London: Liverpool marched into
the knockout stages of the Champions League with two games to spare after a
convincing 2-0 victory over 10-man Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday
guaranteed them top spot in Group B.
With four wins out of four, Juergen Klopp's side can now take their foot off the gas for the final two games of the group stage and focus their resources on their Premier League title push.
Liverpool have yet to lose in 16 matches in all competitions this season and their unbeaten run stretches back 25 matches to their April 6 loss to Real Madrid in last season's Champions League campaign.
The only negative for Klopp's side was a hamstring injury to Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino in the second half.
A draw would have been enough for Liverpool to be sure of their passage to the last 16, but from the outset Klopp's side looked like they had nothing but victory on their minds.
Benzema double leads Real Madrid to ugly win over Shakhtar
Karim Benzema struck twice to lead Real Madrid to an unconvincing 2-1 home win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday and move the Spanish side clear at the top of Champions League Group D.
Real, who beat Shakhtar 5-0 in Ukraine last month, lead the standings with nine points, two more than Inter Milan who beat Moldova's Sheriff Tiraspol 3-1.
Real went ahead in the 15th minute when Vinicius Jr. stole the ball from a Shakhtar defender and set up Benzema to score with a powerful shot from inside the box.
Shakhtar equalised five minutes before halftime with a stunning counter-attack finished off by Fernando.
Benzema and Vinicius Jr. combined again for the Real winner just after the hour mark, the latter linking up well with Casemiro before teeing up the France striker to find the net again.
Manchester City ease past Brugge
Manchester City got back to winning ways with a 4-1 victory over Brugge to move to within sight of the Champions League knockout rounds although it was not a trouble-free night for Pep Guardiola's side.
In the end, goals by Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus earned a comfortable enough victory to leave City top of Group A with nine points after Paris St Germain could only draw with RB Leipzig.
But there were periods after a John Stones own goal gave Brugge an early equaliser in which City looked uncomfortable.
The Belgians had several decent opportunities before Mahrez headed Pep Guardiola's side back in front in the 54th minute. Sterling gave City breathing space with a tap-in after 72 minutes and the hosts were able to coast home.
Substitute Jesus gave the scoreline an emphatic look as he added the fourth with the last kick of the game.
City, who suffered a surprise Premier League defeat by Crystal Palace at the weekend following last week's League Cup exit, need only one point from their remaining two games to secure their last-16 place. Brugge are in third spot with four points.
Porto earn draw at AC Milan
AC Milan earned their first Champions League point of the season with a 1-1 draw against Porto at San Siro, but the result left the seven-time European champions on the brink of elimination.
Luis Diaz struck after six minutes to put the Portuguese side in front and they dominated the first half against an under-par Rossoneri side.
An own goal from Chancel Mbemba drew Milan level after the break and Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a goal ruled out for offside, but the Italians' wait for a victory goes on.
It is the first time in Milan's history that they have failed to win any of their opening four Champions League games.
They now must pick up maximum points in their remaining Group B games away to Atletico and at home to Liverpool to stand any chance of progressing to the last-16.
Porto rose to second place with five points, four ahead of bottom side Milan.
Wijnaldum scores first PSG goals in draw at Leipzig
Georginio Wijnaldum scored his first two goals for his new club Paris St Germain but a stoppage-time penalty for RB Leipzig rescued a 2-2 draw in their Group A game.
The Dutchman, who had struggled this season after joining from Liverpool, struck in the 21st minute and headed in another goal six minutes before halftime.
Leipzig, eliminated from competition with just one point from four matches, had taken the lead through Christopher Nkunku in the eighth minute and they missed the chance to double it when Andre Silva's 12th-minute penalty was saved.
Substitute Dominik Szoboszlai did better from the spot in second-half stoppage time, however, to rescue a point for the Germans, semi-finalists in 2020.
The French side, without the injured Lionel Messi, are in second place on eight points, one behind Manchester City. Club Brugge are on four with Leipzig bottom on one.
Ajax win at Dortmund to qualify for last 16
Ajax Amsterdam came from behind to beat 10-man Borussia Dortmund 3-1 in Group C on Wednesday and advance to the knockout stages of the competition.
Goals from Dusan Tadic, Sebastien Haller and Davy Klaassen in the last 19 minutes maintained the Dutch club's 100 percent record after Marco Reus had converted a first-half penalty for the home team, who had to play for an hour with 10 men after Mats Hummels was sent off.
Ajax moved to 12 points at the top of the standings and booked a place in the last-16 with two matches to play. Dortmund share second spot with Sporting Lisbon on six points.
Brazilian winger Antony proved the inspiration for Ajax by providing the crosses for all their goals and he was involved in the controversial dismissal of Hummels.
They were left-footed crosses from the right wing, first for Tadic to steer the ball home at the back post in the 71st minute, then for Haller to continue his scoring form in the competition with a flicked header seven minutes from time before Klaassen completed the scoring.
Ajax joined Bayern Munich, Juventus and Liverpool as clubs with a 100 percent record and places in the next stage. Agencies
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