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As it happened: Benfica v Manchester United, Bayern Munich v Celtic

We followed tonight’s group games in Lisbon and Munich.
Oct 18th 2017, 9:40 PM Full-time! Benfica 0-1 Manchester United 
Oct 18th 2017, 8:33 PM Half-time: Benfica 0-0 Manchester United 
Oct 18th 2017, 7:47 PM Kick off! We’re underway in Lisbon, where United are in their changed kit of all black.

Thanks for joining us for live coverage, we’ll have reports and reaction on The42 shortly.

Here are tonight’s results:

Group A

  • Benfica 0-1 Manchester United
  • CSKA Moscow 0-2 Basel

Group B

  • Anderlecht 0-4 PSG
  • Bayern Munich 3-0 Celtic

Group C

  • Qarabag 0-0 Atletico Madrid FT
  • Chelsea 3-3 Roma

Group D

  • Barcelona 3-1 Olympiacos
  • Juventus 2-1 Sporting CP

United were far from convincing but they ultimately got the job done as Marcus Rashford’s second half goal secures all three points, and maintains their 100% start to Group A.

Full-time! Bayern Munich 3-0 Celtic 

Full-time! Benfica 0-1 Manchester United 

Red card! McTominay gets his first touch and Luisao lunges in and catches the young midfielder. The referee has no choice but to brandish a second yellow and the Benfica captain is given his marching orders.

Final change for United as 20-year-old Scott McTominay comes on for his Champions League debut, replacing Henrik Mkhitaryan.

Four minutes of added time in Lisbon, while Chelsea are searching for a late winner at Stamford Bridge.

The hosts pressing for a late equaliser now but Smalling rises highest to deal with the latest corner. From the next move, they’ve half-hearted appeals for a penalty waved away.

The only way Benfica are going to appear, it seems, is from a set-piece and they’ve just had a great chance through Ruben Dias. The defender peels away from his marker but can only volley high and wide unmarked from the penalty spot.

Filipe Augusto has a snapshot which is deflected into the arms of David de Gea. Mourinho, meanwhile, makes another change with Lingard coming on for Mata.

Marcus Rashford has picked up a problem here and is being forced off, with Anthony Martial on in his place. 15 minutes remaining in Lisbon, and absolutely nothing is happening.

It’s all happening at the Bridge. Eden Hazard scores his second and Chelsea’s third and we’re level again.

Drama at Stamford Bridge! Dzeko has just scored his second to turn that game completely on its head. Roma now lead Chelsea 3-2.

Chelsea v Roma - UEFA Champions League - Group C - Stamford Bridge The Italians trailed 2-0 in the first half. Tim Goode Tim Goode

Off the bar! In Munich, Tierney tries his luck from range and has Ulrich scrambling but sees his effort crashe off the bar.

At Stamford Bridge, former Manchester City striker Eden Dzeko has just scored a brilliant goal to draw Roma level with Chelsea having been 2-0 down.

A moment to forget for the 18-year-old on debut, who carries the ball across the line when he should have dealt with it comfortably. Anyway, United lead in Lisbon.

GOAL! Benfica 0-1 Manchester United (Rashford)

Oh no, Mile Svilar.

Rashford swings in a free-kick from the touchline but the teenage goalkeeper is far too casual in dealing with it and carries it across the line, with the referee pointing to his watch to confirm it’s a goal.

Rashford has been United’s brightest player so far, but still we await the breakthrough.

Benfica stand off Matic at the edge of the area and the Serbian doesn’t need a second invitation to strike one from distance, but his stinging effort just sails over the bar.

Benfica, meanwhile, are making a change with Pizzi replaced by Andrija Zivkovic.

Benfica v Manchester United - UEFA Champions League - Group A - Estadio da Luz Matic had one of United's few shots on goal in that first half. EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

Bit more energy and industry to United in this second half with Rashford already making far more runs in behind as they look to stretch this vulnerable Benfica rearguard. Just coming up to the hour mark now, and it remains goalless.

A shot on target from United! Rashford tests the handling of the young goalkeeper before Goncalves is cautioned for pulling the England international back.

GOAL! Bayern Munich 3-0 Celtic (Hummels)

Celtic down and out now at the Allianz Arena as Hummels extends the hosts’ lead from a corner.

A lively start to the second period.

Off we go! Back underway in Lisbon and Munich.

