Real join Blues, Bayern in last 16
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Nov. 4: Real Madrid struck late on to earn a 2-2 draw at AC Milan on Wednesday and secure a place in the Champions League knockout phase, where they were joined by Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
Chelsea won 4-1 at home to Spartak Moscow to go six points clear in Group F, while Bayern maintained their perfect record with a 4-0 win at CFR Cluj in Group E, but Arsenal fell to a 2-1 defeat at Shakhtar Donetsk.
Real’s trip to Milan marked Jose Mourinho’s first visit to the San Siro since he left Inter Milan after guiding them to last season’s Champions League title, and his new side immediately established a firm grip on the game.
Angel di Maria shot wide after cutting in from the right, while Andrea Pirlo twice had to head the ball off the Milan goal-line, before Gonzalo Higuain broke the deadlock from Di Maria’s cute pass on the stroke of half-time.
Real looked dominant, but in the 68th minute the hosts drew level when Iker Casillas palmed Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s mis-hit cross into the air and substitute Filippo Inzaghi headed home from close range. Inzaghi, a replacement for the disappointing Ronaldinho, put Milan ahead 10 minutes later, tucking away Gennaro Gattuso’s through-ball for his 46th goal in the competition despite a strong suspicion of offside.
Real were on course for their first defeat under Mourinho, but in the fourth minute of injury time Pedro Leon converted a pass from Karim Benzema to snatch a share of the spoils. “Their first goal came from a slip by Pepe and their second was clearly and obviously offside, without a shadow of doubt,” Mourinho said.
The result puts Real five points clear of Milan, who are now just two points ahead of Group G’s bottom side Auxerre after the French team kept their hopes of a last-16 place alive with a 2-1 win at home to Ajax. Chelsea joined Real in the next phase, but they had to wait until the second half before seeing off Spartak at Stamford Bridge.
Nicolas Anelka opened the scoring with a smart chipped finish in the 49th minute, before Didier Drogba marked his first start in the competition this season with a 62nd-minute penalty.
A brace from Branislav Ivanovic made sure of the points, with Nikita Bazhenov replying for the visitors. “It was a good evening, we played well and we got a good result,” said Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti. “Now we have to ensure we top the group.”
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