• Champions League

Tottenham and United progress as group winners

Jermain Defoe scored twice for Tottenham © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Crouch urges Redknapp to stay at Spurs
  
• News: Rooney getting back to his best - Ferguson
  
• News: Tottenham topped toughest group - Redknapp
  

Champions League gallery

Tottenham qualified as winners of Group A after a thrilling 3-3 draw against FC Twente.

Jermain Defoe scored twice as Spurs took the lead three times, only to be pegged back by a gutsy Dutch side.

Harry Redknapp's side took the lead in farcical circumstances after an own goal from Champions League debutant Sander Boschker. Boschker failed to make contact with a backpass from Peter Wisgerhof, and the ball bobbled over the line to the goalkeeper's despair.

However, Spurs' lead was shortlived; former Wigan midfielder Denny Landzaat equalising from the spot after Benoit Assou-Ekotto was penalised for handball. Defoe twice put Spurs ahead after half-time, but they could not hang on for the win. Roberto Rosales' pin-point header from Theo Janssen made it 2-2, and a stunning free-kick from Nacer Chadli rocketed past a helpless Heurelho Gomes.

Tottenham, who are the first side to score two or more goals in every Champions League group match, progress to the last 16 as group winners after defending champions Inter Milan were beaten 3-0 by Werder Bremen.

Manchester United failed to become the first team to progress through the Champions League group stages without conceding a goal, but qualified as winners of Group C after a 1-1 draw at home to Valencia.

Anderson equalised for Manchester United © PA Photos

Enlarge

Sir Alex Ferguson's side were 90 minutes from the UEFA record books, but their attempt came to an end after only half an hour, when Pablo Hernandez put the visitors ahead against the run of play. Moments after Ji-Sung Park's volley was saved by Vicente Guaita, Michael Carrick was caught in possession and the Spanish side broke through, Alejandro Dominguez releasing Hernandez to slot past Ben Amos.

Anderson sealed a point for United after Park's 20-yard strike was only parried, and the Brazilian was on hand to slam home the rebound. Nani had the chance to seal all three points, but he blazed over after a well-worked United move.

Elsewhere in the group, Rangers hung on to draw 1-1 against Bursaspor. Kenny Miller scored his 19th goal of the season to give the Scottish champions the lead, but Sercan Yildirim equalised with 11 minutes remaining at the Bursa Ataturk stadium.

A largely second-string Barcelona consigned Rubin Kazan to a place in the Europa League after easing to a 2-0 victory at the Camp Nou. Andreu Fontas' deflected second-half effort and a late Victor Vazquez strike earned already-qualified Barca their fourth win in Group C and meant Rubin, who started the day a point behind second-placed FC Copenhagen, would have to settle for third place in the standings.

FC Copenhagen, though, needed no favours as they stormed into the next round with a 3-1 win over Panathinaikos at the Parken. Martin Vingaard put the hosts ahead in the 26th minute and from then on they were dominant, with a 50th-minute penalty from Jesper Gronkjaer and Djibril Cisse's own goal wrapping up the points, before Cedric Kante netted late on for Pana.

Schalke secured top spot in Group B with an impressive 2-1 victory away to hapless Benfica. Having already sealed their passage to the knockout stage thanks to a 3-0 win over Lyon a fortnight ago, Schalke might have been tempted to take their foot off the gas for the final group game. However, goals by Jose Manuel Jurado and Benedikt Howedes, before Luisao's consolation, gave them the win required to give them top spot ahead of Lyon.

Lyon, meanwhile, needed an Alexandre Lacazette equaliser three minutes from time to secure a 2-2 draw against Hapoel Tel Aviv. The goal denied Hapoel a place in the Europa League. After an entertaining but goalless first half, Lisandro Lopez and Ben Sahar traded goals within a minute of each other around the hour mark before Eran Zahavi made it 2-1 to the visitors. That would have been enough for third place and a parachute into the last 32 of the Europa League, but Lacazette popped up late on to deny them.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.