Originally Published: April 15, 2010, 04:55 AM

UCL 2009-2010 Quarter-Finals Day Four

Posted By Diego | Soccer News | April 15, 2010, 04:55 AM |

7 April 2010 BORDEAUX 1 (Chamakh 45) LYON 0 Dead ball specialists Bordeaux should have took an early lead through Gourcuff, who broke from the wall and rose high but headed over a Wendel free kick. Diarra hit a sledgehammer of a left foot half volley from 30 yards, the ball bounced violently off the top of the crossbar. Diarra started the move which lead to the goal with a crossfield pass out wide left to Torremolinos, he played a one-two with Jussie before pulling back a centre which Plasil sliced but Chamakh pounced and his shot bounced in off a defender. Gomis ran clear of the Bordeaux offside trap but having rounded Carasso he took the ball too wide and his shot was easily cleared. Lloris pulled off a fantastic left handed save to prevent Wendel from scoring the goal that would sent Bordeaux into the semi-finals, much to Bayern's delight. Bordeaux's form has been in the toilet in recent weeks/months. A question of too many games and not enough depth? Two domestic cup competitions cannot help and this will inevitably lead to speculation over Laurent 'Blankety' Blanc's future. After almost a decade of failed attempts Lyon finally make the last four. Lloris and Pjanic aside this isn't a particularly impressive squad especially in attack - Lisandro and Gomis have scored five goals between them but then Bayern's defence isn't too hot either. Lyon win 3-2 on aggregate. Attendance : 32,000 Assist : Plasil MANCHESTER UNITED 3 (Gibson 3, Nani 7, Nani 41) BAYERN MUNICH 2 (Olic 43, Robben 74) The big news was the sudden, dramatic return from injury of Rooney and we have no idea how he effected Bayern's preparations because the idiots on UK TV didn't bother asking Van Gaal or anyone from Bayern that particular question. Rooney had an immediate impact. Rafael shrugged off a challenge from Ribery as he turned onto a ball out of defence and passed infield to Rooney, Rooney knocked the ball forward to Gibson who beat Butt with a low shot just right of centre, a shot you would expect any top class goalkeeper to save. Rooney found Valencia in space with a glorious crossfield pass, Valencia baited Badstuber before firing in a centre the second Nani made a run across a Bayern defender, Nani connected with an outrageous backheel which, to some Bayern fans at least will invoke memories of Porto legend Madjer. Rafael was booked for kicking out at Van Bommel (Beckham-Simeone style) after the Dutchman sneakily tripped him. Rafael wasted a great chance on the break after Van Buyten inadvertently helped on a Gibson pass but with Rooney screaming for the ball at the back post, the young Brazilian fired wide. Shortly after Olic botched a great chance on the break, United added a third. Valencia made the hopeless Demichelis look a complete fool by collecting a throw-in and flicking the ball over his head, Valencia overhit his centre but Nani arrived to slam a left foot shoot into the roof of the net. Muller headed on a Schweinsteiger cross, Carrick slipped when challenging Olic for the ball and the Croat hooked a left foot shot across goal into the bottom right corner. Bayern, who had been anonymous as an attacking threat to that point, suddenly came to life. Robben drifted in from the left, dribbled past three players and drew an excellent save from a poorly positioned Van der Sar. Rafael pushed then pulled back Ribery as he attempted a ran from the centre circle. Ribery, and several Bayern players, pleaded with the ref for a second yellow card and he duly obliged. Badstuber was lucky he didn't join Rafael in the stands for an appalling, two footed, jumping foul on Valencia. He must have been watching Scholes. As O'Shea was warming up to replace Rooney, Nani failed to punish another mistake by Butt, volleying over his head and over the bar. Nani missed an even better chance to complete his hat-trick when Evra's clever pass sent him clear of a Bayern defence caught flat footed on the half-way line. As he cut in from the left, from an admittedly tight angle, he tired to beat Butt at his near post but the veteran parried the ball out for a corner. Vidic got a block on a Robben shot to force a corner. Unfortunately for United he got nowhere near the Dutchman when defending it. Ribery swung the ball to Robben who was standing free on the edge of the box, not because Bayern had an extra man as erroneously pointed out by the