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Barca and Liverpool stunned at home

Inter and Arsenal also struggle as giants falter in Champions League

Oct 21, 2009 12:03 AM | By AP and Reuters

Holders Barcelona suffered their first Champions League defeat in 10 matches last night when goals from Aleksandr Ryazantsev and Gokdeniz Karadeniz gave Rubin Kazan a 2-1 win in their Group F clash.


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CONSOLATION: Barcelona's Zlatan Ibrahimovic controls the ball before scoring at the Nou Camp in Barcelona last night Picture: ALBERT GEA/REUTERS
CONSOLATION: Barcelona's Zlatan Ibrahimovic controls the ball before scoring at the Nou Camp in Barcelona last night Picture: ALBERT GEA/REUTERS

Barca were rocked back by the Russian champions in the second minute at the Nou Camp when midfielder Ryazantsev let fly from distance and the ball arrowed past Victor Valdes into the top right corner.

GALLERY: All the Champions League action

Xavi picked out Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the 48th minute and the Sweden striker controlled with his chest and crashed a low shot past Sergei Ryzhikov for the equaliser before Karadeniz sped through to put Rubin back ahead with around 20 minutes left.

Ibrahimovic sent an acrobatic volley against the crossbar and Xavi stung Ryzhikov's hands with a fierce drive but Pep Guardiola's side were unable to find a second equaliser.

Liverpool slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Lyon to lose four straight games for the first time in 22 years.

Yossi Benayoun had put the five-time champions ahead four minutes before halftime, but an injury-hit and direction less home side conceded an equaliser to Lyon substitute Maxime Gonalons midway through the second half and were then hit with a counterattack in injury time, with Cesar Delgado finding the net.

Liverpool also lost captain Steven Gerrard to injury and might be without the England midfielder for Sunday's Premier League match against fierce rivals Manchester United.

Liverpool have four points from three Group E matches, three fewer than Lyon.

Midfielder David Mendes da Silva scored in the last minute of stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw for AZ Alkmaar against Arsenal.

Andrei Arshavin and Robin van Persie had combined to set up Cesc Fabregas, who gave Arsenal the lead with a low shot in the 36th. But Da Silva's volley spoiled Arsenal's perfect record in Group H.

Sevilla beat Stuttgart 3-1 for their third win in three games in the Champions League.

Defender Sebastien Squillaci scored two goals for Sevilla, one in each half, and substitute Jesus Navas added the other for the Spanish side. Substitute Elson scored for Stuttgart.

The Spanish side now has nine points to lead Group G halfway into the group stage. Unirea Urziceni is second at four points after beating the Rangers 4-1 in Glasgow.

Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan drew 2-2 at home with Dynamo Kiev to make it seven straight Champions League matches without a win.

Inter are last in Group F with two points, two behind Dynamo Kiev.

Romania striker Adrian Mutu scored twice as Fiorentina won 4-3 away at Debrecen in a highly entertaining Group E match.

Substitute Ieroklis Stoltidis gave Olympiakos a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Standard Liege in Group H .

The visitors, who had most of the early chances, took the lead in the 37th minute when Igor de Camargo slotted past Antonis Nikopolidis from inside the area.

Olympiakos struck back just six minutes later. Kostas Mitroglou sent a looping header over Sinan Bolat from a Luciano Galletti free kick.

There were few clear chances in the second half but Stoltidis, a second half replacement for Jaouad Zairi, headed home in the third-minute of added time to clinch the three points.

Champions League logs:

Group E

Pos

Team

P

W

D

L

Pts

1

Lyon

3

3

0

0

9

2

Fiorentina

3

2

0

1

6

3

Liverpool

3

1

0

2

3

4

Debrecen

3

0

0

3

0

Group F

Pos

Team

P

W

D

L

Pts

1

Barcelona

3

1

1

1

4

2

Dynamo Kiev

3

1

1

1

4

3

Rubin Kazan

3

1

1

1

4

4

Inter Milan

3

0

3

0

3

Group G

Pos

Team

P

W

D

L

Pts

1

Sevilla

3

3

0

0

9

2

Unirea Urziceni

3

1

1

1

4

3

Stuttgart

3

0

2

1

2

4

Rangers

3

0

1

2

1

Group H

Pos

Team

P

W

D

L

Pts

1

Arsenal

3

2

1

0

7

2

Olympiakos

3

2

0

1

6

3

AZ Alkmaar

3

0

2

1

2

4

Standard Liege

3

0

1

2

1

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Comments

Oct 21 2009 10:18:15 AM
JohnnyEnglish
user name
Bye bye Rafa.


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