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Rui Pedro hat-trick ends Braga's hopes at CFR
A UEFA Champions League round of 16 place remains a possibility for CFR 1907 Cluj following a frenetic Group H encounter in which Rui Pedro completed a 27-minute hat-trick.
In a dizzying first half, former FC Porto trainee Rui Pedro demonstrated unerring finishing, but SC Braga never seemed out of the game even after they were reduced to ten men when Douglão was sent off. However the defeat, and Galatasaray AŞ's 1-0 win against Manchester United FC, spelled the end of Braga's European campaign, while CFR are sure of a UEFA Europa League berth and will forge on in Europe's top club competition if they can better Galatasaray's result on matchday six.
Match in 5
- Rui Pedro scores first-half hat-trick to sink Braga
- Romanian side guaranteed at least UEFA Europa League spot
- Braga eliminated and finish bottom of Group H
- Alan's fifth Group H goal not enough to rescue visitors
- CFR's Douglão sent off just before half-time
Reaction
We played almost perfectly. It's important that we qualify, even if we should have done so in the home match against Galatasaray last time out.
Paulo Sergio, CFR coach
We were not focused during important moments of the match and that cost us the goals we conceded. We are out and it is my fault.
José Peseiro, Braga coach
Lineups
 | CFR Cluj |  | Braga |
| 1 | Mário Felgueiras (GK) | 33 | Beto (GK) |
| 3 | Ivo Pinto | 4 | Nuno André Coelho |
| 6 | Mureşan | 5 | Rúben Amorim |
| 13 | Piccolo | 14 | Rúben Micael |
| 16 | Rafael Bastos 83 | 17 | Éder57 |
| 20 | Cadú (C) 84 | 21 | Ismaily |
| 24 | Rada | 25 | Leandro Salino33 |
| 25 | Luís Alberto | 27 | Custódio |
| 30 | Rui Pedro 715337081 | 30 | Alan (C)17 |
| 45 | Camora | 44 | Douglão 45+1 |
| 99 | Sougou7274 | 45 | Hugo Viana68 |
Substitutes | |||
| 44 | Stăncioiu (GK) | 1 | Quim (GK) |
| 9 | Kapetanos81 | 8 | Mossoró6888 |
| 11 | Nicoară | 10 | Hélder Barbosa33 |
| 12 | Maftei | 20 | Elderson |
| 19 | Bjelanović | 22 | Djamal |
| 23 | Godemèche83 | 29 | Zé Luis57 |
| 31 | Aguirregaray74 | 83 | Carlão |
Coaches | |||
| Paulo Sérgio (POR) | José Peseiro (POR) | ||
Referee | |||
| Sergei Karasev (RUS) | |||
Standings
Group H
| P | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Man. United | 5 | 12 |
| 2 |  Galatasaray | 5 | 7 |
| 3 |  CFR Cluj | 5 | 7 |
| 4 |  Braga | 5 | 3 |
Legend:
- P: Played
- Pts: Points
Match statistics
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Minute By Minute
- 88Mossoró (Braga) is booked.
- 84Cadú (CFR Cluj) is booked.
Cadú deliberately trips Alan who had skipped past the Cluj captain down the left wing. - 83Godemèche (in) - Rafael Bastos (out) (CFR Cluj)
The former Braga attacking midfielder is replaced by the young French midfielder. - 81Kapetanos (in) - Rui Pedro (out) (CFR Cluj)
See also
CFR Cluj
Next match UEFA Champions League: v Man. United, 05 December 2012
Braga
Next match played UEFA Champions League: v Galatasaray, 05 December 2012, 1-2
CFR Cluj deserve their 3-1 win having attacked efficiently and defended resolutely. Braga enjoyed most of the possession but could only manage the one goal and their task became even harder when Douglão was sent off. The Portuguese side have now been eliminated from the UEFA Champions League.