28/09/2004
CL: Madrid come back to crush Roma; Dynamo Kiev go top with win

In a battle of two turmoil-ridden clubs, Real Madrid came from two down to defeat Roma 4-2 while Dynamo Kiev soared to the top of Champions League Group B with a convincing 4-2 win over Bayer Leverkusen.

At Santiago Bernabéu, things started really bad for Madrid when Daniele De Rossi scored on three minutes to give caretaker manager Ezio Sellas team the lead. Despite vain calls for offside, De Rossi charged forward and took a ball from Traianos Dellas and flicked over top of Iker Casillas and into the net.

It only got worse for Madrid 18 minutes later when Antonio Cassano made it a two-goal lead for Roma. Simone Perrotta flicked on for Cassano who went in unnoticed and struck past Casillas, leaving Madrid manager Mariano García Remón in shock along with the supporters.

Things did look better as Madrid began to press forward as the first half progressed, and Raúl was rewarded on 39 minutes when he made the lead just 2-1. After taking a pass at the top of the area from Zidane, Raúl struck a left-footed shot that deflected off of Dellas and curled past Ivan Pelizzoli.

Madrid got on level terms in the 53rd minute when referee Valentin Ivanov awarded the home side a penalty after Christian Panucci fouled Raúl in the area. Luis Figo stepped up to the spot and struck into the lower left corner to make it 2-2.

In the 72nd minute, the comeback was complete as Raúl was on hand to make it 3-2 to the Merengues. A laser into the area by Figo was met by the boot of Raúl who put it past Pelizzoli. Roberto Carlos hit a glorious shot into the upper corner past a diving Pelizzoli seven minutes later to complete the win.

At the Valery Lobanovskiy Stadium in Kiev, however, Dynamo Kiev were just as successful against Bayer Leverkusen, who defeated Madrid 3-0 on Matchday 1.

Diogo Rincón got off to a good start on the half-hour mark beating two Leverkusen players and putting the ball off of Hans-Jörg Butts goalpost and give the Ukrainians a 1-0 lead.

It was that way at half-time, but on 59 minutes, substitute Andriy Voronin scored to bring Leverkusen level. After goalkeeper Olexandr Shovkovskiy saved a shot by Robson Ponté, the Ukrainian was on hand to put in the rebound and give his club hope.

Leverkusen then saw themselves in the lead nine minutes later when Jens Nowotny, returning from an injury, scored to make it 2-1 to the Germans. Nowotny, playing a ball from Voronin, got through the Dynamo defence and then glided the ball past Shovkovskiy.

The lead was only momentarily as Rincón brought Dynamo level just seconds later when a defensive lapse allowed the Brazilian striker to put into the goal from inside the six-yard box.

Another substitute, Romanian international Florin Cernat, scored to put Dynamo 3-2 ahead in the 74th minute. A ball into the area by striker Kléber found Cernat in some open space and he unleashed a brilliant shot with his left foot to beat Butt and send the crowd into a frenzy.

After his earlier goal, Voronin was given his marching orders by Kim Milton Nielsen after his second bookable offence of the match. After committing a foul, Voronin complained and was shown yellow, and then red. Cernat then scored again three minutes into added time to complete the impressive victory.

29.09.2004 19:24 +0400
soccerway

28/09/2004 CL: Madrid come back to crush Roma; Dynamo Kiev go top with win

28/09/2004
CL: Madrid come back to crush Roma; Dynamo Kiev go top with win