AC Milan and Manchester United became the first teams to reach the quarterfinals of the prestigious Champions League.
Rivaldo's penalty powered Milan to a 1-0 victory over Lokomotiv in Moscow in Group C on Tuesday, and Man United got two goals from Ryan Giggs and another from Ruud van Nistelrooy to thump Juventus 3-0 in Group D.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Defending and nine-time champion Real Madrid, playing in Group C with AC Milan, salvaged a 1-1 draw at Dortmund when Javier Portillo scored two minutes into second-half injury time.
Real Madrid has five points and Dortmund has four as the two fight it out to grab the final quarterfinal spot from the group.
In the day's other match, Deportivo defeated Basel 1-0 in Group D, pulling the Spaniards even with Juventus in a scramble for the other qualifying place.
Yesterday, the leaders in Group A -- Barcelona and Inter Milan -- squared off in Milan. Barcelona had nine points and Inter six. Newcastle (3) faced Leverkusen (0) in the other group game.
In Group B, Arsenal played at Ajax and Valencia was home to Roma. Arsenal, Ajax and Valencia each have five points with places in the quarterfinals wide open. Roma has lost its three matches.
Lokomotiv Moscow 0, AC Milan 1
At Moscow, Rivaldo silenced the 30,000 sellout at Lokomotiv Stadium, beating goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov into the right lower corner of the net after Filippo Inzaghi was pulled down in the penalty box.
Milan captain Paolo Maldini made his record 118th appearance in European competition. Last week Maldini equaled the record of retired Inter Milan captain Giuseppe Bergomi.
Milan improved to a perfect 12 points in four matches to top the group. Lokomotiv has a lone point and is out of it.
Dortmund 1, Real Madrid 1
At Dortmund, Germany, substitute Javier Portillo scored in injury time about a minute after coming on to salvage a draw for the nine-time winners.
The Group C outcome left both teams in the running for a place in the quarterfinals. Real is second with five points, while Dortmund has four.
Striker Jan Koller put Dortmund ahead after 22 minutes but Real dominated the final 15 minutes of the match and Portillo used a pass form Zinedine Zidane to notch the equalizer.
Juventus 0, Manchester United 3
At Turin, Italy, it was the Ryan Giggs show as Man United reached the quarterfinals for the seventh straight year.
Giggs came on as an eighth-minute substitute for Diego Forlan and broke out of a recent slump with two first-half goals. Giggs, rumored to be headed next season to Inter Milan, scored on a right-footed shot from close-range in the 15th.
In the 41st, he made a classic run from midfield and connected on his weaker right foot from 15m. Van Nistelrooy substituted for Giggs early in the second half and scored in the 63rd, putting in a short shot from terrible Juventus defending. It was the Dutchman's 10th Champions League goals this season.
Man United has a perfect 12 points and Juve has four.
Deportivo 1, Basel 0
At Coruna, Spain, a fourth-minute goal by striker Diego Tristan earned Deportivo de La Coruna the victory. Tristan took advantage of an early mistake by Basel goalkeeper Pascal ``Zubi'' Zuberbuehler who missed right back Hector Berenguel's cross and left the Spanish international free to sidefoot home.
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