Published : Sept. 20, 2012 - 21:53
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (left) celebrates with teammate David Villa after his goal on Wednesday. ( AP-Yonhap News)
Fabio Quagliarella tied the score in the 80th minute and Juventus rallied from a two-goal deficit for a 2-2 draw at Chelsea as the Blues began their Champions League title defense on Wednesday night.
Lionel Messi scored two late goals to give Barcelona a 3-2 home win over Spartak Moscow, and Michael Carrick’s early goal led Manchester United over visiting Galatasaray.
At London, Oscar scored on long-range shots in the 31st and 33rd minutes, the first deflecting off Leonardo Bonucci into the corner of the net and the second a superb curler from the edge of the penalty area.
Arturo Vidal reduced the deficit in the 38th for Juventus, making its return to the competition after a three-year absence. Quagliarella tied the score six minutes after entering the match.
Juventus players celebrate their goal against Chelsea on Wednesday. (Xinhua-Yonhap News)
“We are disappointed and a little bit deflated to get in a great position to win the game and come away with only a draw,” Chelsea manager Roberto di Matteo said. “We should have closed the game.”
Henrik Mkhitaryan scored in the 44th and 76th minutes to give Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk a 2-0 victory over Nordsjealland in other Group F match.
At Barcelona, Cristian Tello put Barcelona ahead in the 14th minute, but Spartak went ahead 2-1 on Dani Alves’ own goal in the 29th and Romulo’s goal in the 59th.
Messi, who equaled a Champions League record with 14 goals last campaign, tapped in Tello’s pass to make it 2-2 in the 71st and headed in Alexis Sanchez’s cross in the 80th to keep Barcelona undefeated in 17 straight home games in European competition. Messi has 10 goals in seven matches this season, including four two-goal games.
“To talk about Messi is to talk about excellence in football,” Spartak coach Unai Emery said. “It is very tough to stop him.”
Glasgow Celtic drew 0-0 with Benfica in the other Group G game.
Carrick scored in the seventh minute at Old Trafford, and Nani’s 52nd-minute penalty kick was saved by Fernando Muslera in the Group H match. Galatasaray hit the goal frame three times.
“There was a lack of concentration at times and it’s unusual for us to be as frivolous with the ball,” United manager Alex Ferguson said.
Romania’s Cluj won 2-0 at Braga in the group’s other game on goals by Rafael Bastos in the 19th and 34th minutes.
In Group F, Bayern Munich won 2-1 at home over Valencia on goals by Bastian Schweinsteiger in the 38th minute and Toni Kroos in the 76th. Valencia substitute Nelson Valdez outjumped two Bayern players to score on a header in injury time.
BATE Borisov of Belarus won 3-1 at Lille, with Aleksandr Volodko, Vitali Rodionov and Edgar Olekhnovich building a three-goal first-half lead. Aurelien Chedjou scored in the second half for the hosts. (AP)