ACTUALITE |
11.10.2001
Beckham on song again as United inflict first home defeat on Olympiakos
Just four days after his last minute goal forced a draw with the Greek national side England captain David Beckham proved to be the nemesis for Grecian giants Olympiakos here Wednesday as he scored in Manchester United`s 2-0 Champions League Group G win.
Beckham`s goal and a late one from substitute Andy Cole handed Manchester United only their second away win in their last 11 Champions League trips and was enough to send them to the top of the group after Deportivo La Coruna drew 1-1 in Lille.
Things look bleak for Olympiakos, however, who suffered their first defeat in 14 home matches in the Champions League wnd with just a point after three matches emulating their quarter-final showing from 1999 looks a very long shot.
Beckham, who is proving to be a menace for Greek teams having scored in injury time Saturday to hand England a last gaps automatic place in next year`s World Cup finals, opened the scoring in the 66th minute.
He shot past Olympiakos goalkeeper Dimitris Eleftheropoulos and defender Stelios Venetidis after taking a chipped pass from the left from Ryan Giggs.
Cole, who had only been on the pitch for a couple of minutes, sealed the three points in the 82nd minute when he netted from close range after taking a perfect pass from Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
The Greek defence was no match for the charging Manchester United forwards in the second half as only outstanding goalkeeping by Eleftheropoulos stopped United winning by a country mile.
The `keeper saved brilliantly from a Giggs header and shots by Paul Scholes and van Nistelrooy.
The first-half had been a more equal affair with both sides having their share of chances to break the deadlock.
Olympiakos` best opportunity came in the 27th minute when a perfect pass from Yugoslav international Predrag Djordjevic over the visiting team`s defence found a charging Stelios Giannakopoulos one on one with United `keeper Fabien Barthez, but he got down to block the shot.
Three minutes later Manchester United had its best scoring prospect when a shot from up close by Juan Veron, after a nifty pass from Giggs, just missed the right post with Eleftheropoulos beaten.
The attempt by Veron sparked two more late chances by the English champions just before halftime with a charging Eleftheropoulos saved a shot by Scholes and punched clear a rasping drive by Giggs from 12 metres out.
|
|
Hits: 1 | Source:Dailysoccer | |
|
|
|
|
| |