Barcelona Reaches Round Of 16

Nov. 27 (Bloomberg) Two-time winner Barcelona reached the round of 16 in European soccers Champions League after a 2- 2 draw at Lyon today, while Inter Milan, Roma and Sevilla advanced with victories.

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Barcelona, which last claimed the title in 2006, twice led in Lyon, though each time Juninho Pernambucano helped the home team rally. Lyon and Rangers, which lost 3-2 against Stuttgart, will compete for the other spot from Group E.

Inter defeated Fenerbahce 3-0, Roma won 4-1 at Dynamo Kiev, and Sevilla beat Arsenal 3-1. Manchester United rallied to beat Sporting Lisbon 2-1 and PSV Eindhoven defeated CSKA Moscow 1-0, while Slavia Prague drew 1-1 at Steaua Bucharest.

English clubs United and Arsenal had already advanced to the next stage.

Barcelona, which was eliminated in the round of 16 last season, led today after only four minutes at French champion Lyon. Andres Iniesta put the ball into the net to finish a counterattack involving Lionel Messi and Bojan Krkic.

Lyon replied three minutes later from a 40-yard freekick by Juninho, with the ball eluding several players in the penalty area, including goalkeeper Victor Valdes, and nestling in the bottom corner.

Both teams had further chances to score in the first half, with Remy Vercoutre tipping wide a 20-yard shot from Barcelonas Yaya Toure, and visiting defender Eric Abidal clearing a shot off the line from Juninho.

Messi restored Barcelonas advantage from a penalty kick after being tripped by Sebastien Squillaci, though Lyon was awarded a spot-kick with 10 minutes remaining when Abidal fouled Kader Keita. Juninho converted for his sixth goal in his last five matches.

Lyons draw means it joins Rangers on seven points ahead of their meeting in Glasgow in the last round of matches. It must beat the Scottish club to have a chance of reaching the last 16. Stuttgart, with three points, is already eliminated, while Barcelona is guaranteed top spot in the group, so it plays a second-placed team in the next stage.

"We have to be happy with qualifying, although we played better than our opponents and I believe we should have won," Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard told reporters. "One of our aims was to finish top of the group so that we can be sure of being the hosts in the return leg."

Rangers led at Stuttgart when substitute Charlie Adam scored after 27 minutes, less than a minute after being introduced, though Cacau and Pavel Pardo then got goals for the home team. Barry Ferguson tied the match in the 70th minute, before Ciprian Marica clinched the win for Stuttgart.

"Im a little bit disappointed to lose but at the end of the day, I felt losing the (Cacau) goal before half-time was probably the turning point in the game from Stuttgarts point of view," Rangers manager Walter Smith told Sky Sports.

Julio Cruz, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Luis Jimenez got Inters goals today as it guaranteed top spot in Group G. Fenerbahce, which would have advanced with a win, is now only one point ahead of PSV. CSKA Moscow will finish last in the standings.

Jefferson Farfan got the only goal for 1988 champion PSV in Moscow as the Dutch club completed a double against CSKA. It hosts Inter in two weeks, while Fenerbahce is at home against CSKA.

Roma joined United in progressing from Group F, with Mirko Vucinic scoring twice in Kiev. Christian Panucci and Ludovic Giuly also got goals, while Ismael Bangoura replied for the hosts.

United is assured of top spot following Cristiano Ronaldos last-minute goal against his former team Sporting, which led at halftime on Abels 22nd-minute strike. Substitute Carlos Tevez then tied the game for United after 61 minutes.

"The important thing in the second half was our impetus and the change of pace, and Carlos Tevez helped that with his positional play," United manager Alex Ferguson told ITV4.

Sevilla recorded its fourth straight win in the competition to join Arsenal in advancing from Group H, while inflicting its opponents first defeat. Arsenal had led when Eduardo da Silva slotted in after 11 minutes, though the Spanish team rallied on goals from Seydou Keita, Luis Fabiano and Frederic Kanoute.

Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger was sent away from the technical area after a confrontation with the fourth official, though he then stood at the back of the dugouts.

"I had no exchanges with the referee, I dont know why I was sent off, I was really surprised," Wenger told ITV4. "I didnt know where to go, I couldnt get in the stand."

Steaua Bucharest got its first point on Valentin Badeas 12th-minute goal, with Zdenek Senkerik scoring for Slavia after 78 minutes.

Among tomorrows matches, Liverpool hosts Porto, Chelsea is at Rosenborg, and Real Madrid faces Werder Bremen, while defending champion AC Milan is at Benfica. Celtic hosts Shakhtar Donetsk, and Valencia is at home against Schalke.

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