Liverpool booked their place within the Champions League final 16 on Wednesday as Jurgen Klopp’s males noticed off Ajax 3-0, whereas Inter Milan additionally certified to remove Barcelona who slipped to a tame defeat by Bayern Munich.
A lot of the drama got here elsewhere on a breathless night time of motion, as Porto turned the twelfth group to safe a berth within the knockout stage however Tottenham had been pressured to attend.
Final season’s shedding finalists Liverpool knew a attract Amsterdam could be sufficient to clinch a last-16 spot for a sixth straight season.
The Reds, struggling within the Premier League this time period, weathered an early Ajax storm earlier than Mohamed Salah gave them a half-time lead.
Darwin Nunez, who had earlier missed an open aim from six yards out, headed in to double the benefit shortly after the break and Harvey Elliott rounded off the scoring along with his second aim in as many Champions League video games.
“Darwin was actually indignant with himself at half-time,” Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson informed BT Sport.
“I sat subsequent to him at half-time and informed him I’d put a cross into his head for him to attain.”
Liverpool be a part of Napoli in progressing from Group A, however want a four-goal victory at Anfield in six days’ time to pip the red-hot Italians to the highest spot after their 3-0 win over Rangers.
– Inter end job –
Inter Milan romped to the win they wanted to undergo and remove Barca from Group C, thrashing Czechs Viktoria Plzen 4-0 on the San Siro.
Romelu Lukaku got here off the bench to attain on his return from harm late on, after Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s opener and a double for Edin Dzeko.
That left the financially struggling Catalans digesting a group-stage exit for the second straight season.
The five-time champions had been unable to at the least lay down a marker on their manner out, falling to a 3-0 house loss by Bayern Munich at a subdued Camp Nou.
Sadio Mane, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Benjamin Pavard scored as Bayern wrapped up first place within the group with a fifth successive win.
“On an evening like this, you don’t exit to play the sport with the identical motivation,” admitted Barca midfielder Pedri.
“We needed to offer the followers a victory however it wasn’t to be.”
– Late VAR drama –
Porto earlier beat Membership Brugge 4-0, though knew an Atletico Madrid victory towards Bayer Leverkusen would arrange a deciding Group B match between the Portuguese and Diego Simeone’s group subsequent week.
However Atletico’s Yannick Carrasco missed a penalty, which was awarded by VAR after the preliminary closing whistle, in a exceptional 2-2 draw to ship Porto by way of.
Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen led twice due to targets from Moussa Diaby and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
However Carrasco’s first-half strike and Rodrigo de Paul’s equaliser gave Atletico 40 minutes to discover a winner and hold their Champions League marketing campaign alive.
In chaotic scenes, the gamers had been referred to as again onto the pitch after VAR noticed a handball from the ultimate assault of the sport.
However Carrasco’s spot-kick was saved by Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, Saul Niguez headed the rebound off the bar and Reinildo Mandava’s following effort was denied by a last-ditch block.
Porto, trailing leaders Brugge by one level, may nonetheless snatch high spot, whereas Atletico and Leverkusen will combat over a Europa League place.
Spurs thought that they had received towards Sporting to qualify from Group D when Harry Kane discovered the web deep into added time, just for the aim to be dominated out for offside after a prolonged VAR delay because it completed 1-1.
Sporting took a deserved first-half lead by way of former Tottenham teen Marcus Edwards’ high-quality strike, however Rodrigo Bentancur scored with 10 minutes left to arrange a grandstand end.
Kane celebrated wildly with the house followers in London when he scored what gave the impression to be a last-gasp winner, however VAR had different concepts.
“VAR is doing loads of injury,” mentioned Tottenham supervisor Antonio Conte, who was despatched off for his protests.
“I need to see if in one other stadium of an enormous group if they’re able to disallow this kind of aim. I’d wish to know this.”
All 4 groups within the group can nonetheless qualify heading into the final video games after Eintracht Frankfurt beat Marseille 2-1 in Germany.
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