Real Madrid and Bayern Munich on Tuesday put aside their domestic worries to impress on the European stage and qualify for the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League, as both Manchester clubs, AS Roma, Ajax and Juventus also advanced to the last 16 with one game to spare.
After a disappointing weekend, three-time defending European champions Madrid had a 2-0 win at AS Roma that secured first place in their group, and Bayern demolished SL Benfica 5-1.
Despite their home loss, Roma also advanced from Group G, with both teams knowing they were through to the last 16 following Viktoria Plzen’s earlier 2-1 win at CSKA Moscow.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Gareth Bale put Madrid ahead at the Stadio Olimpico early in the second half before Lucas Vazquez doubled the visitors’ lead from close range in the 59th minute.
Manchester City again struggled against Olympique Lyonnais and needed an 83rd-minute equalizer from Sergio Aguero to salvage a 2-2 draw in Group F and seal their spot in the knockout stage. Lyon were the last team to beat City, who have won 12 of their 14 games.
Bayern lead Group E with 13 points, two more than Ajax, who cannot be overtaken by third-place Benfica. The Dutch side host their German rivals to decide the group winner on Dec. 12.
Photo: Reuters
Ajax moved into the last 16 for the first time in 12 years with a 2-0 win over 10-man AEK, in a game marred by fan violence in and around the stadium.
Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski scored twice to break the 50-goal barrier in Europe’s top competition and join an elite group of seven players having achieved the feat.
Arjen Robben also scored twice for the German champions and Franck Ribery completed the rout.
Manchester City twice came from behind in Lyon after Maxwel Cornet scored a brace.
Cornet, who has not been used much this season, had plenty of chances and put the hosts ahead in the 55th minute with a strike in the top corner. Aymeric Laporte equalized in the 62nd with a header from a set-piece.
Sergio Aguero earned the point City needed to guarantee a top-two finish in Group F, heading in a corner from Riyad Mahrez in the 83rd minute.
City lead the group on 10 points, three clear of second-place Lyon. The French team travel to Shakhtar Donetsk, who are two points further back in third, in two weeks with both teams still able to qualify.
UEFA are to open a disciplinary case after Ajax’s 2-0 win was preceded by violence inside the Stadio Olimpiako Spiros Louis and in parts of central Athens, mostly involving Greek fans who clashed with local rivals and riot police.
Serb defender Dusan Tadic scored twice for Ajax, who returned to the Champions League group stage this season for the first time in four years.
Marouane Fellaini scored a stoppage-time winner as Manchester United beat BSC Young Boys 1-0, a result that prompted a joyful reaction from United manager Jose Mourinho, despite another unimpressive performance.
The Portuguese coach picked up a basket of water bottles and threw them forcefully to the ground in his technical area after Fellaini’s goal ensured passage to the next round.
Without Fellaini’s goal, United would have faced a tricky trip to Valencia on the final match day in a bid to seal qualification. Instead, the English club advanced along with Juventus, who stayed in first place thanks to a 1-0 win over Valencia.
Juventus lead Group H with 12 points, two ahead of United.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
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