Real, Milan, Bayern advance
LONDON: Real Madrid, AC Milan and Bayern Munich clinched their places in the next round of the Champions League on Tuesday.
The trio, European champions a total 20 times between them, advanced alongside CSKA Moscow after their final group matches. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to help record nine-time European champion Madrid win 3-1 at Marseille and take Group C from Milan, who needed a penalty by Ronaldinho to equalise for a 1-1 draw at FC Zurich. Bayern advanced behind already-qualified Bordeaux in Group A with a 4-1 win at Juventus that eliminated the Italian side, while CSKA Moscow won 2-1 at Besiktas.
Michael Owen scored a hat trick to give Manchester United a 3-1 win at Wolfsburg to take first place in Group B from CSKA and knock out their opponent. But CSKA's place may be in doubt after UEFA said two of the Russian team's players failed doping tests after a 3-3 draw against Manchester United last month. UEFA will announce the result of its investigation on December 17.
Ronaldo put Madrid ahead in the fifth minute with a 30-yard free kick before Lucho Gonzalez leveled the scores in the 11th. Defender Raul Albiol scored in the 60th and Ronaldo rounded off the scoring 10 minutes before the end. Madrid finished with 13 points, four more than Milan, who trailed until the 64th minute in Switzerland.
Zurich dominated much of the first half and led through Milan Gajic's 29th-minute free kick from 25 yards. Milan was in real danger of missing out on the next round but Zurich defender Alain Rochat was sent of for a foul on Marco Borriello and Ronaldinho scored the resulting penalty.
Juventus looked to be on course for the next round when David Trezeguet put the Italian side ahead in the 19th, but Bayern got back in the match with a 30th-minute penalty by Joerg Butt. Ivica Olic put Bayern ahead six minutes after halftime. Mario Gomez and substitute Anatoliy Tymoshchuk scored in the last seven minutes. Bordeaux, who won 1-0 at Maccabi Haifa, won Group A with 16 points. Bayern were next with 10 points, while Juventus will play in the Europa League after finishing third with eight. Maccabi Haifa became the first team to be eliminated from the Champions League without winning a point or scoring a goal.
Group D had already been settled before Tuesday. First-place Chelsea conceded an 87th-minute equaliser to draw 2-2 with APOEL Nicosia, losing midfielder Michael Essien in the process to what appeared to be a hamstring injury. FC Porto won 3-0 at Atletico Madrid, who ended even with APOEL on three points but advanced courtesy of the away goal in scored against the Cypriot side.
