UEFA Champions League Group F Week 1 Results

European Football's Premier Tournament Match Week One Game Review

Sep 27, 2009

The 2009-10 Champions League has entered the group stages. Here is a review of Group F's first round matches. Barcelona at Inter Milan and Rubin Kazan at Dynamo Kiev.

Group F Game Week 1 Match Ups – September 16, 2009

Inter Milan 0 – Barcelona 0

Inter Milan held defending champions Barcelona to a scoreless draw in this much anticipated Group F opener. While the build-up to this match was full of anticipation and excitement, the match itself played out in unremarkable style and left these two European giants with a share of the points. The Group F rivals essentially swapped strikers over the summer with Samuel Eto’o leaving the champions for Inter while Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic in turn left the San Siro for Barca. Neither striker lived up to the hype with this match characterized by defensive stalemates rather than offensive outbursts. Barcelona essentially controlled this game and appeared to be a step above the Italian champions in quality. Not surprisingly Lionel Messi was the man who appeared most dangerous for the Catalan side receiving plenty of support from Thierry Henry, Xavi, Danny Alves, and Seydou Keita. Inter were pressed for most of the game and were limited to a few opportunities as Diego Milito and Wesley Sneijder had the best chances. In the end the defenses for both teams held with Inter keeper Julio Cesar and Barca keeper Victor Valdes earning clean sheets. Rightfully so, these two Group F giants shared the points, but Barcelona clearly looked the better of the two teams.

Dynamo Kiev 3 – Rubin Kazan 1

Hosts Dynamo Kiev needed a late game onslaught to claim victory over upstart Rubin Kazan in this Group F opener. Goals in the last 20 minutes by Atanda Yussuf, Gerson Magrao, and Oleg Gusey enabled the hosts to take all three points after Alejandro Dominguez scored the opener for Rubin Kazan. The Russian champions making their Champions League debut took an unexpected lead against the run of play in the 25th minute when Dominguez rifled home a free kick at the edge of the box into the upper corner of the goal and the Rubies jumped to an early lead. Dynamo struggled to take advantages of any opportunities and Rubin went to the break with the lead. As the second half resumed, so did the pressure on the Russian goal. Dynamo playmaker Artem Milevskiy was twice denied by Rubin keeper Sergei Ryzhikov as the host’s frustration continued. Finally in the 71st minute when Yussuf put a powerful header off a corner into the net and put Dynamo level and instill confidence in their play. From there, Dynamo’s pressure on the Rubin goal was relentless and it seemed another goal was imminent. The winner did come in the 79th minute as Magrao fired in an Andriy Shevchenko cross to put Dynamo ahead to stay. Gusev sealed the victory in the 85th minute with a crisp shot and the Bilo-Syni claimed all three points to go atop the Group F standings.

Upcoming Matches

FK Rubin Kazan vesus Internazionale Milan, Central Stadium Kazan, Kazan, Russia

The Champions League debutants get a reality check when Inter Milan visits Kazan in Round 2 of Group F play. The Russians are clearly outmatched versus the Italian champions and the European road only gets tougher as they face Barcelona in the next round. Inter manager Jose Mourinho will encourage his lads to put this game away early giving him the chance to rest parts of his normal starting XI for Serie A matches.

Barcelona versus Dynamo Kiev, Estadio Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain

It took Dynamo a long time to find their form versus Rubin Kazan, but once their offense woke up they looked dangerous. They’ll need their best when they visit Camp Nou and defending champion Barcelona in this Round 2 match up. Barcelona was held scoreless versus Inter Milan, but clearly they looked the better side versus the Italians. Expect Barcelona to settle in to a comfort level at their home stadium and buckle down on the Dynamo attack effectively. With Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Lionel Messi as their front line, the Catalan club won’t remain scoreless very long.

Current Group F Standings

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