Reuters

Barcelona stunned by Rubin, Lyon beat Liverpool

Tue, 20 Oct 23:36:00 2009

Holders Barcelona suffered a stunning 2-1 home defeat by Russia's Rubin Kazan while Liverpool lost by the same score to Olympique Lyon at Anfield on a night of high drama and late goals in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Inter Milan were held to a 2-2 home draw by Dynamo Kiev while Fiorentina won 4-3 at Debrecen, where six goals came in the first 37 minutes.

Sevilla made it three wins in a row with a 3-1 success at VfB Stuttgart but Arsenal were denied their third successive win by a last-minute equaliser for AZ Alkmaar in a 1-1 draw.

Barcelona fell behind after two minutes at the Nou Camp when Aleksandr Ryazantsev scored from long range.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic equalised in the 48th minute but Gokdeniz Karadeniz restored the visitors' lead 20 minutes from time and, despite a series of late attacks, Barca could not prevent their first defeat in the competition in 10 games.

"These things happen. It's not the first time and I doubt it will be the last," Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola told a news conference. "I didn't feel like we played a bad match."

Inter's dire Champions League run continued as they failed to win for the eighth game in a row and were somewhat lucky to escape with a point having twice come from behind.

Taras Mikhalik (5th) and a Lucio own goal (35) twice had Dynamo ahead while Dejan Stankovic and Walter Samuel replying.

The results leave Group F, which had looked a two-horse race at the start, too close to call with Barcelona, Kiev and Rubin all on four points and Inter on three after three draws.

LIVERPOOL AGONY

An injury-time goal by Cesar Delgado put Lyon in control of Group E and left Liverpool's hopes hanging by a thread.

Five times European champions Liverpool, already struggling without injured striker Fernando Torres, lost injured captain Steven Gerrard after 24 minutes but went ahead through Yossi Benayoun late in the first half.

Lyon substitute Maxime Gonalons headed a deserved equaliser after 72 minutes before Argentine forward Delgado finished off a sharp breakaway to hand Liverpool a fourth successive defeat in all competitions and leave them third on just three points.

Lyon are well placed with a maximum nine points ahead of second-placed Fiorentina on six after their goalfest at Hungary's Debrecen, who are pointless after three defeats.

"We've won three games in a row before and we can do it again," Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez told Sky Sports.

Sevilla are also on nine points after two goals from defender Sebastien Squillaci and one for Jesus Nava gave them an impressive Group G success in Germany.

Romanian champions Unirea Urziceni are the unlikely second-placed side on four points. They secured a first European win by embarrassing Rangers 4-1 in Glasgow -- helped by two own goals and a missed penalty from the generous hosts.

Stuttgart have two points and Rangers, who were booed off at Ibrox, one.

Arsenal also looked on course for a third successive win until David Mendes da Silva grabbed a stoppage time equaliser to earn AZ Alkmaar a point.

Cesc Fabregas had put Arsenal ahead in the 36th minute but they paid the price for sitting on their lead in the second half.

Arsenal remain top of Group H on seven points with Olympiakos second on six after they also scored in added time to beat Standard Liege 2-1.

Liege led through Igor De Camargo but Kostas Mitroglou headed an equaliser and substitute Ieroklis Stoltidis struck the winner in the 93rd minute.

The Champions League action continues on Wednesday with Real Madrid against AC Milan the stand-out match.

(Editing by Ken Ferris)

 

Comment 1 - 7 of 7

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  1. RAFA fat waiter, the writing is on the wall. this­ season, you will walk alone
    back to spain..­ hahahahahahaaaa

    BEL pa zed

    From Brian, on Wed 21 Oct 2:43PM
  2. Post #4 Siddy~There you go assuming again,jaksparro­ must be a man and that united will win­ everything....YAK YAK YAK as you say.

    If you dont want­ some back then dont come on here baiting people with­ inane drivel...its not me with the name calling,foul­ language and size 4 shoes is it.

    There is just such a­ combination of anger and jealousy in your comments:(

    From jaksparro1, on Wed 21 Oct 11:16AM
  3. jaksparro1: POST 4: Sad little man, reduced to name­ calling. Your so called title challenging, all­ conquering, we will win everything always, miserable­ excuse for a team have just been butt f ucked in front­ of the kop. Instead of insulting other team’s­ supporters you may wish to write about all the wrongs­ at Anfield. If you start today you should be finished­ by Sunday! Oh Sunday! Who are you playing? That’s­ right; the champions! Another Butt f ucking in front of­ the kop! Just a word of advice, when you drew all those­ matches last season which cost you the league (ho,­ ho,ho) this year you were supposed to turn them into­ win not loses. This could well be the end of an era,­ Rat-Boy, Nonce & Ponce (Mascherano, Gerrard &­ Torres) won't be playing champions league football,­ this year or next year by the look at it, no doubt­ they'll be off to spain, then what sort of a team­ will you be left with? Mid table? No league title for­ 20 years and with money Man City have got you really­ are in trouble. Out of the top 4 = The end of an era.

    From Sid, on Wed 21 Oct 8:23AM
  4. Typical comments from manure fans....makes me smile­ that!,people with i.q's smaller than their shoe­ size....enuff said.
    Perhaps they'll do something­ really original at the weekend like bring some red­ beach balls with them....DOH!!!

    From jaksparro1, on Wed 21 Oct 7:30AM
  5. Q..
    Where are all the gloating­­ Scouser's?...

    A.
    they're all hiding like a­­ sick bunch of 'Creepie Crawlies',in­ s.hite/germ­ infested drain....

    From Those Rats likes Bin dippin for free Cheeseburger, on Wed 21 Oct 4:08AM
  6. Where are all the gloating Scouser's?
    Where are you­ Michael?
    Where are you FoeyP?
    Where are you KOP­ MANIA?
    Where was that song you sing at Anfield?­ Didn't hear that tonight. You know the one,­ it's about you'll be walking around in a group­ or something. Ooooeer, it's all gone very quiet!­ Suddenly you've all stopped gloating about how­ great you are and how you are going to win­ everything.
    NOT GLOATING NOW SCOUSER'S ARE YOU!­ Yak! yak! yak!

    From Sid, on Wed 21 Oct 12:03AM
  7. Where are all the gloating Scouser's? Yak! yak!­ yak!

    From Sid, on Tue 20 Oct 11:44PM
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