English clubs suffer upsets

Manchester United FC and Chelsea FC were among the sides which suffered defeat as Matchday 2 concluded on Wednesday.

Two penalties
United, who had begun their Group E campaign with a 5-0 win against Panathinaikos FC two weeks ago, slipped to a 2-1 defeat at VfB Stuttgart in Germany. After a goalless first half, two goals in three second-half minutes from Imre Szabics and Kevin Kuranyi put last season's Bundesliga runners-up in the driving seat. A penalty from Ruud van Nistelrooij gave the English club hope - but they could not find an equaliser. Stuttgart could even afford to miss a penalty of their own, Tim Howard denying Fernando Meira from the spot.

Late drama
Rangers FC, the only remaining undefeated Group E side, top the section having gone within two minutes of becoming the first visiting Champions League side to win at the Apostolos Nikolaidis home of Panathinaikos. Emerson's goals looked have secured maximum points for the Scottish champions before Pantelis Konstantinidis struck an 88th-minute equaliser for the Greek side, who had Giannis Goumas sent off.

Red card
In London, Chelsea lost at home against ten-man Besiktas JK. Playmaker Sergen Yalçin scored twice in three first-half minutes to put the Turkish champions into a 2-0 lead. Although Ilhan Mansiz was sent off for two bookable offences, the visitors held on to claim all three points.

Poborský inspired
The other Group G game also threw up an unexpected result, with S.S. Lazio having to come from two goals down to salvage a draw against visiting AC Sparta Praha, who had taken the lead with first-half goals from Libor Sionko and Karel Poborský, who excelled against his former club. Simone Inzaghi scored both of Lazio's goals.

Madrid comeback
Real Madrid CF were another team to stage a recovery after they fell behind in their Group F game against FC Porto. Costinha headed the Portuguese side into the lead after Iker Casillas could only palm a free-kick into his path - but goals from Iván Helguera, Santiago Solari and Zinedine Zidane earned a comfortable victory for the Spanish champions.

Drogba hat-trick
Olympique de Marseille are second in the group, two points behind Madrid, after defeating FK Partizan 3-0. Didier Drogba scored a hat-trick for the southern French team, whose task was made simpler by the first-half dismissal of Andrija Delibašic.

Two for Sonck
In Group H, AFC Ajax emerged victorious against Club Brugge KV, Wesley Sonck scoring both goals in a 2-0 success. Ajax trail AC Milan by a point after the reigning European champions drew 0-0 at RC Celta de Vigo in Spain.