Leicester march into last 16 with Real
Monaco knock Tottenham out
of Champions League
AFP
AFP, PARIS: Leicester kept their Champions League dreams aflame Tuesday, cruising into the last 16 with a 2-1 win over Belgiums Club Brugge, where they were joined by Real Madrid but not a crestfallen Tottenham.
Joining the hopeful debutants and the holders on the night were Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco.
They join last years runners-up Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, who had already booked their tickets to the knockout phase with two group games to spare.
Leicesters success saw the Foxes advance as Group G winners in their maiden season in the event, giving a major fillip to Claudio Ranieris side, who are just two points above the domestic drop zone.
Were on another journey. I dont know where, but were excited! Ranieri said afterwards.
Shinji Okazaki netted after just five minutes and a Riyad Mahrez penalty made it 2-0 before Jose Izquierdo notched a second-half consolation for Brugge.
The Colombians strike was the first goal Leicester have conceded in the tournament to date.
As Leicester celebrated, Tottenham in contrast saw their adventure in Europes top club competition come to a grinding halt after a 2-1 loss at Monaco, who won Group E in the process.
Spurs had a let off when their French keeper Hugo Lloris saved Radamel Falcaos early spotkick.
But quickfire goals from Djibril Sidibe and Thomas Lemar just after the break, sandwiching a Harry Kane penalty, did for the Londoners.
In the same group Bayer Leverkusen drew 1-1 at CSKA Moscow to take the Germans into the knockout stages following Spurs loss.
Kevin Volland put Leverkusen ahead after 16 minutes before Israeli international Bibras Natcho levelled.
Spurs will host CSKA in a final game whose outcome will decide who goes into the Europa League. In any case, home advantage at Wembley Stadium has hardly shone on Mauricio Pochettinos side, given that they succumbed to defeats by Monaco and Leverkusen.
Kane said those games sank them.
Holders and 11-times winners Real Madrid joined 1997 champions Borussia Dortmund in qualifying from Group F after a 2-1 win at star man Cristiano Ronaldos former club Sporting Lisbon.
Raphael Varane gave the meringues the lead before Adrien Silva netted a spot-kick for the Portuguese only for substitute Karim Benzema to pop up with the winner for Real.
The Spaniards suffered a huge injury scare, however, just 11 days before facing Barcelona in La Liga as Welsh star Gareth Bale exited with an ankle injury shortly after half-time.
Dortmund secured the group win with a game to play after swatting Polands Legia Warsaw 8-4 -- a record goalfest for a Champions League encounter.
The Germans became one of an elite clique to notch five goals in a single Champions League half having led 5-2 at the interval.
Marco Reus scored a hat-trick and Japanese star Shinji Kagawa netted a brace as Dortmund ran riot.
Two-times champions Juventus are through after defeating previous Group H leaders Sevilla, Europa League champions for the past three seasons, 3-1 in Spain.
Claudio Marchisio with a penalty, Leonardo Bonucci and Mario Mandzucic scored for the Old Lady of Turin after Nicolas Pareja had put Sevilla ahead early on.
Perennial challengers Barcelona and Manchester City were hoping to booktheir tickets Wednesdaywith wins over Celtic and Borussia Moenchengladbach respectively.
UEFA Champions League results
CSKA Moscow (RUS) 1 Bayer Leverkusen (GER) 1
Monaco (FRA) 2 Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) 1
Borussia Dortmund (GER) 8 Legia Warsaw (POL) 4
Sporting Lisbon (POR) 1 Real Madrid (ESP) 2
Leicester City (ENG) 2 Club Brugge (BEL) 1
FC Copenhagen (DEN) 0 Porto (POR) 0
Sevilla (ESP) 1 Juventus (ITA) 3
Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) 0 Lyon (FRA) 1
