United overshadow Ronaldo

Turin (Italy), November 8 

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first Champions League goal for Juventus but a stunning Manchester United comeback snatched a 2-1 win for the Premier League side to delay the Italians’ passage to the last-16.

Ronaldo struck with a magnificent first-time volley on 65 minutes to seemingly leave Juve on course for the knockout phase, but Juan Mata equalised with an 86th-minute free-kick before Leonardo Bonucci turned into his own net on Wednesday.

Delighted United manager Jose Mourinho walked out onto the pitch at the Allianz Stadium cupping his ears and winking towards the crowd after a win that gave his side seven points from four games — two points behind leaders Juventus with two matches to play in Group H.

It was the eighth goal this season for the 33-year-old Ronaldo. It was also the 121st Champions League goal for the player who holds the all-time record, and first since the 90th-minute penalty he scored for Real Madrid against Juventus in their dramatic quarterfinal, second leg in Spain last April.

CL needs VAR: Guardiola   

Manchester: Manchester City needed no help to swat aside Shakhtar Donetsk 6-0 to move to the brink of last-16, but got a boost with a farcical penalty award that led to even manager Pep Guardiola to call for the introduction of VAR. Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai remarkably pointed to the spot when Raheem Sterling tripped himself up as he bore down on goal midway through the first half with City already leading 1-0 through David Silva’s opener. “It’s not (a penalty),” said Guardiola. “VAR doesn’t exist in UEFA so that is the problem... The referee must be helped by technology. It’s not nice to score a goal in that (way) but it happened to us last season against Liverpool.”

Real thump Plzen

Plzen: Karim Benzema’s first-half brace propelled Real Madrid to a 5-0 thrashing of Czech Republic’s Viktoria Plzen, putting the holders one win from the last-16 after a third straight victory under Santiago Solari. — AFP

Should Sterling have owned up over bizarre penalty?

London: The bizarre spot-kick awarded after Raheem Sterling tripped himself up during Manchester City’s win over Shakhtar Donetsk has been branded the “worst penalty decision ever” but should he have owned up? Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai remarkably pointed to the spot after Sterling kicked the turf and took a tumble midway through the first half. City manager Pep Guardiola’s body language on the touchline suggested that he disagreed with the award of the penalty, and Sterling went so far as to apologise to Kassai following the mistake. “I went to chip the ball and don’t know what happened,” said the England international. “I didn’t feel contact. I scuffed the ball, apologies to the ref.” Former Liverpool and Manchester City midfielder Steve McManaman called it a “comical mistake” while Henry Winter, the chief football writer for the Times, tweeted: “Roll on VAR and get rid of the useless lollipop men behind the goal.” Ex-England captain Gary Lineker absolved Sterling of blame but others questioned whether he should have done more to persuade the referee that it was not a penalty. Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler won a UEFA fair play award for doing just that in 1997.  Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg said it would have been an “incredible act of sportsmanship” had Sterling done so.  afp