Ten-man PSV hold on to frustrate Atletico
Reuters
PSV Eindhoven played for more than 20 minutes with 10 men but held on for a goalless draw at home to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.
The Spanish club have earned a well-founded reputation for iron-clad defence this season but it was the Dutch champions who had to produce a stout rearguard action to avoid being beaten and leave the tie balanced ahead of the return leg on March 15.
PSV, making their first appearance in the knockout phase of the competition since 2007, were forced to play the closing stages deep in their own half after 20-year-old striker Gaston Pereiro was sent off for a second booking in the 68th minute.
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Man City close on last eight after 3-1 win at Dynamo
Reuters
Manchester City moved within touching distance of a first appearance in the Champions League quarter-finals after a dynamic first-half display at Dynamo Kiev helped them secure a 3-1 last-16 first-leg win on Wednesday.
City were irrepressible in the opening 45 minutes, slicing through their opponents almost at will and taking a 2-0 lead with goals from Sergio Aguero and David Silva.
The hosts, however, improved dramatically after the restart and Vitaliy Buyalskiy's deflected effort reduced the arrears to fire up the home crowd and spur on the Dynamo players.
The English side, who reverted to a full-strength team after resting a host of players in a humiliating 5-1 FA Cup defeat by Chelsea, began with real intent, dominating possession and pressing their opponents into near submission in a classy first-half display.
The hosts, returning from their winter break, looked very much a side who had not played an official match in two and a half months.
The English side, who reverted to a full-strength team after resting a host of players in a humiliating 5-1 FA Cup defeat by Chelsea, began with real intent, dominating possession and pressing their opponents into near submission in a classy first-half display.
The hosts, returning from their winter break, looked very much a side who had not played an official match in two and a half months.
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Passion play as Van Gaal tells United to be 'horny'
Agence France-Presse
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal reduced a press conference to chuckles on Wednesday when he told his players to be "horny" when they face FC Midtjylland in the Europa League.
United trail the Danish champions 2-1 from the first leg of their last-32 tie and when he set out what he expected from his team in Thursday's game at Old Trafford, the Dutchman provided a bizarre response.
"Desire and hunger. A lot of times I use the word horny to my players," said 64-year-old Van Gaal.
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Sturridge keen for long-term stay with Liverpool
Reuters
Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge has pledged his future to the club despite manager Juergen Klopp having publicly criticised the striker's attitude towards his injury problems.
The England international has spent a lot of time on the sidelines with hip, knee, foot and hamstring injuries since making the switch to Anfield from Chelsea in 2013.
His injuries meant Sturridge made his first Premier League start under Klopp in the 6-0 win over Aston Villa earlier this month and only his sixth league appearance of the campaign.
"I am looking forward to the future at Liverpool. I am happy here," Sturridge told reporters ahead of Thursday's Europa League last 32 clash at home to Bundesliga side FC Augsburg.
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Boateng turns back on German clubs
Agence France-Presse
Berlin-born Ghana international Kevin-Prince Boateng says he will never play for a German club again after his turbulent two years at Schalke 04.
The 28-year-old has a contract with AC Milan until the end of the season after being told he had no future at Schalke following a disagreement with club captain Benedikt Hoewedes.
"I have closed the door on Germany," the central midfielder told SID, an AFP subsidiary. "I am not sad about it, just disappointed that everything went so haywire in Schalke in the second year."
Boateng has played for Hertha Berlin, Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth and Genoa in his career.
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Slick City hungry for success, says Kompany
Reuters
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany said they played like a team "hungry for success" as they put a poor recent run behind them to move to the verge of the Champions League quarter-finals with a 3-1 win at Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday.
City had lost their previous three matches, denting their Premier League hopes with back-to-back defeats by Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur and exiting the FA Cup with a humiliating 5-1 loss at Chelsea.
They put in a barn-storming first-half display in Ukraine, however, and held off a Kiev fightback after the break to edge closer to a maiden appearance in the last eight of the Champions League.
"The performance was good, with a lot of high pressing, 3-1 is a good result and we are happy with it," Kompany told BT Sport.
"We are going into the second leg with a fairly good chance to go through, which has not been the case before. We looked like a team that was hungry for success tonight."
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
