No surprises as favourites reach last 16 stage

There were no surprises yesterday as the favourite teams in the group qualifying phase of the Champions League marched into the knockout stage of the elite UEFA competition for clubs.

Inter led the march, followed by fellow Serie A side Roma and La Liga duo Barcelona and Sevilla.

Inter made it after rather fortunate second-half goals from strikers Julio Cruz and Zlatan Ibrahimovic set up a 3-0 home win over Fenerbahce.

Inter will also finish top of Group G despite having a game to spare after amassing 12 points. Fenerbahce remain in second on eight but are now just a point ahead of PSV Eindhoven, who won 1-0 at CSKA Moscow earlier.

The Italian champions took the lead 10 minutes into the second half when Maxwell's low cross came off defender Edu and rebounded onto Cruz and into the net.

Ibrahimovic then took his Champions League tally this term to five with a cool finish after the ball had found its way to him before Luis Jimenez wrapped up the win in stoppage time.

Sevilla claimed their place in the knockout stage when they ended Arsenal's unbeaten run this season with a 3-1 comeback win.

Already qualified Arsenal took an early lead in a pulsating match at the Sanchez Pizjuan when Croatia striker Eduardo da Silva steered a close-range shot past keeper Andres Palop.

But Sevilla hit back with a thundering strike from Seydou Keita midway through the half and a clever glancing header from leading scorer Luis Fabiano.

Frederic Kanoute wrapped up a memorable win with a penalty two minutes from time after he had been bundled over in the area.

The win left Sevilla top on 12 points, two clear of Arsenal with one game left to play.

Barcelona made it to the next round following a 2-2 draw at Lyon.

The 2006 champions, who have 11 points from five matches, also secured top place in Group E after Rangers lost 3-2 way to Stuttgart.

The Scottish side and Lyon will battle it out for the group's other berth in the last 16 in two weeks time at Hampden Park.

Lyon fell behind after only three minutes when Andres Iniesta connected with a Bojan Krkic cross from the right to score with a low shot. The hosts equalised four minutes later courtesy of Juninho's 40-metre free-kick.

Barcelona, who were clearly the better team, went ahead again shortly before the hour when Lionel Messi converted a penalty after being brought down by Sebastien Squillaci.

However, Juninho netted his second, also with a penalty, 10 minutes from time after a foul by Eric Abidal on Abdulkader Keita.

In Germany, Ciprian Marica scored five minutes from time to give Stuttgart a hard-earned win over Rangers for their first victory in this season's Champions League.

Ronaldo stunner

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a stunning injury-time goal against his former club to give Manchester United a 2-1 win over Sporting and a guarantee of top spot in Group F.

The Portugal winger, who had scored United's winner in Lisbon in September, repeated the feat with a free-kick into the top corner.

Sporting, who are assured of a UEFA Cup slot, had led through a 21st-minute goal from Abel and threatened to hand United only a second defeat in 33 home European games.

But United dominated the second half and substitute Carlos Tevez equalised in the 61st minute, before Ronaldo scored a goal he had promised to deliver all night.

From the same group, Roma crushed Dynamo Kiev 4-1 helped by two goals from Mirko Vucinic in frosty conditions.

The win clinched second place for the Italians, who have 10 points from five matches behind United, who have a maximum 15 points.

Montenegro forward Vucinic continued the excellent form he has shown since replacing injured captain Francesco Totti by scoring in the 36th and 78th minutes to wrap up the victory, either side of a goal for Dynamo by Ismael Bangoura.

Christian Panucci had opened the scoring after just four minutes before Ludovic Giuly took advantage of a break from the halfway line to tap the ball past goalkeeper Olexandr Rybka and put the visitors 2-0 ahead and in control.