16 qualification.
Photo credit:- Getty Images
Arsenal secured their passage to the knockout stages of the
Champions League for the 16th straight season as Olivier
Giroud's hat-trick earned them a hugely impressive 3-0
victory at Olympiacos.
Arsene Wenger's side came into Wednesday's clash in
Greece knowing a victory by any scoreline other than 1-0 or
2-1 would see them leapfrog their opponents and claim
second spot in Group F.
Having lost the reverse fixture in September 3-2, the odds
appeared to be against the visitors but Arsenal - who had
tasted defeat in three of their first four group games to leave
their hopes hanging in the balance - showed admirable steel
and a clinical edge to avoid being eliminated from the
opening group stage of the competition for the first time
since 1999-2000.
And in Croatia, Bayern Munich ground out a 2-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League at Stadion Maksimir on Wednesday, with Robert Lewandowski netting twice in the second period.
With group stage finishing positions already settled for both sides, Pep Guardiola's second-string team were forced to be patient during their trip to Croatia.
Also, Chelsea tied up top spot in Champions League Group G with a comfortable 2-0 win over Porto, who finish in third place and fall into the Europa League.
Jose Mourinho's men knew that a win would guarantee first
place and the Premier League champions ensured they
would avoid Europe's top sides in the second round thanks
to an early own goal and Willian's second-half strike.
Following an eighth defeat of their Premier League title
defence against AFC Bournemouth on Saturday, Mourinho
welcomed skipper John Terry back from injury and recalled
Diego Costa.
And Dynamo Kiev reached the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in 16 years after stuttering to a 1-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv.
A first-half goal from Denys Garmash proved the difference
between the two sides on an eerily quiet night at Olimpiyskiy
Stadium, where the game took place behind closed doors.
Head coach Serhiy Rebrov, who was part of the Dynamo
side that advanced to the second round of Europe's top
competition in 1999-00, saw his team control the game but
struggle to break down their resilient Israeli opponents.
Mean while in Germany, Bayer Leverkusen slipped out of the Champions League and into the Europa League after a 1-1 draw with Barcelona in Group E on Wednesday.
The Bundesliga side needed to better Roma’s result against
BATE to go through, but both sides drew their final match of
the group stage – the Italians held 0-0 – leaving Rudi
Garcia’s side in second place.
And Roma made it through to the knockout stages of the
Champions League after a 0-0 draw against BATE proved
enough for them to clinch second place in Group E.
Despite drawing a blank on home soil, Rudi Garcia's side still
sealed progression to the next round of the competition for
the first time since the 2010/11 season.
The point means Roma finish level with Bayer Leverkusen -
who drew 1-1 at home with Barcelona - in the standings, yet
the Italians advance at the expense of the Germans thanks
to a better head-to-head record.
Else where, Gent became the first Belgian side to reach the Champions League last 16 since 2000-01 as they registered a 2-1 victory over Zenit.
Laurent Depoitre and Danijel Milicevic scored the goals to send the hosts through in second place in Group H, with Zenit also progressing as pool winners, 14 years after Anderlecht reached the second phase of the competition.
With Valencia slipping to a home defeat against Lyon, Gent did not even need a point to ensure their progression but a
dominant first-half performance and Milicevic’s late winner
helped head coach Hein Vanhaezebrouc's team end their
guests' perfect record in the group stage.
And Maxwel Cornet and Alexandre Lacazette ruined Gary Neville's debut as Valencia coach by firing Lyon to a 2-0 win at the Mestalla on Wednesday to end the Liga side's Champions League ambitions.
Valencia still had a chance of reaching the knockout stages of the competition in Neville's first game in charge after replacing Nuno Espirito Santo last week, but had to beat Lyon and hope Gent dropped points against Zenit.
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