While Arsenal Advances, Shakhtar Donetsk Claims Last Group Win

Shakhtar Donetsk become this year’s most surprising group winner, though at the beginning of the day, the Ukrainian champions needed only a point to clinch Group H. They got three, giving them 15 points and first place, holding off Arsenal, who now face the prospect of being drawn against Barcelona, Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the Round of 16.

The day’s other undecided spot in the knock-out stage went to Roma, whose victory in Romania over CFR Cluj puts them into the last 16. As it turned out, the Gialliorossi would have been safe regardless, with Bayern Munich easily defeating FC Basel.

Real Madrid 3-0 Auxerre

In the 74th minute, Karim Benzema put himself on a hat trick, powering a left-footed shot past Sorin, giving Madrid a 3-0 lead. Benzema settled a ball chipped to him behind the Auxerre line, and from 15 yards out (to the left of goal) beat Sorin far post, even after the keeper had gotten a had to the shot.

Should this result as well as the one in Donetsk stand, Arsenal would still be into the knock-out rounds, second place finishers should Shakhtar and Braga end scoreless. However, if Braga does find a goal in Ukraine, a draw against Partizan would leave Arsenal in Europa League, finishing with 10 points, two behind both Shakhtar and Portugal’s runners up.

Arsenal started this match strong but has sense shown a lack of ambition, seemingly content with or unable to build on Robin van Persie’s 30th minute goal. As a result, Cléo’s goal has the Belgrade club within sight of their first point of the tournament.

Müller advanced the ball down Bayern’s right flank in the 50th minute, moments after Basel had given the ball away in midfield. The München attacker made for the line, cutting into the right side of the box before playing a ball back and to the middle for an oncoming Ribery. The winger right-footed a ball just inside the left post, giving Munich a 3-0 lead.

Now in the 59th minute, Basel seems destined to finish third in Group E, six points behind a Roma side leading in Romanic. Basel had a chance to pass the Italians at kick-off, but without three points in München, the Swiss champions are destined for Europa League.

Bayern would take that lead into half time, now on track for 15 points in Group E. München had already clinch first place in the group, but with the win, Bayern will relegated Basel to Europa League, confirming their place for the Swiss champions.

Robin van Persie, making his first start since returning from an ankle injury, has put Arsenal in front after 30 minutes. The Dutch attacker was taken down in the area by Partizan’s Milan Jovanovic. Van Persie did the honors, beating Vladimir Stojkovic with a left-footed shot to give the Gunners a lead at the half hour mark.

Arsenal has controlled the first half hour, out-shooting Partizan 4-0 while controlling 63 percent of the possession. Van Persie’s spot kick, however, was the first time Stojkovic had been tested.

The players have been pulled from the pitch in Zilina, where flares thrown onto the pitch and violence in the stands has temporarily suspended today’s match between the Slovakian champions and visiting Spartak Moscow. Both squads have returned to the locker room, and while initial speculation has the match resuming, the referee has suspended play just minutes after kick-off.

Neither Spartak nor Zilina have anything to play for today in terms of positioning in Group F. Spartak can pull even with Marseille on points, but second place is out of reach for l’OM owning the head-to-head tiebreaker. Zilina, having yet to record a point in group play, have been relegated to fourth place.

It’s the last day of UEFA Champions League group stage, and no, it doesn’t seem like it just started. That’s the common refrain, right? It went so fast. No, this group stage did not. The monotonous predictability of the big clubs combined with no dark horse coming true made this phase eye roll-worthy.

Yesterday we were left to marvel at the wrapping on Benfica-Schalke and Copenhagen’s history making qualification (Tottenham’s shootout in Enschede was a welcome reprieve). Today the hallow packages are in Ukraine and, if you’re really desperate for drama, Munich, Cluj, Milan and Madrid.