Champions League round-up: Ivan Rakitic double keeps Barcelona top of Group E
Wednesday 21 October 2015 08:04, UK
Substitute Ivan Rakitic scored both goals as Barcelona sealed a comfortable 2-0 win over BATE Borisov.
The Croatian replaced the injured Sergi Roberto early in the first half and bagged the opener just after the break with a rocket into the top corner from distance.
Rakitic then chipped BATE 'keeper Syarhey Chernik from close range on 64 minutes after some good work on the left by Neymar.
Barcelona were rarely threatened by a Borisov side that shocked Roma at home last time out - and the Catalan side should have had more.
Neymar, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez all had more than once chance as Barca constructed 13 opportunities before the break, but all could only test the hands of Chernik.
Rakitic could also have had a first-half opener when he broke unmarked into the box, but his brace within 16 minutes in the second period ensured the visitors remain top of Group E on seven points from three games.
Elsewhere in Group E, there were eight goals in a 4-4 thriller between Roma and Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena.
Javier Hernandez and Daniele De Rossi scored two each to put the sides level at 2-2 at the break before Roma went 4-2 up with two quick goals in the second half.
Miralem Pjanic stroked home a free kick from more than 20 yards before former Tottenham winger Iago Falque turned in a cross on 73 minutes, seemingly to win the game for Roma.
But Slovenian Kevin Kampl pulled one back with six minutes of normal time remaining before Admir Mehmedi struck with the equaliser two minutes later as Kampl turned provider.
In Group G - Chelsea's group - Porto remain top with a third win from three, this time beating Maccabi Tel-Aviv 2-0 at the Estadio de Dragao. It was sealed before the break thanks to goals from Vincent Aboubacar and Yacine Brahimi.
In Group F, where Arsenal remain bottom despite beating Bayern Munich, Olympiakos grabbed a 1-0 win at Dinamo Zagreb thanks to former West Brom striker Brown Ideye's late strike.
Zenit St Petersburg beat Lyon 3-1 to stay top of Group H, with Hulk and Danny winning the game in the second half after the sides had gone into the break level.
Valencia are second in the group after beating Gent 2-1, with an own goal from Gent's Stefan Mitrovic proving to be the winner for the Spaniards.
