UEFA Champions League Group E: Leverkusen In Knockout Stage With Comeback Win Over Blues; Valencia Turn Genk Into Gunk

Group-stage play in the UEFA Champions League continued on Wednesday with eight games, two of them in Group E.

At Leverkusen, Germany:




Eren Derdiyok (73') and Manuel Friedrich (90') each scored a goal late in the second half as Bayer Leverkusen came from behind to upend visiting Chelsea 2-1 to lay claim to a berth in the Round of 16.  Here, we see Didier Drogba scoring the Blues' goal at 48 minutes.

At Valencia, Spain:




Robert Soldado's first-half hat trick (13', 36', 39', that's him pictured here) was just part of a scoring blitzkrieg that carried Valencia to a 7-0 annihilation of visiting Genk, eliminating the Belgian club from European competition while keeping themselves alive for a Champions League knockout-stage berth.


Getty Images photos

GROUP E STANDINGS:

1. x-Bayer Leverkusen (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 9)
2. Chelsea (GP: 5; GD: +6; PTS: 8)
3. Valencia (GP: 5; GD: +8; PTS: 8)
4. z-KRC Genk (GP: 5; GD: -14; PTS: 2)

x-Clinched berth in knockout stage
z-Eliminated from European competition