Barca, Chelsea reach last 16 as ManU lose

Bayern overcame Anderlecht 2-1

AFP, PARIS: Barcelona and Chelsea progressed to the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday, but Jose Mourinho's Manchester United must wait to seal their spot after a last-gasp 1-0 defeat in Basel. Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde rested Argentina star Lionel Messi in Turin, later introducing him as a second-half substitute as a 0-0 draw against Juventus sent the five-time European champions through as winners of Group D.

Willian scored twice and won a pair of penalties as Chelsea thrashed 10-man Qarabag 4-0 in Baku to guarantee Antonio Conte's side a top-two finish in Group C. First-half goals from Eden Hazard and Willian put Chelsea in control, with Cesc Fabregas adding a third before Willian netted again to cap the rout and knock Qarabag out of the competition.

Atletico Madrid, runners-up twice in the past four years, retained an outside chance of pipping Roma to a place in the knockout stage as Antoine Griezmann snapped an eight-match goal drought in a 2-0 win in Spain.

However, they must beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in their final game and hope Roma drop points at home to Qarabag to avoid parachuting into the Europa League.

United, who hit the woodwork twice in the first half through Marouane Fellaini and Marcos Rojo, looked on course to secure the point required to punch their ticket to the last 16 in Switzerland before Michael Lang popped up with an 89th-minute winner.

“It's like a dream. Right now I can't believe we won against such a strong team,” Swiss international Lang told RTS.

“We always thought we could win this match and in the end it was a victory like I had never seen before.”

Mourinho blamed United's inability to convert their first-half dominance into goals after watching his side lose their perfect record in the group.

“We lost because in the first half we should be 5-0 up but we could not score one goal after being so dominant,” Mourinho said.

The result left United on 12 points, three ahead of both Basel and CSKA Moscow, and still almost certain of advancing, barring a huge defeat against the Russians at Old Trafford on December 5.

Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev recorded a first clean sheet in the group stage since 2006 -- ending a staggering run of 43 matches conceding a goal -- as CSKA condemned Benfica to a fifth straight loss in Group A.

Robert Lewandowski and Corentin Tolisso scored in Brussels as Bayern overcame Anderlecht 2-1 to retain their 100 percent record since 72-year-old Jupp Heynckes returned for a fourth spell at the club.

Barca, Chelsea reach last 16 as ManU lose

Bayern overcame Anderlecht 2-1

AFP, PARIS: Barcelona and Chelsea progressed to the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday, but Jose Mourinhos Manchester United must wait to seal their spot after a last-gasp 1-0 defeat in Basel. Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde rested Argentina star Lionel Messi in Turin, later introducing him as a second-half substitute as a 0-0 draw against Juventus sent the five-time European champions through as winners of Group D. Willian scored twice and won a pair of penalties as Chelsea thrashed 10-man Qarabag 4-0 in Baku to guarantee Antonio Contes side a top-two finish in Group C. First-half goals from Eden Hazard and Willian put Chelsea in control, with Cesc Fabregas adding a third before Willian netted again to cap the rout and knock Qarabag out of the competition. Atletico Madrid, runners-up twice in the past four years, retained an outside chance of pipping Roma to a place in the knockout stage as Antoine Griezmann snapped an eight-match goal drought in a 2-0 win in Spain. However, they must beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in their final game and hope Roma drop points at home to Qarabag to avoid parachuting into the Europa League. United, who hit the woodwork twice in the first half through Marouane Fellaini and Marcos Rojo, looked on course to secure the point required to punch their ticket to the last 16 in Switzerland before Michael Lang popped up with an 89th-minute winner. Its like a dream. Right now I cant believe we won against such a strong team, Swiss international Lang told RTS. We always thought we could win this match and in the end it was a victory like I had never seen before. Mourinho blamed Uniteds inability to convert their first-half dominance into goals after watching his side lose their perfect record in the group. We lost because in the first half we should be 5-0 up but we could not score one goal after being so dominant, Mourinho said. The result left United on 12 points, three ahead of both Basel and CSKA Moscow, and still almost certain of advancing, barring a huge defeat against the Russians at Old Trafford on December 5. Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev recorded a first clean sheet in the group stage since 2006 -- ending a staggering run of 43 matches conceding a goal -- as CSKA condemned Benfica to a fifth straight loss in Group A. Robert Lewandowski and Corentin Tolisso scored in Brussels as Bayern overcame Anderlecht 2-1 to retain their 100 percent record since 72-year-old Jupp Heynckes returned for a fourth spell at the club.