Uefa Champions League Match week 4 Review

With 38 Goals, 54 Yellow Cards and 2 Red Cards, the Match week was full of excitement and 3 teams making it to the Round of 16.

Real Sociedad finally secured their first point and clean sheet in UEFA Champions League Group A, a draw with Manchester United FC maintaining their slim hopes of reaching the knockout stages. Manchester United drew with Real Sociedad, 0-0. A golden chance, a penalty was provided by Young but van Persie missed it to make it a draw. Indeed this result only came courtesy of United substitute Robin van Persie hitting the post twice within six minutes of coming on, the latter from a 69th-minute penalty. Real Sociedad made NO attempts on target; however, they hit the woodwork once. Fellani received a red card in the 90^th minute.

Cristiano Ronaldo equalled the record number of goals in a UEFA Champions League group stage as Real Madrid CF all but qualified for the knockout rounds with a draw at Juventus. A thrilling 2-2 encounter between the third ranked teams of La Liga and Serie A witnessed a draw. The goal of the day by Bale and equalizers by Ronaldo and Vidal sealed the day. The Vidal equalizer was a penalty gifted by Varane.

FC København claimed their first victory of this UEFA Champions League group stage thanks to Daniel Braaten's early goal against Galatasaray AŞ. Forward Braaten was the only player to score in a first half littered with inviting chances at either end, as København sought to avenge their matchday three defeat by the Turkish title holders. Galatasaray had 56% possession and hit the target 10 times compared to the host’s 5 but could not get a goal going.

Paris Saint-Germain still require another point to qualify for the UEFA Champions League last 16 after needing a Zlatan Ibrahimović equaliser to stave off the prospect of a shock loss to RSC Anderlecht at the Parc des Princes. Anderlecht proved far more tenacious and took a surprise lead via Demy de Zeeuw on 68 minutes. Ibrahimović levelled moments later and John van den Brom's charges lost Sacha Kljestan to a late red card, but they ultimately held firm for their first point in Group C. PSG had 62% possession and 18 hits on target but still it remained 1-1.

Álvaro Negredo scored a hat-trick as Manchester City FC secured their place in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League for the first time thanks to a comprehensive victory against PFC CSKA Moskva. Man City continue their Rousing form as the vanish CSKA Moskva 5-2. Negredo got a hat trick while Aguero scored 2. For Moskva, Doumbia scored both of the goals. City seized control of the game after three minutes through Sergio Agüero's penalty and by the half-hour it was 3-0 as the Argentinian, with his second, and Negredo found the net. Although Seydou Doumbia pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time, Negredo's second after 51 minutes ended any doubt. A Doumbia penalty reduced the deficit again before Negredo completed his treble with a stoppage-time header from James Milner's cross. 57% possession was there for Man City.

Substitute Mario Mandžukić scored the only goal as FC Bayern München defeated a valiant FC Viktoria Plzeň to move into the knockout stages with a record-equalling ninth successive UEFA Champions League win. Josep Guardiola's men were frustrated by Plzeň's endeavour as much as their own uncharacteristic shortcomings in the final third until Mandžukić headed in after 65 minutes.

Olympiacos FC took a grip on second spot in UEFA Champions League Group C after Kostas Manolas's early header earned a vital 1-0 victory over SL Benfica in Piraeus. Manolas rose unmarked to power in a 13th-minute header from a corner to put the hosts ahead against the run of play. Despite enjoying plenty of possession, Benfica could not find a way past their former goalkeeper Roberto who was in inspired form. The result moves Olympiacos onto seven points, three clear of third-placed Benfica but three behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain. Benfica had 9 attempts on target to Olympiacos 2 but could not get a goal.

FC Zenit and FC Porto remain second and third respectively in UEFA Champions League Group G after playing out an entertaining 1-1 draw. The visitors drew first blood, taking a deserved 23rd-minute lead thanks to a well-directed header by Lucho González. Zenit were struggling to find any rhythm, but got back into the match before the half-hour mark when Hulk seized on a defensive mix-up. Porto enjoyed 57% possession.

Club Atlético de Madrid will take their place in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 as Group G winners, a fitting reward for a side who remain perfect in the section thanks to a comfortable 4-0 victory against FK Austria Wien.  The Rojiblancos produced a similar attacking display to that which saw off the Austrian champions on matchday three, with Miranda, Raúl García and Filipe Luis all scoring in the first half. Diego Costa made up for a missed penalty after the break with a clinching fourth towards the end as Atlético equalled their biggest victory in the UEFA Champions League.Atletico hat 67% possession, 23 attemts and 15 on target.

AFC Ajax moved above Celtic FC into third place in Group H after a solitary Lasse Schöne goal gave them all three points in Amsterdam. If the matchday four encounter needed a spark after a largely uneventful first half, it got it six minutes from the restart as Denmark midfielder Schöne kept his head when one-on-one with Celtic No1 Fraser Forster. Chances followed at both ends as the game finally opened up, but ultimately Schöne's strike was enough to prolong Celtic's miserable away record in the UEFA Champions League and hoist Ajax back into contention for second spot.

Messi's first-half penalty – added to by Sergio Busquets's header – had left Gerardo Martino's side looking comfortable, only for an own goal on the cusp of half-time from Gerard Piqué to open the door to a Milan fightback. A 3-1 victory over Milan with 59% possession.

Two weeks after FC Steaua Bucureşti had frustrated FC Basel 1893 with a late equaliser Giovanni Sio turned the tables on the Romanian title holders, the Basel substitute's added-time equaliser denying Steaua a first UEFA Champions League group stage win in over seven years. Building on their hard work from the first meeting in Romania, and Leandro Tatu's 88th-minute strike that had brought a 1-1 draw, Laurenţiu Reghecampf's team soaked up early Basel pressure. 

Samuel Eto'o scored his first UEFA Champions League goals for Chelsea FC to drive the London side to a three-point lead in Group E with their 100th European victory. Eto'o's first was a triumph for anticipation and opportunism as FC Schalke 04 goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand dallied over his attempted clearance, allowing the striker to divert it into an empty net, as Chelsea made it 3-0.

Aaron Ramsey continued his excellent scoring form for Arsenal FC with the only goal of the game to earn the Premier League leaders a 1-0 victory at Borussia Dortmund in Group F. The Welsh international's 13th goal for club and country this season was enough to extend Arsenal's unbeaten streak to 15 away matches in all competitions while also ending the hosts' run of seven straight home wins in the UEFA Champions League. Dortmund’s 64% of the shots were off target.

SSC Napoli were made to work hard for a win over Olympique de Marseille that keeps them on course for a place in the UEFA Champions League last 16 while eliminating the French side from the competition. André Ayew put the visitors in front, but two quick-fire goals from Gökhan Inler and Gonzalo Higuaín changed the complexion of the Group F contest. Marseille levelled through Florian Thauvin before Higuaín's second sealed victory and edged Napoli closer to qualification.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen consolidated second position in UEFA Champions League Group A with a goalless draw at FC Shakhtar Donetsk. Two points clear of their third-placed opponents at the start of play, Leverkusen had their goalkeeper Bernd Leno to thank for going into the break on level terms following a busy opening 45 minutes. The 21-year-old was pressed into action six times in the first half, saving most impressively when he acrobatically kept out Facundo Ferreyra's attempt.