The Hindu : Sport / Football : Lyon, Fenerbahce advance

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Lyon, Fenerbahce advance

Barcelona, Arsenal score wins; Man U held

LONDON: Olympique Lyon and Fenerbahce won their final group games on Wednesday to capture the last two spots in the knockout round of the Champions League.

Two late goals by Karim Benzema added to an early strike by Sidney Govou in Lyon’s 3-0 victory at Rangers, which had needed only a draw to advance and knock the French champion out.

Lyon advanced despite losing its first two group games, including a 3-0 defeat against visiting Rangers.

Rangers manager Walter Smith said his team failed to repeat the performance of its victory in Lyon.

Barca’s three strikes

Lyon advanced from Group E with FC Barcelona, which had already qualified but came from behind to beat VfB Stuttgart 3-1 with strikes by Giovani Dos Santos, Samuel Eto’o and Ronaldinho.

It was Eto’o’s first goal in only his second game since his three-month layoff with a serious thigh injury.

Fenerbahce trailed against visiting CSKA Moscow after an own-goal by centre-back Edu, but turned the game around through playmaker Alex and two strikes by Ugur Boral.

The victory means that it captured second place ahead of PSV Eindhoven, which tumbled 1-0 at home against Group G winner Inter Milan.

In Wednesday’s other games, AS Roma hit back for a 1-1 draw to prevent Manchester United going into the second round with a perfect record of six victories.

In the other Group F game, Sporting Lisbon beat Dynamo Kiev 3-0. Sevilla, winner of the past two UEFA Cups, won at Slavia Prague 3-0.

Qualifiers for last 16: FC Porto, Liverpool, Chelsea, Schalke 04, Real Madrid, Olympiakos, AC Milan, Celtic, Barcelona, Lyon, Manchester United, Roma, Inter Milan, Fenerbahce, Sevilla and Arsenal.

The results: Rangers 0 lost to Lyon 3 (Govou 16, Benzema 85, 88); Barcelona 3 (Giovani 36, Eto’o 57, Ronaldinho 67) bt VfB Stuttgart 1 (Antonio 3); Roma 1 (Mancini 71) drew with Manchester United 1 (Pique 34); Sporting Lisbon 3 (Polga 35-pen, Joao Moutinho 67, Liedson 88) bt Dynamo Kiev 0; PSV Eindhoven 0 lost to Inter Milan 1 (Cruz 64); Fenerbahce 3 (Alex 32, Ugur Boral 45+1, 90) bt CSKA Moscow 1 (Edu 30-og); Arsenal 2 (Diaby 8, Bendtner 42) bt Steaua Bucharest 1; Slavia Prague 0 lost to Sevilla 3 (Luis Fabiano 66, Kanoute 69, Daniel Alves 87). — Agencies

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