Champions League round-up:Chelsea qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 4-1 second-half demolition of Spartak Moscow at Stamford Bridge. After a lacklustre opening half, Chelsea made it four straight wins thanks to goals from Nicolas Anelka, two from Branislav Ivanovic and a penalty from Didier Drogba.
Substitute Nikita Bazhenov scored a late consolation goal for the Russians in the 86th minute. The victory now leaves them six points in front of both Marseille and Spartak. The Blues would have to lose to MSK Zilina at Stamford Bridge in the next round to stop them finishing top.
Chelsea accounted for the Russians 2-0 in the Luzhniki Stadium a fortnight ago but they were slow to get into their stride and could have conceded a goal as early as the seventh minute. John Obi Mikel was guilty of losing possession and when Chelsea failed to clear the ball, Aiden McGeady fired just wide of Petr Cech’s right-hand upright.
However, the Chelsea defence ensured that Spartak were limited to long-range shots and Welliton’s effort in the 12th minute was well wide. Two minutes later, Chelsea’s France international Anelka cut inside from the left wing and curled a stunning shot just beyond the far post from 20-yards.
Spartak were beginning to push Chelsea deeper towards their own goal but they failed to create a clear-cut opening. Dmitri Kombarov should have done better in the 40th minute when he was supplied by Alex on the edge of the penalty area, but his shot was far too high to trouble Cech.
But Chelsea’s Brazilian defender Alex should have put the home side ahead moments later when Ivanovic headed on Zhirkov’s corner. However the Chelsea player put the ball over the crossbar from point-blank range.
Chelsea broke the deadlock in the 48th minute when Salomon Kalou put Anelka in the clear and the Frenchman made no mistake from an acute angle. It was Anelka’s fifth goal of the current European campaign and his 10th of the season.
Chelsea made it two in the 61st minute after Evgeni Makeev brought down Drogba inside the penalty area. The Ivory Coast striker picked himself up and planted a low spot-kick into the right corner of the net.
Chelsea sealed the victory in the 66th minute after Andrei Ivanov hauled down Kalou on the right-hand edge of the penalty area. Drogba sent over the free-kick and Ivanovic got ahead of his marker to plant a firm header beyond Dykan.
Daniel Sturridge missed a sitter from two yards before Bazhenov scored a consolation goal for the Russians. However, Chelsea had the last word when Ivanovic scored his second in injury-time.
Tonight's other match in Group F saw Andre-Pierre Gignac grab a hat-trick to help Marseilleto a record 7-0 away win at Zilina.Marseille's resounding victory gave them six points from four games. Zilina have yet to pick up a point.
Gignac netted twice before the break and once in the second half as Marseille completely outclassed a weak Zilina side. Lucho Gonzalez also helped himself to two second-half goals and Gabriel Heinze and Loic Remy completed the rout.
Eduardo returned to haunt his old club as Shakhtar Donetskfought back from a goal down to beat Arsenal2-1 in tonight's Group H clash at Donbass Arena.
England forward Theo Walcott had slotted in a fine breakaway goal after 10 minutes for the injury-hit Premier League side, who were without captain Cesc Fabregas.
However, Shakhtar — trashed 5-1 at Emirates Stadium a fortnight ago — responded well and were eventually rewarded when 19-year-old Craig Eastmond, making his European debut, diverted Dmytro Chygrynskiy’s header into his own net.
Eduardo — who scored a late consolation goal in north London — slotted home from close range on the stroke of half-time, which proved enough to force his old club to wait for qualification to the knockout stages.
Elsewhere in Group H, a superb header by central defender Moises handed Bragaa 1-0 win at Partizan Belgradeand kept alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the competition.
The result completed Braga's double over the Serbian champions after the Portuguese side won the reverse fixture 2-0 and now have six points from four games.
Partizan have no points after stretching their winless run in Europe's premier club competition to 10 matches and rarely looked like giving their 30,000 fans anything to cheer about.
Braga always looked the more likely winners and held out comfortably after Moises found the back of the net in the 36th minute to delight a handful of away fans.
Pedro Leon struck deep into stoppage-time to send Real Madridinto the knockout stages after a topsy-turvy 2-2 draw at AC Milanin Group G. Auxerre's 2-1 win over Ajax meant Real went through with a draw and two games in hand but they had looked set for a win for much of the match.
Milan substitute Filippo Inzaghi poached two trademark second-half goals to put Milan ahead after Real Madrid had taken the lead on the stroke of halftime through Gonzalo Higuain.
Real had more chances but Milan conjured an equaliser from nowhere on 68 minutes when goalkeeper Iker Casillas could only flap at Zlatan Ibrahimovic's cross and 37-year-old Inzaghi nodded in.
Inzaghi prodded in his second 10 minutes later although there were suspicions of offside, but substitute Pedro Leon had the last laugh.
In Group E, Bayern Munichstriker Mario Gomez scored a hat-trick to steer the German champions to a 4-0 win at CFR Clujand into the round with two games to spare.Gomez, usually left on the bench, made the most of his rare chance to start in the absence of the injured Miroslav Klose, scoring on the rebound in the 12th minute and heading in his second goal 12 minutes later.
He added a third in the 71st minute from inside the area before substitute Thomas Mueller scored in the final minute to seal Bayern's fourth consecutive win that put them top on 12 points. Cluj, who hit the post twice in the second half, are in last place on three points from four games.
The other match in Group E saw Romascore twice in the opening half-hour to set up a 3-2 Champions League win away to FC Basel.
A well-taken goal by Jeremy Menez and a Francesco Totti penalty put the Italians in control of the Group E match until Alexander Frei headed one back for the Swiss in the 69th minute.
Substitute Leandro Greco restored Roma's two-goal advantage but Xherdan Shaqiri set up a rousing finish by replying for Basel with seven minutes left.