Both Arsenal and Manchester United have this evening booked their places in the next stage of the Champions League. Arsenal qualified for the next round with a win at home to Ukrainian side Dynamo Kiev, whilst United qualified with a draw away at Villarreal.
Tonight's game at the Emirates marked Cesc Fabregas' first game as the new captain of the Gunners and thankfully for him and the fans it started on a positive note. Arsene Wenger's men ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a late goal from striker Nicklas Bendtner.
Meanwhile in Spain, United held Villarreal to a goalless draw at the Estadio El Madrigal. Cristiano Ronaldo came closest to breaking the deadlock but Diego Lopez did superbly well to tip his effort onto the crossbar. The hosts ended the game with just ten men, Joan Capdevila seeing red for a challenge on Ronaldo.
Good stuff from the two English sides. It gives both a bit of room to manoeuvre with in their final group games. I felt it was vital that Fabregas got off to a winning start as Arsenal captain and they just about did that. I watched the United game against Villarreal and I have to say I thought it was one of the worst games I have seen in a while. The home side never really tried to win the game and in truth probably deserved to lose in the end.
Elsewhere in the Champions League it finished : Aalborg 2-1 Celtic, Bate Borisov 0-1 Real Madrid, Bayern Munich 3-0 Steaua Bucharest, Fenerbahce 1-2 FC Porto, Fiorentina 1-2 Lyon, Zenit St Petersburg 0-0 Juventus.
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