so called experts on Sky and ITV (Man United had more players in and around the box) but because of poor marking, Robben connected with a perfectly struck, perfectly timed volley which bounced low inside VDS' left post. As he had done against Fiorentina, the Dutchman's goal killed the tie stone dead, with no further chances. Taggart was, as usual, gracious in defeat. On Rafael's dismissal : "The young boy showed a bit of inexperience, but they got him sent off, everyone sprinted towards the referee - typical Germans." No hint of irony there, this coming from a team who turned the barracking of referees into an art form in the EPL. Van Gaal's response : "I thought England was a country of fair play and I don't think that is fair. I don't share Sir Alex's opinion. Part of being a player is control. Every player must know if you pick up one yellow card, a second one means a sending off. I certainly believe it was a yellow card offence and that is down to the player." This could be a watershed result for Manchester United. For a club in such a precarious financial position (playing against a club with no debts) the loss in revenue as a result of an 'early' elimination will have a severe impact in the transfer market as they seek to rejuvenate an ageing side. If they fail to win the EPL that problem will only be compounded. In Gibson however they have a ready made replacement for Scholes. While he lacks the ginger twat's range of passing he is a cleaner tackler and has a sledgehammer of a right foot. Bayern will, inevitably, be favourites in their semi-final class against Lyon but a team that has conceded eight goals in four games is going to face a defence that has conceded three in four and the best younger goalkeeper in the World. The elimination of all EPL clubs should Gabriele Marcotti make a welcome return to ITV's Champions League highlight show. There's no such luck for Sky Sports viewers who will have to endure the expertise of that bitter, sour faced git Graeme Souness and wide boy Jamie Redknapp. Match is tied 4-4 on aggregate, Bayern win on away goals. Attendance : 74,482 Red Card : Rafael 50 (Manchester United) Assists : Rooney, Valencia, Valencia, Muller, Ribery (ck)

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Embed 7 April 2010 BORDEAUX 1 (Chamakh 45) LYON 0 Dead ball specialists Bordeaux should have took an early lead through Gourcuff, who broke from the wall and rose high but headed over a Wendel free kick. Diarra hit a sledgehammer of a left foot half volley from 30 yards, the ball bounced violently off the top of the crossbar. Diarra started the move which lead to the goal with a crossfield pass out wide left to Torremolinos, he played a one-two with Jussie before pulling back a centre which Plasil sliced but Chamakh pounced and his shot bounced in off a defender. Gomis ran clear of the Bordeaux offside trap but having rounded Carasso he took the ball too wide and his shot was easily cleared. Lloris pulled off a fantastic left handed save to prevent Wendel from scoring the goal that would sent Bordeaux into the semi-finals, much to Bayern's delight. Bordeaux's form has been in the toilet in recent weeks/months. A question of too many games and not enough depth? Two domestic cup competitions cannot help and this will inevitably lead to speculation over Laurent 'Blankety' Blanc's future. After almost a decade of failed attempts Lyon finally make the last four. Lloris and Pjanic aside this isn't a particularly impressive squad especially in attack - Lisandro and Gomis have scored five goals between them but then Bayern's defence isn't too hot either. Lyon win 3-2 on aggregate. Attendance : 32,000 Assist : Plasil MANCHESTER UNITED 3 (Gibson 3, Nani 7, Nani 41) BAYERN MUNICH 2 (Olic 43, Robben 74) The big news was the sudden, dramatic return from injury of Rooney and we have no idea how he effected Bayern's preparations because the idiots on UK TV didn't bother asking Van Gaal or anyone from Bayern that particular question. Rooney had an immediate impact. Rafael shrugged off a challenge from Ribery as he turned onto a ball out of defence and passed infield to Rooney, Rooney knocked the ball forward to Gibson who beat Butt with a low shot just right of centre, a shot you would expect any top class goalkeeper to save. Rooney found Valencia in space with a glorious crossfield pass, Valencia baited Badstuber before firing in a centre the second Nani made a run across a Bayern defender, Nani connected with an outrageous backheel