‘Going forward it was absolutely dreadful,’ says Didi Hamann of Man United’s first half performance. The teams are back out and we’re almost ready to go again.

Here’s the current state of play around Europe:

Chelsea v Roma - UEFA Champions League - Group C - Stamford Bridge David Luiz scored the breakthrough goal for Chelsea. Mike Egerton Mike Egerton

Group A

  • Benfica 0-0 Manchester United
  • CSKA Moscow 0-1 Basel

Group B

  • Anderlecht 0-2 PSG
  • Bayern Munich 2-0 Celtic

Group C

  • Qarabag 0-0 Atletico Madrid FT
  • Chelsea 2-1 Roma

Group D

  • Barcelona 1-0 Olympiacos
  • Juventus 1-1 Sporting CP

A pretty dull first half of football in Lisbon. United, once again, have been poor and only rose to the occasion halfway through the first period. They’ve created very little and have hardly tested the 18-year-old goalkeeper in the Benfica goal, with the hosts having the best chance so far.

Half-time: Benfica 0-0 Manchester United 

Half-time: Bayern Munich 2-0 Celtic 

One minute of added time at the Estadio da Luz.

There’s been another goal at Stamford Bridge, but it has gone to the visitors who have pulled one back through Aleksandar Kolarov.

United look to catch Benfica on the break and Henrik Mkhitaryan is set through on goal but his effort is wayward and the chance is gone. Three minutes until the break.

Just as I say that, Antonio Valencia goes into the book for slapping Raul Jimenez in the face on this near touchline. The United skipper was lucky to get away with just a yellow there.

The complexion of this game has completely changed. United are suddenly playing with a real zip and purpose and have caused Benfica plenty of problems in the last 10 minutes. It’s still 0-0, though.

Eden Hazard has just doubled Chelsea’s lead at Stamford Bridge, with David Luiz getting the first against Roma. We’ll take a check on all the scores from around the ground at half time.

The visitors are really knocking on the door now — and cracks are starting to appear in this Benfica defence. Matic’s low shot is parried by the goalkeeper and then Mata’s effort is deflected behind.

Portugal Soccer Champions League United have suddenly come to life in Lisbon. Armando Franca Armando Franca

Man United finally come to life and look threatening all of a sudden. Lukaku fires a low ball into the box where Rashford is waiting to pounce only for Ruben Dias to intervene with a perfectly-timed sliding challenge.

Much better from United. After a sustained period of possession, Blind whips an inviting ball in towards Rashford and Lukaku, but the former doesn’t time his jump and his header sails over.

Bayern Munich v Celtic - UEFA Champions League - Group B - Allianz Arena Bayern celebrate their opening goal. EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

GOAL! Bayern Munich 2-0 Celtic (Kimmich)

That’s just beautiful from Bayern. Coman raids Celtic down the left and floats in a delightful ball for Kimmich to send a looping header back across Gordon and into the corner.

Benfica are getting plenty of reward down this near side as Diogo Goncalves leaves Antonio Valencia on his backside but his ball across is deflected into the arms of de Gea.

At the other end, United threaten for the first time. Rashford is set free down the right and looks for Lukaku, who is on his heels a bit and the chance is gone.

Mourinho’s side have plenty of men behind the ball and haven’t created anything in the opening 25 minutes, with Benfica doing all the pressing. They’ve been fairly lively with Salvio spurning their best chance after a brilliant run from Grimaldo.

Frustration for Marcus Rashford as he looks to get on the ball for the first time and run at the Benfica defence but his touch lets him down and the ball goes out of play. There hasn’t been a lot of quality so far, but it’s still early days.

Man United have yet to really get going and as of yet haven’t managed to string a meaningful passage of play together with Benfica firmly on top in the opening quarter.

GOAL! Bayern Munich 1-0 Celtic (Muller)

Moments after Celtic break through Roberts, they concede the breakthrough goal at the other end. Lewandoswki forces a fine save from Gordon but Muller is there to fire the rebound home.

Celtic are riding their luck at the moment. They’re cut apart again as Conan bursts down the left but when the ball eventually falls to David Alaba, he fires it hide and wide from close-range.

Chance! Benfica are doing all the running at the Estadio da Luz and have just had their first sight of goal. Grimaldo embarks on a mazy run down the left and squares it for Salvio, who misses the target from 12 yards under pressure from Chris Smalling.

