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| Up, up and away: Juergen Klinsmann bags the night's best celebration [AFP] |
Manchester United and Villarreal sit top of Group E with four points each after wins over Aalborg and Celtic respectively.
Dimitar Berbatov scored his first goals for United after his big-money move from Tottenham Hotspur, while Marcos Senna was the difference against the Scots in Spain.
Group F witnessed two draws, with Bayern Munich battling back to draw 1-1 at home to Lyon and Fiorentina playing out a goalless draw at home to Steaua Bucharest.
Berbatov makes mark
New signing Berbatov scored twice to lead holders Manchester United to a
comfortable 3-0 victory over AaB Aalborg on Tuesday.
Wayne Rooney opened the scoring for the visitors in the 22nd minute after Ryan Giggs threaded a pass through the Danish champions' defence to launch the England striker clear in the penalty area.
Berbatov blasted home his first goal as a United player in the 55th minute after Thomas Augustinussen accidentally dinked the ball in the air for the Bulgarian to volley on the edge of the box.
The striker, who joined United from Spurs for $55.69 million, doubled his tally in the 79th minute with a beautiful sideways scissors kick after a cross from Cristiano Ronaldo.
Money issue
"He's joined the club for the money he's joined, so it's always an issue getting that first goal," United manager Alex Ferguson told Danish television.
"Now that he's got it, he's on his way. His second goal was taken very well, a real goal-scorer's goal."
United controlled the match, with right back Rafael making frequent dangerous raids into Aalborg territory to set up chance after chance for the holders.
Midfielder Paul Scholes could be out for two months after going off with a knee ligament injury.
"The second goal was the one that really damaged us," Aalborg manager Bruce Rioch said.
"The ball bounced off our skipper's ankle and Berbatov finished it with a fantastic goal."
Senna seals it
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| Senna tries to wriggle away from Barry Robson [GALLO/GETTY] |
Villarreal captain Marcos Senna curled in a magnificent second-half free kick to
secure a 1-0 victory over Celtic.
He swept a 25-metre effort from the left over the defensive wall and the ball dropped into the bottom left hand corner on 67 minutes with keeper Artur Boruc sprawling in vain.
Celtic had soaked up some intense pressure yet it was their Greek striker Giorgos Samaras who had the best chance of the first half when he pounded clear on the right only to flick his shot against keeper Diego Lopez.
Senna forced a good low save from Boruc before finally beating him with a swerving free kick.
"We have given them a right good game," Celtic manager Gordon Strachan told Sky TV.
"I think that was the best we have played away from home since I have been here."
Celtic's infamous Champions League away record continues to haunt them. They have now lost 17 of 18, picking up one solitary draw.
Bayern nerves
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| Lining up for love: Ze Roberto and teammates head for their boss [GALLO/GETTY] |
Bayern Munich put a nervous first-half display behind them to claim a 1-1 draw at home to Olympique Lyon in Group F.
Bayern, facing trouble on the domestic front after two successive Bundesliga defeats, gifted Lyon the lead when Martin Demichelis headed a Juninho free kick back past his own goalkeeper in the 25th minute.
The German champions had Franck Ribery back from his ankle injury and the Frenchman caused plenty of problems.
After several near misses they got the equaliser they deserved when Ze Roberto arrived late in the penalty area to head home a Miroslav Klose cross shortly after the break.
Bayern remain top of the group with four points from two games, followed by Lyon and Fiorentina on two and Steaua Bucharest on one.
"We had enough chances to win the game," Bayern coach Juergen Klinsmann said.
"We would have loved three points instead of one but I think we're still well placed in Europe."
Romanians bag first point
Steaua Bucharest defended strongly to secure a 0-0 draw at Fiorentina for their
first point in the Champions League.
It was a poor match with many mistakes in midfield and both teams failing to build dangerous attacks, even if Fiorentina dominated for longer periods.
"It was a good result which maintained our chances of qualifying," said Steaua coach Marius Lacatus, who played for Fiorentina in the 1990s.
"I leave Florence with the regret that we failed to win, because we deserved it."
Fiorentina's Romanian striker Adrian Mutu, who was kept on a tight rein for the most part, blazed the first opening over the bar and then a close-range shot from Alberto Gilardino was blocked by Steaua's Colombian goalkeeper Robinson Zapata.
"Steaua defended very well, but both teams could have won," Mutu said. "This is a very tight group, anyone could qualify."
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