12 Dec 2013

Gunners, Dortmund advance while Napoli unlucky winners

2:08 pm on 12 December 2013

Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund led a sextet of football clubs into the last 16 of Europe's elite Champions League, following the final round of group matches.

Arsenal lost 2-0 to Napoli in Italy but still progressed, though the Italians can feel hard done by as they, like Dortmund and Arsenal, finished on 12 points but went out on the head-to-head rule.

Last season's beaten finalists Dortmund left it late to beat 10-man Marseille 2-1 in France, the win enough for the Germans to top their group.

Former champions AC Milan also squeaked through, getting the draw they needed at home to Ajax. The match finished 0-0 in a group where Barcelona ensured they finished top by beating sorry Scottish champions Celtic 6-1 in Spain.

Schalke made it four German clubs in the last 16, beating Swiss rivals Basel 2-0 in their match while Chelsea beat visiting Romanians Steaua Bucharest 1-0 at Stamford Bridge to top their group.

Also through are Group G winners Atletico Madrid and Zenit St Petersburg, the Russian side creating Champions League history by becoming the first team to qualify for the knockout stages with only six points from six matches.

Zenit lost 4-1 at bottom side Austria Vienna while Atletico ended Porto's chances with a 2-0 home victory.

Earlier in the day Galatasaray ended Juventus's hopes of the knockout phase by beating them 1-0 in Istanbul in a match that had to be held over from Wednesday, when it was abandoned because of snow.