British clubs rule in Champions League

PARIS – Scottish giants Rangers led the way with a 3-0 victory over six-time French champions Lyon on a superb night for British clubs in the latest Champions League action on Tuesday as all three won.

English powerhouses Arsenal and Manchester United both won 1-0 – Arsenal away at Steaua Bucharest and United with Wayne Rooney’s first goal of the season at home to Roma – to add to Rangers’ first away win in their last 10 Champions League matches. Rooney was not the only striker to end a goal drought as the flamboyant Swedish international striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice in Inter Milan’s 2-0 home win over PSV Eindhoven for his first goals in the Champions League in nearly two years.While both Arsenal and United lead their groups after two matches, Rangers are second, behind Barcelona on goal difference – the Catalan mammoths having beaten VfB Stuttgart 2-0 in Germany.Barca’s fellow Spaniards Sevilla got on the winning track – the two-time UEFA Cup titleholders having lost to Arsenal in their opener – in fine style beating Slavia Prague 4-2 with former Spurs striker Fredi Kanoute opening the scoring for them.If Rangers thought they had a dreadful away record then they had nothing on Sporting Lisbon, but the Portuguese side ended their record of not winning any previous away matches in their Champions League history by winning 2-1 against Dynamo Kiev.Rangers, though, were magnificent as they tore apart a Lyon side and heaped the pressure on coach Alain Perrin, who boasts a record of just one win in eight Champions League matches.The Scottish side’s performance left manager Walter Smith rather surprised but delighted as well.Perrin, who has done better at lesser clubs than when in charge of bigger ones, was honest about the feelings in the changing room.Arsenal showed character to defeat the Romanian side, displaying a side not often shown by them in that their football was more workmanlike than pretty to watch leaving manager Arsene Wenger purring with delight.United also showed grit in a match they were perhaps fortunate to come away with the three points and manager Sir Alex Ferguson was confident that the goals would start flowing despite six of United’s seven wins this season coming by a 1-0 margin.”Sometimes you go through these spells.But it won’t last forever.Some day we’re going to hit a few goals and hopefully it will start soon,” said the Scot.Roma coach Luciano Spalletti bemoaned his side’s bad luck – although in reality it was dreadful finishing that cost them, Simone Perrotta and Mauro Esposito in particular missing absolute sitters in the closing stages.The sometimes highly strung Ibrahimovic was on his best behaviour – not that that could be said of two of his team-mates who were sent-off – and earned plaudits from both coaches, though, Inter handler Roberto Mancini contented himself by saying everyone was very happy for him.Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard was certainly not in the same frame of mind as Mancini far from satisfied with the performance.On that basis Ferguson will be content to keep on winning 1-0 and Wenger that winning ugly is better than playing pretty and ending up with nothing.Nampa-AFPRooney was not the only striker to end a goal drought as the flamboyant Swedish international striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice in Inter Milan’s 2-0 home win over PSV Eindhoven for his first goals in the Champions League in nearly two years.While both Arsenal and United lead their groups after two matches, Rangers are second, behind Barcelona on goal difference – the Catalan mammoths having beaten VfB Stuttgart 2-0 in Germany.Barca’s fellow Spaniards Sevilla got on the winning track – the two-time UEFA Cup titleholders having lost to Arsenal in their opener – in fine style beating Slavia Prague 4-2 with former Spurs striker Fredi Kanoute opening the scoring for them.If Rangers thought they had a dreadful away record then they had nothing on Sporting Lisbon, but the Portuguese side ended their record of not winning any previous away matches in their Champions League history by winning 2-1 against Dynamo Kiev.Rangers, though, were magnificent as they tore apart a Lyon side and heaped the pressure on coach Alain Perrin, who boasts a record of just one win in eight Champions League matches.The Scottish side’s performance left manager Walter Smith rather surprised but delighted as well.Perrin, who has done better at lesser clubs than when in charge of bigger ones, was honest about the feelings in the changing room.Arsenal showed character to defeat the Romanian side, displaying a side not often shown by them in that their football was more workmanlike than pretty to watch leaving manager Arsene Wenger purring with delight.United also showed grit in a match they were perhaps fortunate to come away with the three points and manager Sir Alex Ferguson was confident that the goals would start flowing despite six of United’s seven wins this season coming by a 1-0 margin.”Sometimes you go through these spells.But it won’t last forever.Some day we’re going to hit a few goals and hopefully it will start soon,” said the Scot.Roma coach Luciano Spalletti bemoaned his side’s bad luck – although in reality it was dreadful finishing that cost them, Simone Perrotta and Mauro Esposito in particular missing absolute sitters in the closing stages.The sometimes highly strung Ibrahimovic was on his best behaviour – not that that could be said of two of his team-mates who were sent-off – and earned plaudits from both coaches, though, Inter handler Roberto Mancini contented himself by saying everyone was very happy for him.Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard was certainly not in the same frame of mind as Mancini far from satisfied with the performance.On that basis Ferguson will be content to keep on winning 1-0 and Wenger that winning ugly is better than playing pretty and ending up with nothing.Nampa-AFP