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Champions League 2019-20: Dortmund, Liverpool progress; Ajax and Inter crash out after home defeats — Overview

Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool, Valencia, and Lyon reached the last 16.

  • DNA Web Team
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  • Dec 11, 2019, 07:34 AM IST

The English clubs are on the march again in the Champions League as they progress to the last 16.

Liverpool and Chelsea made their way through while Manchester City and Tottenham - the other English clubs competing - advanced last month with a game to spare.

As for the other teams, Napoli too advanced — but it wasn't enough to keep head coach Carlo Ancelotti job. He was fired by the Italian team a few hours after its 4-0 win over Genk. 

Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and Lyon also reached the last 16. 

An overview of the Champions League final group stage matches.

1. Red Bull Salzburg 0-2 Liverpool

Red Bull Salzburg 0-2 Liverpool
1/8

Liverpool needed a point to go through the next round and the task was clear for the Reds - return to Merseyside unbeaten - and it was a job well done.

 

Jurgen Klopp‘s men defeated Red Bull Salzburg in Austria to book their slot in the last 16 of the Champions League.

 

While the first half gave many chances to both sides to net goals, they went into half-time goalless. The Reds, however, found a way and scored twice all thanks to Naby Keita and Mohamed Salah.

 

The loss at home has also led the young Salzburg to drop ominously into the Europa League.

2. Napoli 4-0 Genk

Napoli 4-0 Genk
2/8

Arkadiusz Milik's clinical first-half hat-trick against Genk helps Napoli seal a spot in the last 16 of the Champions League.

 

Napoli are the runners-up in Group E as they stand below Liverpool who defeated Red Bull Salzburg in Austria.

 

Carlo Ancelotti's side needed a point to qualify and they made sure they got it in style.

 

However, the happiness for the coach was shortlived after he was sacked after a late-night meeting in Naples. President Aurelio De Laurentiis informed the Italian manager he was relieved of his duties.   

3. Chelsea 2-1 Lille

Chelsea 2-1 Lille
3/8

Chelsea's fate to progress into the knockout stage of the Champions League was in their own hands and they sure earned it after a comfortable 2-1 win over Lille at Stamford Bridge.

 

Tammy Abraham opened the scoring in the 19th minute. Lille - who were already confirmed as the bottom side in Group H - gave Cesar Azpilicueta and easy goal to head.

 

However, the Blues faced a slight hiccup when former player Loic Remy set up an edgy finish.

 

Frank Lampard's side knew a win would be enough to qualify, with Ajax and Valencia facing off in the night's other Group H fixture.

4. Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Slavia Prague

Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Slavia Prague
4/8

Borussia Dortmund advances to the Champions League knockout stage, leaving Inter Milan in third place in Group F.

 

The 10-men side beat Slavia Prague 2-1 with goals from Jadon Sancho and Julian Brandt. Dortmund lost Julian Weigl to a red card in the 77th after two bookings. 

 

Dortmund had entered the game knowing they would need a better result against Slavia than its Group F rival Inter Milan could manage against already-qualified Barcelona.

5. Lyon 2-2 RB Leipzig

Lyon 2-2 RB Leipzig
5/8

A late comeback from Lyon took the French side through in Group G and reach the knockout stage. 

 

Memphis Depay found the back of the net eight minutes from time after Hassem Aouar’s superb second-half goal had reduced the deficit against RB Leipzig.

 

Emil Forsberg and Timo Werner both scored from the penalty spot for the Germans before Houssem Aouar and Depay netted for Lyon, who reached the knockout phase after Zenit lost 3-0 to Benfica.

 

Following the full-time whistle, Lyon supporters and players clashed on the field as one fan brandished a flag telling defender Marcelo to leave the club.

6. Benfica 3-0 Zenit St Petersburg

Benfica 3-0 Zenit St Petersburg
6/8

As for the other two teams of  Group G, Benfica will play in the Europa League knockout phase after finishing ahead of Zenit St Petersburg - thanks to a better head-to-head record.

 

The Portuguese team signed off the group stage with an emphatic 3-0 win over Zenit.

 

Franco Cervi and Pizzi scored for Benfica while an own goal by Sardar Azmoun in 79th minute was enough.

7. Ajax 0-1 Valencia

Ajax 0-1 Valencia
7/8

Last year's semi-finalists Ajax crash out of the Champions League as Valencia defeat them by a goal.

 

Rodrigo scored the game's lone goal as Valencia upset the hosts in Amsterdam to finish top of Champions League Group H.

 

The 24th-minute strike saw Valencia finish ahead of Chelsea, 2-1 victors over Lille, by virtue of the head-to-head result, as both clubs ended on 11 points to Ajax's 10.

 

8. Inter Milan 1-2 Barcelona

Inter Milan 1-2 Barcelona
8/8

With no Lionel Messi in the squad, FC Barcelona battled to a tough 1-2 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League.

 

While Barca already clinched Group F, Ansu Fati made history. His goal makes him the youngest goalscorer in Champions League history.

 

As for the match, Carles Perez had put the visitors ahead in the 23rd minute, but Romelu Lukaku leveled matters for the Italians right before half-time.

 

The second half saw Inter Milan pushing for a second goal but could not find a way past Neto.

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