Roma, Arsenal progress in Champs League

LONDON (AP):

AS Roma, Shakhtar Donetsk and Arsenal became the final three teams to reach the knockout stage of the Champions League yesterday.

Roma secured second place in Group E, behind Bayern Munich, by drawing 1-1 at Cluj. FC Basel came into the final matchday needing to beat Bayern to stand any chance of catching Roma but were thrashed 3-0 in Germany.

Group H had both qualifying spots open but Shakhtar finished top by winning 2-0 at home to FC Braga, and Arsenal joined the Ukrainian champions after a nervy 3-1 victory over Partizan Belgrade.

Chelsea's perfect record in Group F ended with a 1-0 loss at Marseille to increase the pressure on manager Carlo Ancelotti, while Real Madrid remained unbeaten after their six matches in Group G, courtesy of a 4-0 win over Auxerre, with Karim Benzema scoring a hat trick.

The draw for the last 16 will be held on December 17, with group winners kept apart and teams from the same country prevented from playing each other.

Roma only needed a point to go through, but looked like they would pick up all three when striker Marco Borriello put the Italian side in the lead in the 21st minute from 12 yards (metres).

Lacina Traore, who had squandered a number of good opportunities, headed home in the 88th to earn the Romanian team a draw.

France winger Franck Ribery scored in either half for Bayern, who were already assured of top spot in the group. Defensive midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk also found the target for last season's runner-up.

Second round

Arsenal reached the second round of the Champions League for the 11th successive year but were given a scare by Partizan, needing late goals by Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri to seal the win.

Robin van Persie, making his first start in the competition in more than a year, put the Gunners ahead from the penalty spot in the 30th after he was fouled by Marko Jovanovic.

But Arsene Wenger's side, who climbed to the top of the Premier League last weekend, were far from their fluent best and conceded when Cordova Cleo's shot deflected off Sebastien Squillaci and over diving Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski in the 42nd.

Wenger sent on substitute Walcott and the England winger scored within six minutes, volleying home after collecting a poor defensive clearance.

Nasri wrapped the game up in the 77th, the in-form midfielder slamming in a left-footed shot from 15 yards (metres) for his 12th goal of the season.

Bacary Sagna was sent off in the 85th minute for a professional foul and will miss the first leg of the last 16.

Madrid coach Jose Mourinho watched on from the stands as his team finished Group G unbeaten.

Mourinho was serving a one-game ban for instructing Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos to deliberately incur red cards in a victory at Ajax two weeks ago.

Madrid had no problems without its coach's touchline prompts, Benzema opening the scoring in the 12th and adding two more goals in the final 18 minutes in his best display in 18 months with the club.

The nine-time champions closed out their most successful Champions League group campaign with 16 points from a possible 18.