Liverpool and Inter progress in Europe
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Steven Gerrard celebrates scoring the winner for Liverpool against Marseille. (Getty Images: Laurence Griffiths)
Former European champions Liverpool and Inter Milan have sealed berths in the Champions League last 16, but Chelsea still has work to do.
Five-times winner Liverpool sealed its passage with captain Steven Gerrard's fifth goal in this season's competition in a 1-0 home win over Marseille.
"We know Gerrard is an offensive midfielder with a very good attacking quality and can score goals. We are pleased with him," Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez said.
Inter advanced from Group B despite a surprise 1-0 home defeat to Panathinaikos which left manager Jose Mourinho fuming.
Victory put the Greek side in an excellent position to progress to the knockout stage.
"Panathinaikos's win is absolutely deserved," Mourinho said.
"People say they were lucky but I don't agree. After that performance we don't deserve to go through and we must be angry with ourselves."
The Italian champions were left on eight points after Jose Sarriegi struck in the 69th minute to lift Panathinaikos into second place on seven.
The Greeks need only a draw from their final match at home to Cypriots Anorthosis Famagusta, which has six points.
Champions League debutants Anorthosis will be kicking itself after squandering a 2-0 lead against Werder Bremen.
Last season's finalist Chelsea did itself no favours with a 1-1 draw at Bordeaux in Group A, which means it is still not assured of avoiding an early exit.
The Blues looked home and dry after Nicolas Anelka fired them ahead on the hour with a clinical finish, but slack defending from a corner allowed Alou Diarra to head in a late equaliser.
Chelsea was under pressure in the dying minutes after Frank Lampard was sent off for a second bookable offence, but held on.
AS Roma won 3-1 at CFR Cluj thanks to a Matteo Brighi brace and a third by Francesco Totti to go top of the group on nine points, ahead of Chelsea which has eight and Bordeaux on seven.
Atletico Madrid progressed to the next phase, beating PSV Eindhoven 2-1 in an empty Calderon as its served a one-match crowd ban in its home game against Marseille.
Barcelona, the 2006 winners, sealed top spot in Group B after a 5-2 away drubbing of also qualified Sporting.
Early goals from Thierry Henry and Gerrard Pique sent Barca on their way while Lionel Messi and Bojan Krkic were also on target for the Catalan side either side of a Marco Caneira own-goal.
Shakhtar Donetsk clinched a place in the UEFA Cup last 32 with a 5-0 home rout of Basel.
-Reuters
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