LONDON - Former European soccer champions Real Madrid and Liverpool scored vastly contrasting victories to reach the knockout round of the Champions League today.
Real ended any doubts about their progression to the last 16 when they coasted to a 3-0 victory over AS Roma in a deserted Olympic Stadium on the last night of group stage matches to finish second behind Bayer Leverkusen in group B.
Liverpool, European champions four times, had to come from behind to beat Olympiakos Piraeus 3-1 with late goals from substitute Neil Mellor (80) and skipper Steven Gerrard (86) turning a night of despair at Anfield into one of joy, evoking memories of their glory days of the 1970s and 80s.
That result and AS Monaco's 5-0 victory at Deportivo Coruna meant the French side (12 points) go through with Liverpool (10 pts) who pip Olympiakos (10 pts) due to a better head-to-head record against the Greek side, who drop into the UEFA Cup.
In Rome's empty stadium -- closed on UEFA orders following crowd trouble earlier in the competition -- goals from Ronaldo after nine minutes, a 61st minute Luis Figo penalty and Figo's second after 82 minutes gave Real the win they needed to advance from Group B.
They went through with Leverkusen who beat Dynamo Kiev 3-0 to send the Ukrainians, group leaders at the start of play, crashing down to third place and into the UEFA Cup.
Juventus and Bayern Munich were already sure of their places in the last 16 after securing first and second positions in Group C and both failed to win.
Ajax Amsterdam drew 2-2 with Bayern, Maccabi Tel Aviv drew 1-1 with Juventus which meant Ajax claimed the UEFA Cup berth.
Olympique Lyon finished top of Group D after beating bottom-placed Sparta Prague 5-0 while Fenerbahce beat a Manchester United shadow team 3-0 to inflict a first defeat on Alex Ferguson's side who finished second.
Fenerbahce will be in the UEFA Cup after finishing third.
GROUP A
Wednesday, Dec 8
Liverpool (England) 3 Olympiakos Piraeus (Greece) 1
Deportivo Coruna (Spain) 0 Monaco (France) 5
Monaco 6 4 0 2 10 4 12
Liverpool 6 3 1 2 6 3 10
Olympiakos Piraeus 6 3 1 2 5 5 10
Deportivo Coruna 6 0 2 4 0 9 2
Previous results:
September 15
Liverpool (England) 2 Monaco (France) 0
Deportivo Coruna (Spain) 0 Olympiakos Piraeus(Greece) 0
September 29
Olympiakos Piraeus (Greece) 1 Liverpool (England) 0
Monaco (France) 2 Deportivo Coruna (Spain) 0
October 19
Monaco (France) 2 Olympiakos Piraeus (Greece) 1
Liverpool (England) 0 Deportivo Coruna (Spain) 0
November 3
Olympiakos Piraeus (Greece) 1 Monaco (France) 0
Deportivo Coruna (Spain) 0 Liverpool (England) 1
November 23
Monaco (France) 1 Liverpool (England) 0
Olympiakos Piraeus (Greece) 1 Deportivo Coruna (Spain) 0
GROUP B
Wednesday, Dec 8
Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) 3 Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) 0
AS Roma (Italy) 0 Real Madrid (Spain) 3
Bayer Leverkusen 6 3 2 1 13 7 11
Real Madrid 6 3 2 1 11 8 11
Dynamo Kiev 6 3 1 2 11 8 10
AS Roma 6 0 1 5 4 16 1
Previous results:
September 15
AS Roma (Italy) 0 Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) 3
(match abandoned at halftime - Dynamo Kiev awarded 3-0 win)
Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) 3 Real Madrid (Spain) 0
September 29
Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) 4 Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) 2
Real Madrid (Spain) 4 AS Roma (Italy) 2
October 19
Real Madrid (Spain) 1 Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) 0
Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) 3 AS Roma (Italy) 1
November 3
Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) 2 Real Madrid (Spain) 2
AS Roma (Italy) 1 Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) 1
November 23
Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) 2 AS Roma (Italy) 0
Real Madrid (Spain) 1 Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) 1
GROUP C
Wednesday, Dec 8
Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands) 2 Bayern Munich (Germany) 2
Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) 1 Juventus (Italy) 1
Juventus 6 5 1 0 6 1 16
Bayern Munich 6 3 1 2 12 5 10
Ajax Amsterdam 6 1 1 4 6 10 4
Maccabi Tel Aviv 6 1 1 4 4 12 4
Previous results:
September 15
Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands) 0 Juventus (Italy) 1
Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) 0 Bayern Munich (Germany) 1
September 29
Juventus (Italy) 1 Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) 0
Bayern Munich (Germany) 4 Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands) 0
October 19
Juventus (Italy) 1 Bayern Munich (Germany) 0
Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands) 3 Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) 0
November 3
Bayern Munich (Germany) 0 Juventus (Italy) 1
Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) 2 Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands) 1
November 23
Bayern Munich (Germany) 5 Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) 1
Juventus (Italy) 1 Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands) 0
GROUP D
Wednesday, Dec 8
Fenerbahce (Turkey) 3 Manchester United (England) 0
Olympique Lyon (France) 5 Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) 0
Olympique Lyon 6 4 1 1 17 8 13
Manchester United 6 3 2 1 14 9 11
Fenerbahce 6 3 0 3 10 13 9
Sparta Prague 6 0 1 5 2 13 1
Previous results:
September 15
Olympique Lyon (France) 2 Manchester United (England) 2
Fenerbahce (Turkey) 1 Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) 0
September 29
Manchester United (England) 6 Fenerbahce (Turkey) 2
Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) 1 Olympique Lyon (France) 2
October 19
Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) 0 Manchester United (England) 0
Fenerbahce (Turkey) 1 Olympique Lyon (France) 3
November 3
Manchester United (England) 4 Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) 1
Olympique Lyon (France) 4 Fenerbahce (Turkey) 2
November 23
Manchester United (England) 2 Olympique Lyon (France) 1
Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) 0 Fenerbahce (Turkey) 1
Note: Top two in each group qualify for the first knockout round. The third placed team to play in the UEFA Cup.
- REUTERS
Soccer: Real and Liverpool reaches knockout round
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