LIVERPOOL qualified for the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night with a comfortable 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid at Anfield.
Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane scored within the first 21 minutes while Atletico’s Felipe was sent off for violent conduct in the 36th minute.
Liverpool did not add more goals in the second half despite their one-man advantage but they did not need to as they won Group B with four wins in four matches.
In the group’s other match on Wednesday, Porto, who had Super Eagles left-back Zaidu Sanusi in full-time action, drew 1-1 with AC Milan in Italy to go second with five points.
Atletico Madrid are third with four points, with AC Milan, who incidentally are flying in Serie A, bottom of the table with just one point.
Ajax joined Liverpool in the next round by also claiming 12 points from four matches in Group C.
The Dutch side came from behind to defeat 10-man Borussia Dortmund 3-1 in Germany to secure their round of 16 spot.
Dortmund’s Mats Hummels was sent off in the 29th minute but the 10 men took the lead eight minutes later from the penalty spot through Marco Reus after Jude Bellingham was brought down in the Ajax box.
Ajax equalised in the 72nd minute through Dusan Tadic before Sebastien Haller and Davy Klassen added two late goals to seal the win for the visitors.
Dortmund are second in the group with six points, level with third-placed Sporting who thrashed Besiktas 4-0 in Lisbon on Wednesday night.
Turkish champions Besiktas have no points after four matches.In Group D, Karim Benzema netted twice in Real Madrid’s 2-1 home win over Shakhtar Donetsk.The France striker opened the scoring in the 14th minute but Fernando equalised for the visitors six minutes before the break.
Benzema bagged the winning goal in the 61st minute to take Real Madrid one step closer to the knockout rounds.
The Spanish giants are on top of the group with nine points, while Shakhtar Donetsk are bottom with just one.
Inter Milan rose to second spot in the table with a 3-1 win over Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova.
After a goalless first half, the game exploded to life in the second half.Marcelo Brozovic handed Inter the lead in the 54th minute, with Milan Skriniar making it 2-0 twelve minutes later.
Alexis Sanchez came off the bench to make it 3-0 in the 82nd minute before Adama Traore’s added time consolation for the hosts.
Inter Milan have seven points, one ahead of first timers Sheriff, who had won their first two games, including a shock victory over Real Madrid.
In Group A, RB Leipzig scored a last-gasp equaliser against Paris Saint-Germain to snatch their first point.
The German side took the lead through former PSG forward Christopher Nkunku after just eight minutes and missed a penalty via Andre Silva just four minutes later.
Georginio Wijnaldum then scored twice before half-time to give the visiting Parisians a 2-1 lead.PSG, without the injured Lionel Messi, held on to the slender lead until injury time before Dominik Szoboszlai scored from the spot.
In the group’s other fixture on Wednesday night, Manchester City eased to a 4-1 win over Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium.
Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus netted for the English champions in the win.
John Stones scored a 17th minute own goal to give Brugge some hope before City’s total dominance paid off.
Manchester City lead the group with nine points, followed by PSG with eight. Club Brugge have four, while Leipzig have just one.
WEDNESDAY’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RESULTS
AC Milan 1-1 FC Porto
Liverpool 2-0 Atletico Madrid
Real Madrid 2-1 Shakhtar Donetsk
Sheriff Tiraspol 1-3 Inter Milan
Borussia Dortmund 1-3 Ajax
Sporting 4-0 Besiktas
Manchester City 4-1 Club Brugge
RB Leipzig 2-2 PSG
