepi’s stoppage-time header secured a comeback victory for the visitors while Fernando became the second Sevilla player to be sent off.
The record seven-time Europa League winners must beat Lens in their last group match to finish ahead of them in the standings and qualify for the tournament they love.
“We had a favourable result after dominating the first half, but going a man down killed us and they took advantage of it,” Sevilla’s Ramos told Movistar Plus.
Ricardo Pepi wheels away after heading PSV’s crucial winner at Sevilla. Photograph: Raúl Caro Cadenas/EPA
Ten-man Braga came from a goal down to draw 1-1 at home with Union Berlin in Group C to keep alive their hopes of reaching the last 16.
Robin Gosens gave Union the lead three minutes before half-time when he sent a low shot past Matheus before the hosts levelled through Álvaro Djaló after the break with an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net. The Portuguese club were left with 10 men after the half-hour when the Union forward Kevin Behrens was fouled by Sikou Niakaté, who was initially shown a yellow card that was upgraded to a red following a VAR review.
Braga, third in the standings with four points, can still finish in the top two if they beat second-placed Napoli by more than one goal in the final game next month. The Italian champions won 2-1 in Portugal. The leaders Real Madrid, who had already clinched a last-16 spot, top the group with 15 points following a 4-2 win against Napoli.