Germany Soccer Champions League Robert Lewandowski in action against Mikael Lustig. Matthias Schrader Matthias Schrader

Celtic under a bit of early pressure. Lewandowski again runs at the visitors’ defence and appears to be hauled to the ground by Lustig but the the referee waves play on.

Bayern Munich have the ball in the back of the net at the Allianz Arena but it has been ruled out. Lewandowski bursts into the box on the right and pulls it back for Thiago to fire home at the back post, but the linesman already had his flag up because he adjudged the ball to have gone out of play — but replays suggest it didn’t and Celtic have got off the hook there.

An early booking here for Benfica captain Luisao for clattering into Henrik Mkhitaryan after the Armenian got to the bouncing ball quicker. Meanwhile, PSG have taken the lead against Anderlecht through Kylian Mbappe.

18-year-old goalkeeper Mile Svilar, deputising for the rather more experienced Julio Cesar tonight, is called into action for the first time as he darts off his line to head Blind’s ball over the top out for a throw in.

Benfica have started brightly and have enjoyed all the possession in the opening exchanges. There’s a strange atmosphere inside the Estadio da Luz with swathes of empty seats all around the ground.

Kick off! We’re underway in Lisbon, where United are in their changed kit of all black.

Landmark night for Arjen Robben as he makes his 100th Champions League appearance. We’re nearly underway in tonight’s games.

Jose Mourinho has been speaking to BT Sport pre-match:

Portugal Soccer Champions League Armando Franca Armando Franca

“Benfica have much better players (than they are showing) and they have the tradition on how to cope with the big matches. They have had a difficult start, there is big pressure in this country when they fail but they are by far better than our previous opponents.

“At Anfield, Jurgen Klopp played with three midfield players to control the defensive game, they pressed us hard throughout the match. Benfica play with three to try the same because everybody knows without our strong, physical players in midfield, we are short. We have to try to go another way so Juan Mata comes in.”

The rain is bucketing down in Lisbon and the teams are in the tunnel at the Estadio da Luz. Not long until kick off now, which way do you see this one going?


Poll Results:

Manchester United win (66)
Draw (36)
Benfica win (12)

Here are tonight’s fixtures in full, with the early kick off between Qarabag and Atletico Madrid finishing scoreless.

Group A

  • Benfica v Manchester United
  • CSKA Moscow v Basel

Group B

  • Anderlecht v PSG
  • Bayern Munich v Celtic

Group C

  • Qarabag 0-0 Atletico Madrid FT
  • Chelsea v Roma

Group D

  • Barcelona v Olympiacos
  • Juventus v Sporting CP

Thousands of Celtic fans have descended on Munich for tonight’s game, as the Scottish champions look to build on their victory in Anderlecht last time out.

Bayern Munich v Celtic - UEFA Champions League - Group B - Allianz Arena EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

Bayern Munich vs Celtic DPA / PA Images DPA / PA Images / PA Images

Bayern Munich vs Celtic DPA / PA Images DPA / PA Images / PA Images

Germany Soccer Champions League AP / PA Images AP / PA Images / PA Images

And in Munich, Brendan Rodgers has been boosted by the return of his captain Scott Brown with Stuart Armstrong also returning to full fitness.

Bayern Munich: Ulreich, Hummels, Boateng, Alaba, Kimmich, Thiago, Robben, Rudy, Muller, Coman, Lewandowski.

Celtic: Gordon, Gamboa, Boyata, Lustig, Tierney, Roberts, Brown, Sinclair, Armstrong, Ntcham, Griffiths.

The team-sheets are hot off the press so let’s get straight to it.

Manchester United have made four changes from the side that drew with Liverpool on Saturday with Victor Lindelof starting against his old club while Daley Blind, Juan Mata and Marcus Rashford all come back in.

Benfica: Svilar, Douglas, Ruben Dias, Luisao, Grimaldo, Fejsa, Filipe Augusto, Pizzi, Salvio, Diogo Gonçalves, Raul.

Man United: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Lindelof, Blind, Herrera, Matic, Mata, Mkhitaryan, Rashford, Lukaku.

Good evening and welcome along to another fascinating evening of Champions League action with no fewer than eight matches down for decision across Europe on match night three.

Our feature game is at the Estadio da Luz where Benfica host Manchester United in Group A but we’ll also have a close eye on proceedings at the Allianz Arena where Celtic face Bayern Munich in Group B.

Both of those games kick off at 7.45pm and we’ll have all the build-up between now and then right here.

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