– Reuters pic, December 9, 2015.VfL Wolfsburg reached the Champions League last 16 and dealt a knockout blow to Manchester United with a 3-2 victory to claim top spot in Group B and condemn their opponents to the Europa League yesterday.
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Louis van Gaal men caught thus a fairy-tale start on the road as Juan Mata’s pinpoint pass into path found Anthony Martial, who slotted the opener past Wolfsburg keeper Diego Benaglio with 10 minutes played.
In Group D, Manchester City scored three late goals in a five-minute span to beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 4-2 and finish top for the first time.
Wolfsburg’s reply came quickly when central defender Naldo volleyed home from a free kick from Ricardo Rodriguez, who limped off a couple of minutes later with a hamstring injury.
He insisted that progression to the Champions League group stage which has been so poor, as well advancing as one round further than past year in the League Cup constituted progress.
Moments like tonight – unheard of in most footballers’ careers – are becoming so regular that they are taken for granted at this stage, so it’s safe to say there will never be another player quite like the Real Madrid star.
Although Joshua Guilavogui levelled with an own goal, Naldo scored his second from the next attack and, coupled with bad news from PSV Eindhoven’s match with CSKA Moscow, it became apparent Louis van Gaal’s men would be consigned to the Europa League.
At this point – with PSV yet to grab their victor against CSKA Moscow – United were second in the group and poised for the last 16. They scored the goals, they are cancelling goals – still we have chances but they also have chances.
“You should really be cruising through that group and probably qualify with two games to go, resting players with the Premier League in mind”, Gale told Soccer Special. They scored three goals from set-pieces and we should have defended better. Draxler had a fine chance before half-time to make it 3-1, aiming his shot too close to De Gea, and when Matteo Darmian went off injured Borthwick-Jackson’s introduction gave United’s back four a level of inexperience that clearly left them susceptible to more damage.
“When you overview everything you remember the first match with PSV was also (against us with) the decisions of the referee”.
Wolfsburg midfielder Andre Schurrle says that his side deserved to defeat Manchester United in the Champions League.
“I don’t think that the goalkeeper was interfered by Mata, because the ball is turning in the goal”. Now it’s over. I’ve said to the players: ‘You can not show your qualities any more in the Champions League.
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United’s glimmer of hope lasted only two minutes, before Naldo headed in from a corner, with Blind unable to block the ball on the line with his body.
