CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2007: LAZIO 2-REAL MADRID 2 & VALENCIA CF 1-CHELSEA FC 2

The last two Spanish teams in the Champions League competition
played their Group games tonight with a sweet & sour result. REAL
MADRID ( group C) drew away, while VALENCIA CF ( group B) lost
surprisingly at home.

REAL MADRID drew with LAZIO at Rome with a 2-2 result.
Here are some words to describe Real Madrid´s game: static,
over-relaxed, sleepy, average & VAN NISTELROOY.
Real Madrid still have a way to go if they are to achieve the balance
between attacking football & game dominance with control. Lazio
were allowed to get back into the game, due to the "indifferennce" or
"over-confidence" at times displayed by the Spanish team.
Real Madrid can once again thank Dutch forward Van Nistelrooy who
scored Real´s two goals ( 07min & 60m) which put his side ahead on
each occasion. Great match by the Dutchman.

Lazio also had its saviour & player of mention, PANDEV (pictured)
who scored his teams 2º goals to equalize on each occasion ( 31min
& 74th min). Great game from Pandev.

(Pictured)
Van Nistelrooy scoring the 2º goal with a "chip" over the keeper.

Good result for the Spaniards , but they need to improve if they wish
to go all the way in the Championship.

Match details:
LAZIO 2
Ballotta; Behrami (Scaloni, m.66), Stendardo, Cribari, Zauri; Mudingayi,
Ledesma, Mutarelli; Mauri (Del Nero, m.77); Pandev, Rocchi
(Makinwa, m.66).
REAL MADRID 2
Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Heinze, Marcelo; Diarra, Guti;
Sneijder (Drenthe, m. 88), Raúl (Saviola, m.83), Robben
(Higuaín, m.77); Van Nistelrooy.

Goals: 0-1. Min.8: Van Nistelrooy. 1-1. Min.32: Pandev. 1-2. Min,61:
Van Nistelrooy. 2-2. Min.75: Pandev.

VALENCIA CF had DAVID VILLA jumping again with joy in the
09th min, but his team surprisingly lost at home to an improved &
determined CHELSEA FC side by 1-2.

Perhaps Valencia & most punters ( including SFS) thought beforehand
that the local events at Chelsea had wounded them sufficiently to be
able to defeat them; wrong!

Chelsea fought back & hard with the equalizer in the 20th min thanks to
COLE, & DROGBA grabbed the winner & the 2º goal in the 70th min.

Long faces among the Spaniards who perhaps may have thought the match
was already won before the kick -off. Mental mistake!

Match details:
VALENCIA CF 1
Hildebrand, Miguel, Albiol, Helguera, Moretti; Joaquín
(Arizmendi, m.88), Albelda (Baraja, m.75), Marchena, Silva; Villa
& Morientes (Zigic, m.68).
CHELSEA FC 2
Cech, Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole; Makelele, Obi Mikel
(Alex, m.88), Joe Cole, Essien (Sidwell, m.83), Malouda
(Kalou, m.85); & Drogba.

Goals: 1-0, m.9: Villa. 1-1, m.21: Cole,. 1-2, m.70: Drogba.