Milan make last 16, but Gunners will have to wait

Nov 25, 2010 |

Correspondent

PARIS, Nov. 24: AC Milan and Marseille reached the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, but Arsenal’s hopes of joining them are in the balance following a shock defeat at Sporting Braga.

Seven-time champions Milan were made to work hard before emerging from their trip to Auxerre with a 2-0 victory that secured second place in Group G behind Real Madrid.

The French side had procured all the clear-cut chances until Zlatan Ibrahimovic blasted Milan ahead in the 64th minute, with substitute Ronaldinho curling home in injury time to complete the victory.

“We were under heavy pressure at the start of the match and we felt a little bit trapped inside our penalty area, but everything finished well,” said Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri.

Real made sure of top spot in the group and continued their unbeaten record in this season’s competition by thrashing Ajax 4-0 in Amsterdam.

Karim Benzema broke the deadlock by side-footing into the roof of the net in the 36th minute, with full-back Alvaro Arbeloa doubling the Spanish side’s lead with a long-range rocket just before half-time.

A second-half brace from Cristiano Ronaldo, the second a penalty, set the seal on a comfortable victory, but Real had Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos sent off for two bookable offences late on. Both players received their second cautions for time-wasting and will now miss Real’s final group game at home to Ajax. French champions Marseille had earlier secured their place in the knockout round with an impressive 3-0 win at Spartak Moscow. Beaten 1-0 in the reverse fixture in September, Marseille had to win to make sure of second place in Group F and they assumed control of proceedings in the 18th minute through a smart turn and finish by Mathieu Valbuena.

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