Champions League round-up: Manchester United came back from a goal down to beat Benfica 3-1 and qualify for the next phase of the Champions League as winners of Group F.
A trio of headers from Nemanja Vidic, Ryan Giggs and Louis Saha saw United through but it could have been very different when after a dour, uneventful opening period, it was Benfica who took the lead with a wonderful strike from Marcos Nelson.
Simao drew two United defenders and laid the ball into the path of Nelson who unleashed an unstoppable, swerving strike into Edwin van der Sar's top right-hand corner.
The setback finally brought United to life. Cristiano Ronaldo saw his free-kick well tipped over and Saha saw his free header from three yards somehow bundled away by Benfica keeper Quim.
The equaliser arrived on the stroke of half-time by which time United were laying siege to the visitor's goal. Giggs delivered a free-kick from the right which Vidic headed home from eight yards out.
The second period began as the first had ended, with United having much the better of the ball. Giggs and Patrice Evra both got in behind the Benfica backline but neither could pick out a red shirt. Saha also had a good chance, which he blazed over when well placed, 12 yards out.
The killer goal however did arrive on 61 minutes. Ronaldo found space on the right and delivered an inviting cross which found Giggs who headed home unchallenged from 10 yards out.
Benfica knew their fate when United's third came on 75 minutes, courtesy of the lively Saha. Darren Fletcher's outswinging corner was met powerfully by the Frenchman whose header gave Quim no chance.
Wayne Rooney forced Quim into another smart save late on, but Sir Alex Ferguson will be pleased with his team's work as, thanks to Celtic's defeat in Copenhagen, they go through on top of Group F.
Celtic completed their Champions League Group F fixtures with a disappointing 3-1 defeat by FC Copenhagen at the Parken Stadium.
Goals by Atiba Hutchinson, Jesper Gronkjaer and Marcus Allback put the home side into a comfortable lead by the 57th minute before Jiri Jarosik scored a consolation for the visitors who never really recovered from going behind after just 90 seconds.
And although the Hoops will go through to the last-16 draw as group runners-up next week, they are still awaiting their first away victory in the competition after 12 attempts.
Arsenal successfully negotiated a potentially fraught trip to Porto but endured a few heart-stopping moments before clinching their place in the Champions League knockout stages.
The Gunners had already faced one "moment of truth" this season according to their boss Arsene Wenger in the build up-to last week's 2-1 loss to Fulham, and tonight's critical Group G showdown was another.
Defeat could have seen last term's beaten finalists crash out of the Champions League to compound the misery of their failure to mount a Barclays Premiership title challenge.
But while neither side initially appeared in a hurry to climb out of first gear at the Estadio do Dragao — a point would have seen them both qualify for the last 16 — Porto cranked up the tension after the interval.
Ricardo Quaresma was denied by a stunning save from Jens Lehmann and the slippery winger — Porto's greatest threat throughout — then rattled the woodwork.
The Portuguese champions maintained the pressure with Quaresma and Lisandro Lopez showing flashes of brilliance that far outshone anything Arsenal could produce until the match petered out in the last 10 minutes.
Results
Champions League Group E
Dynamo Kiev 2-2 Real Madrid
Lyon 1-1 Steaua Bucuresti
Champions League Group F
FC Copenhagen 3-1 Celtic
Man Utd 3-1 Benfica
Champions League Group G
FC Porto 0-0 Arsenal
Hamburg 3-2 CSKA Moscow
Champions League Group H
AC Milan 0-2 Lille
Anderlecht 2-2 AEK Athens
