Football
Reuters 17y

UPDATE 1-Soccer-Steaua's Nicolita gifts Real a place in last 16

By Simon Baskett

MADRID, Nov 1 - A farcical own goal from
midfielder Banel Nicolita gifted Real Madrid a barely deserved
1-0 win over Steaua Bucharest at the Bernabeu on Wednesday that
secured them a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Nicolita rolled the ball past keeper Cornel Cernea into his
own net from outside the area 20 minutes from time after a
dreadful mix-up just as Steaua looked to be getting the better
of their opponents.

Real striker Ruud van Nistelrooy spurned the chance to
extend his side's lead two minutes later when he blasted a
penalty over the bar after he had been brought down by Cernea as
he bore down on the goal.

The win left Real in second place in Group E with nine
points from four games, three behind leaders Olympique Lyon and
six ahead of Steaua with two matches left to play.

Roared on by a large band of supporters it was Steaua who
made the more lively start and they had a great chance to take
the lead in the 11th minute.

Forward Nicolae Dica swept a pass across the face of the
goal, but none of the three players queuing up at the far post
managed to get a foot to the ball.

Real had a several nervous moments as the Romanians
constructed a string of dangerous counter-attacks, but they then
wasted an opportunity of their own to take the lead when Robinho
was put in the clear by a clever through ball from Guti.

The Brazilian hit a poor pass behind the advancing Ruud van
Nistelrooy and gave the Steaua defence time to regroup and clear
the danger.

REAL STRUGGLE

Real looked uncomfortable as they struggled to keep the ball
and lacked ideas in attack and it was Steaua who ended the first
half on top as they imprisoned the home side in their area.

Petre Marin forced a sharp save from Iker Casillas with a
curling shot from the left and fellow midfielder Daniel Oprita
skewed a close-range effort over the bar moments later.

Despite a poor first half Real would have gone into the
break ahead had it not been for a remarkable point-blank save
from Cernea and some desperate last-ditch defending.

The Steaua keeper managed to block the ball on the line as
Van Nistelrooy tried to bundle in at the far post after a fine
cross from Mahamadou Diarra before Robinho's follow-up shot was
cleared.

Real centre-back Ivan Helguera missed another gift-wrapped
chance early in the second half when he somehow contrived to
slice the ball over the bar from a metre out after Raul had
headed the ball across the goalmouth.

But Steaua finally did the job themselves when Nicolita put
side-footed the ball into his own net from almost 20 metres out
with Cernea out of position.

Van Nistelrooy's penalty miss two minutes later was a
suitable ending to a misfiring display from the nine-times
European champions.

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