UEFA Champions League 2013: Arsenal, Dortmund progress in down to the wire race

Ajax couldn’t convert their slew of chances into a goal to jump Milan and take second place in Group H. Instead, they played to a 0-0 draw and Milan just barely, maybe undeservedly, hung on to book a spot in the Champions League Round of 16.

Down to 10 men, Milan stopped bothering to attack and went into a shell with the hope of eeking out the draw they needed to advance. The approach wasn’t pretty and if Ajax has been a little sharper, it wouldn’t have worked. The Dutch side hit several great crosses that just missed the target and multiple shots rolled just wide of the net, but almost doesn’t count.

There were few chances created in a cagey first few minutes, with every Arsenal touch of the ball greeted by a chorus of Neapolitan jeers. However, it was the Gunners who had the best early opportunity halfway into the first half, when Olivier Giroud’s effort from inside the penalty area was palmed away by a diving Rafael.

Napoli looked to play at a high tempo and hit Arsenal down the flanks on the counter, though after a frantic few minutes the pace of the game began to slow. That played increasingly into the visitors’ hands, with Arsenal rarely put in difficulty. The partenopei had a final half-chance just over five minutes before the break, though Christian Maggio’s optimistic chip harmlessly cleared the crossbar.

Chelsea secured a 1-0 win to secure first place in their group as they beat Steaua Bucharest at Stamford Bridge, and although the visitors never really looked like threatening, the Blues should have scored far more.

Demba Ba scored from a corner early on to put Chelsea into the lead as they looked like running riot in front of their fans, but lethargy and profligacy combined to result in a narrow win.

Neil Lennon knew going in that it would be a tough night for his Celtic side. The key of the Scottish side would be to play well defensively and not give away easy chances to Barcelona. So, of course, a giveaway in the defensive third led to the opening goal just seven minutes in.

After a fair amount of time in which Barcelona either wasted chances or had shots blocked by Celtic defenders, it finally doubled their lead in the 39th minute.

The remaining hour unfolded much like you would expect a match played in freezing conditions on a pitch plowed with a tiny tractor. The orange ball took random bounces after being booted up the pitch, and whenever the whistle blew, players surrounded the referee to discuss whether there’d been intention behind the collision or it was simply a loss of footing.

Galatasaray are through, but surely Juventus will contest the match, played as it was in such conditions. Will they be successful? Unlikely.

Juventus and Galatasaray squared off on the final matchday of the Champions League knowing that one would be going to the Round of the 16 and the other to the Europa League. Who won?

Mother Nature.