Two goals in the last five minutes spared Jose Mourinho’s blushes at Dynamo Kiev and reignited Inter Milan’s Champions League campaign. Andrey Shevchenko, a legend at Inter’s city rivals AC Milan, scored the only goal of the first half after 21 minutes and it looked like being enough for a shock win.

Inter piled on the pressure in the second period and it finally paid off as the in-form Diego Milito equalised in the 86th minute and Wesley Sneijder won it one minute from time. Even a draw would have kept the Italians bottom of Group F, but as it was they went top - a point ahead of Rubin Kazan and Barcelona.
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Liverpool’s hearts were broken by a cruel last-minute equaliser that has all but ended their Champions League dreams for a traumatic season. The much-maligned Ryan Babel had scored a wonderful goal with just seven minutes left and if Liverpool could have hung on to that lead they would still have had a realistic chance of reaching the last 16. But Liverpool’s season has been littered with shattering luck and bitter body blows, as well as beach-ball goals. (more…)

Rubin Kazan followed up their shock victory against Barcelona a fortnight ago with a defensive masterclass to leapfrog their Catalan opponents in Champions League Group F ahead of the evening game between Dynamo Kiev and Inter Milan. Barcelona were the victims of one of the biggest shocks in Champions League history when goals by Aleksandr Ryazantsev and Gokdeniz Karadeniz guided the Russians to a 2-1 victory at the Nou Camp a fortnight ago, also the first game they had won in the competition.

Although Barca dominated possession tonight they produced few clear-cut chances as the Russian champions produced a perfect defensive display and they could even have taken all three points had Alexander Bukharov taken his chances after being introduced as a substitute with a little under half an hour remaining. (more…)

Didier Drogba made a scoring return to European action to help Chelsea through to the last 16 of the Champions League, even though his brace could not help the Blues continue their 100% record against Atletico Madrid tonight. Drogba had missed Chelsea’s opening three Group D games through suspension, but he was brought straight back into the starting line-up and looked to have earned Carlo Ancelotti’s side the win with two goals in the last eight minutes.

Those strikes cancelled out a stunning volley by Atletico striker Sergio Aguero in the 66th minute, but the young Argentinian had the last say as he curled home a brilliant injury-time free-kick to salvage a 2-2 draw for the hosts.
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AC Milan and Real Madrid shared the points at San Siro in a 1-1 draw to leave both on course for the second round of the Champions League. Karim Benzema gave Real the lead in the 29th minute, but Ronaldinho replied with a penalty ten minutes before the break.

Alexandre Pato had a goal controversially disallowed moments later before Dida denied Raul a late winner in a dramatic game at the San Siro. (more…)

Antonio Valencia’s deflected injury-time effort preserved Manchester United’s long Champions League unbeaten home record and swept Sir Alex Ferguson’s men into the last 16. Trailing 3-1 to a spirited CSKA Moscow outfit with barely six minutes remaining, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side delved into their box of tricks, pulling a goal back through Paul Scholes before Valencia’s 25-yard effort flew in off Georgi Schennikov.

The perfect ending was denied new dad Wayne Rooney when he curled what would have been the winner over the bar.
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Goals from Zvjezdan Misimovic, Christian Gentner and Edin Dzeko guided Wolfsburg to an emphatic victory in Turkey, although the German side have yet to secure their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League. The Bundesliga side threatened to run their hosts ragged in a blistering opening when they were rewarded with a goal by Misimovic but they had to wait until the final 10 minutes before they wrapped up victory with two further strikes.

However, they will have been grateful for Manchester United’s late equaliser against CSKA Moscow which means they hold a three-point lead in Group A over the Russians, who they visit in their next game before concluding their group campaign when they host the Premier League champions. (more…)

A solitary goal by Mauro Camoranesi was sufficient to guide Juventus to a narrow victory in Israel as they took another step towards the group stages of the Champions League. Camoranesi scored on the stroke of half-time but the Italians were not overly impressive against opponents who have yet to score in Group B, let alone take a point.

With Bordeaux winning at Bayern Munich, tonight’s result means Juve are four points ahead of the German team with two games to go with Bayern set to visit Italy in the final match.
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