Ibrahimovic gives battling Barcelona the edge

Published on Tuesday 23 February 2010 23:37

ZLATAN Ibrahimovic's second-half equaliser earned Champions League holders Barcelona a hard-fought 1-1 draw from the first leg of their last-16 tie against Stuttgart.

Cacau, fresh from his four-goal haul against Cologne at the weekend, gave Stuttgart a deserved half-time lead but Ibrahimovic struck just after the interval to put Barca in the box seat heading into the second leg at the Nou Camp.

Barca were boosted by the return to action of Xavi and Ibrahimovic, who both missed Saturday's 4-0 win over Racing Santander through injury, but neither of them had much chance to shine in the first half.

The home side, who have improved immensely under Christian Gross and had won six of their previous seven games, were determined to take the game to Barca and were rewarded when Cacau broke the deadlock in the 25th minute with a header. Timo Gebhart's cross from near the touchline was inch-perfect, just clearing Carles Puyol at the far post and allowing Cacau head past Victor Valdes.

For the equaliser, Gerard Pique used his 6ft 3in frame to good effect to nod a high ball down to Ibrahimovic, and although Jens Lehmann blocked his first effort, the Swede slotted home at the second attempt.

Bordeaux put themselves in the driving seat to advance to the quarter-finals after claiming a narrow 1-0 victory in the first leg of their last-16 tie at Olympiacos.

Michael Ciani popped up with the only goal of the game on the stroke of the interval as the Greek side gave themselves a mountain to climb in the second leg on 17 March.

The winner was not without a whiff of controversy, however, coming as it did from a controversial free-kick awarded by referee Howard Webb, but that will be of little concern for Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc who saw his side maintain their unbeaten record in this season's competition.

&#149 Benfica flexed their muscles and enhanced their claim for the Uefa Europa League title with a stunning 4-1 rout of hapless Hertha Berlin at the Stadium of Light. The emphatic result sealed a 5-1 aggregate triumph for the Portuguese Liga Sagres leaders and a place in the Europa League last 16 against FC Copenhagen or Marseille.