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| | Tuesday, September 14 AIK's Baxter red carded after match | |||||
| STOCKHOLM -- Furious AIK Stockholm coach Stuart Baxter hit out on Tuesday at Barcelona's controversial first goal in the Catalans' 2-1 Champions League group B victory.
A goal headed in by Abelardo Fernandez, a tally that brought Barcelona back into the game at 1-1 with four minutes remaining, came just as the home side was making a substitution.
Baxter was red carded by French referee Alain Sars for his protests at pitchside but was even more vocal in his post-match comments.
"That was a scandal," said the Englishman. "It's unbelievable to have a referee like that in the Champions League.
"The goal came while we had nine men on the pitch and without us being organized. You can't allow that."
Baxter's Barcelona counterpart Louis van Gaal admitted he hadn't even seen the goal, as he had been making a note of the substitution.
"That's life," said the Dutchman. "In the end justice was done with the result.
"The win was very important to us as in the past two years we haven't started with a victory.
"We're very happy, especially as Fiorentina and Arsenal drew, leaving us leaders."
Barcelona went on to win the game with a Dani Garcia header three minutes into injury time, escaping what looked like certain defeat.
AIK, the supposed whipping-boys in a group that also includes Arsenal and Fiorentina, looked set for victory after withstanding unstoppable waves of Barcelona pressure.
Yugoslavian striker Nebosja Novakovic gave AIK the lead in the 73rd minute when he sweetly lobbed over goalkeeper Ruud Hesp.
But then came the header from Fernandez in the 86th minute.
Goalkeeper Mattias Asper was outstanding in the AIK goal, continually thwarting the efforts from Patrick Kluivert and Rivaldo, among others, to score.
Toldo penalty save foils Arsenal FLORENCE, Italy -- Italian goalkeeper Francesco Toldo saved a late penalty to earn Fiorentina a 0-0 draw with Arsenal in an opening European Champions League Group B match on Tuesday. Toldo had pulled down Frederik Ljungberg as the Swedish midfielder tried to round him in the 79th minute to give the London side that would have been a deserved winner. The penalty by Arsenal second-half substitute Nwanko Kanu was weak, and Toldo, diving to his left, saved it comfortably. Arsenal had outplayed Fiorentina for much of the match and could have sealed victory as early as the 11th minute when Ljungberg squandered the best chance of the night in open play. Dortmund fight back to draw with nervy Feyenoord ROTTERDAM -- Borussia Dortmund came from behind to draw 1-1, but perhaps deserved more against a nervous Feyenoord in their Champions League Group C match on Tuesday. The opening goal, when it finally came, was a neat move in the 66th minute as Feyenoord's Argentine striker Julio Cruz provided a bicycle kick to feed defender Kees van Wonderen, who ran from deep to fire in high and right. However, Dortmund, European champions two years ago, equalized within five minutes. Lars Ricken fed Giuseppe Reina, who crossed low to Fredi Bobic, and the latter shot in from point-blank range. The second half was a welcome respite from a turgid first 45 minutes. Dortmund had the best of the opening minutes, while Dutch champions Feyenoord appeared too nervous to mount any serious attacks. Neither goalkeeper was seriously troubled, although Feyenoord's Jurek Dudek was forced to parry a Christian Nerlinger shot after five minutes. The match was played exclusively in front of Feyenoord fans. Concerns over security for a potentially fiery Dutch-German encounter persuaded Dortmund to return their ticket allocations. Feyenoord has already said its supporters will not be welcome to travel with the club. Marseille cruise past Sturm Graz 2-0 MARSEILLE, France -- Olympique Marseille made a winning return to the Champions League after a six-year absence with a 2-0 victory over Sturm Graz in an opening Champions League Group D match at the Velodrome on Tuesday. Marseille, whose last match in the competition was its victory in the 1993 final, scored twice in the opening half hour through Robert Pires and Fabrizio Ravanelli, but failed to kill off the weaker Austrians in the second half, missing several good chances. France midfielder Pires opened Marseille's account in the ninth minute with a low shot from the right that went in off the far post. In the 33rd minute, Ravanelli turned home a tight cross from the left from Stephane Dalmat for Marseille's second goal. Sturm Graz striker Ivica Vastic almost pulled one back for the Austrians, but goalkeeper Stephane Porato stretched to save his low shot to the far post. Marseille's first win in six matches was a boost for under-fire coach Rolland Courbis after the club's poor start to the season. Impressive Rosenborg crush Boavista 3-0 OPORTO, Portugal -- Rosenborg Trondheim of Norway added Boavista to its list of Champions League victims when the club won 3-0 in an opening Group C game in Portugal on Tuesday. First-half goals by Derek Sorensen (8) and Orjan Berg (43) had the Norwegians in command, and Roar Strand completed the impressive victory in the 73rd minute. Rosenborg is in its fifth successive Champions League season and have a history of unexpected wins -- including victories over AC Milan, Real Madrid and Porto. The side will certainly not be overawed when it faces Feyenoord next week and 1997 champions Borussia Dortmund in two weeks time. | ALSO SEE Maribor upsets Dynamo Kiev in opener
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