which, to some Bayern fans at least will invoke memories of Porto legend Madjer. Rafael was booked for kicking out at Van Bommel (Beckham-Simeone style) after the Dutchman sneakily tripped him. Rafael wasted a great chance on the break after Van Buyten inadvertently helped on a Gibson pass but with Rooney screaming for the ball at the back post, the young Brazilian fired wide. Shortly after Olic botched a great chance on the break, United added a third. Valencia made the hopeless Demichelis look a complete fool by collecting a throw-in and flicking the ball over his head, Valencia overhit his centre but Nani arrived to slam a left foot shoot into the roof of the net. Muller headed on a Schweinsteiger cross, Carrick slipped when challenging Olic for the ball and the Croat hooked a left foot shot across goal into the bottom right corner. Bayern, who had been anonymous as an attacking threat to that point, suddenly came to life. Robben drifted in from the left, dribbled past three players and drew an excellent save from a poorly positioned Van der Sar. Rafael pushed then pulled back Ribery as he attempted a ran from the centre circle. Ribery, and several Bayern players, pleaded with the ref for a second yellow card and he duly obliged. Badstuber was lucky he didn't join Rafael in the stands for an appalling, two footed, jumping foul on Valencia. He must have been watching Scholes. As O'Shea was warming up to replace Rooney, Nani failed to punish another mistake by Butt, volleying over his head and over the bar. Nani missed an even better chance to complete his hat-trick when Evra's clever pass sent him clear of a Bayern defence caught flat footed on the half-way line. As he cut in from the left, from an admittedly tight angle, he tired to beat Butt at his near post but the veteran parried the ball out for a corner. Vidic got a block on a Robben shot to force a corner. Unfortunately for United he got nowhere near the Dutchman when defending it. Ribery swung the ball to Robben who was standing free on the edge of the box, not because Bayern had an extra man as erroneously pointed out by the so called experts on Sky and ITV (Man United had more players in and around the box) but because of poor marking, Robben connected with a perfectly struck, perfectly timed volley which bounced low inside VDS' left post. As he had done against Fiorentina, the Dutchman's goal killed the tie stone dead, with no further chances. Taggart was, as usual, gracious in defeat. On Rafael's dismissal : "The young boy showed a bit of inexperience, but they got him sent off, everyone sprinted towards the referee - typical Germans." No hint of irony there, this coming from a team who turned the barracking of referees into an art form in the EPL. Van Gaal's response : "I thought England was a country of fair play and I don't think that is fair. I don't share Sir Alex's opinion. Part of being a player is control. Every player must know if you pick up one yellow card, a second one means a sending off. I certainly believe it was a yellow card offence and that is down to the player." This could be a watershed result for Manchester United. For a club in such a precarious financial position (playing against a club with no debts) the loss in revenue as a result of an 'early' elimination will have a severe impact in the transfer market as they seek to rejuvenate an ageing side. If they fail to win the EPL that problem will only be compounded. In Gibson however they have a ready made replacement for Scholes. While he lacks the ginger twat's range of passing he is a cleaner tackler and has a sledgehammer of a right foot. Bayern will, inevitably, be favourites in their semi-final class against Lyon but a team that has conceded eight goals in four games is going to face a defence that has conceded three in four and the best younger goalkeeper in the World. The elimination of all EPL clubs should Gabriele Marcotti make a welcome return to ITV's Champions League highlight show. There's no such luck for Sky Sports viewers who will have to endure the expertise of that bitter, sour faced git Graeme Souness and wide boy Jamie Redknapp. Match is tied 4-4 on aggregate, Bayern win on away goals. Attendance : 74,482 Red Card : Rafael 50 (Manchester United) Assists : Rooney, Valencia, Valencia, Muller, Ribery (ck)<br /><a href='http://www.linedroper.com'>Betting Lines</a> | <a href='http://www.linedroper.com/Soccer/UCL-2009-2010-Quarter-Finals-Day-Four'>UCL 2009-2010 Quarter-Finals Day Four</a>