Champions League round-up: Liverpool cruise as Bayern Munich enter last 16; Caicedo guides Chelsea home
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Champions League round-up: Liverpool cruise as Bayern Munich enter last 16; Caicedo guides Chelsea home")
Champions League Liverpool, Bayern enter last 16; Caicedo guides Chelsea home Photograph: (X)
Arsenal and Bayern Munich are in first and second place, respectively, with Real Madrid following in third in the Champions League standings.
European giants Liverpool and Bayern Munich advanced into the Champions League last 16 after their latest wins late on Wednesday (Jan 21). While the Premier League team won 3-0 in Marseille, Harry Kane’s brace earned Munich a comfortable 2-0 win against Union Saint-Gilloise.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool extended their unbeaten run to 13 matches across all competitions since a 1-4 hammering at home (against PSV in Champions League) in November last year. Club legend Mohamed Salah also made his first appearance since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, but failed to make any goal contributions. However, it was Dominik Szoboszlai who got the breakthrough just before half-time with a clever free-kick that went under the wall.
"I did my homework and got told that if no one is lying down, then I can hit it under the wall. I tried it and it worked out," the Hungarian said.
Hugo Ekitike hit the bar before the second goal arrived on 72 minutes when Jeremie Frimpong's ball into the middle went in off goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.
Substitute Cody Gakpo wrapped up the win at the death, leaving Liverpool fourth in the 36-team standings, and in a position to clinch a last-16 place by beating Qarabag next week.
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Meanwhile, Bayern joined table-toppers Arsenal in guaranteeing a top-eight finish with a game to spare, and therefore a last-16 spot, as they saw off the Belgian champions at the Allianz Arena. Kane headed in to open the scoring early in the second half, then won and converted a penalty on 55 minutes. Kim Min-jae was sent off for the home side before Kane squandered the chance to score a hat-trick by sending another penalty off the woodwork -- he nevertheless has seven goals in seven Champions League games this season, and 34 in all competitions.
"We scored at the right times, were a bit unlucky with the red card but even after that when we went down to 10 men we controlled the game well and earned the three points," Kane told DAZN.
Newcastle, Chelsea win'
On the other hand, Newcastle United were too strong for PSV at St James' Park, running out 3-0 winners after Yoane Wissa got an early opener and Anthony Gordon made it two on the half-hour.
Harvey Barnes then fired in the third on 65 minutes, and Newcastle are in the top eight before completing the league phase away to reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain next week.
Chelsea are eighth after edging out Cypriot minnows Pafos 1-0 at Stamford Bridge thanks to a Moises Caicedo header in the 78th minute -- as new coach Liam Rosenior enjoyed a win in his first Champions League game.
(With inputs from AFP)
