26 November 2004	Friday	13 Shawwal 1425

LONDON, Nov 25: AC Milan, Barcelona and PSV Eindhoven all clinched their places in the Champions League knockout stage on Wednesday but only Milan did so with a victory.

They qualified with a convincing 4-0 home win over Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine in Group F with Hernan Crespo and Kaka each scoring twice, taking Milan on to 12 points. Barcelona (10 points) made it through despite being held to a 1-1 draw at the Nou Camp by Scottish champions Celtic, who avoided defeat in an away Champions League match for the first time.

African Player of the Year Samuel Eto'o put Barca ahead after 24 minutes as he powered through the Celtic defence to score but John Hartson equalised from a suspiciously offside position just before halftime.

Although Celtic (4 points) are out of the Champions League they can still clinch a UEFA Cup place if they match or better Shakhtar's result against Barcelona on December 7, the night they face Milan in Glasgow.

Shakhtar trail in last place on three points. PSV (10 points) qualified for the first time in their ninth Champions League campaign after drawing 1-1 at home to Arsenal (7 points), who had Lauren and Patrick Vieira sent off within 13 minutes of each other midway through the second half.

Andre Ooijer headed PSV ahead after eight minutes, Thierry Henry equalised after 31 but the English champions held on for a draw and will also qualify from Group E if they beat eliminated Rosenborg Trondheim (2 points) at home in two weeks' time.

Rosenborg drew 2-2 with Panathinaikos (6 points) at home leaving the Greeks still in with a chance of progressing depending on the last results. Arsenal will be without Lauren and Vieira against Rosenborg and should they slip up Panathinaikos will leapfrog them and finish second if they beat PSV in their last match.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has now overseen 56 red cards in his eight years at Highbury, admitted they would miss Lauren and Vieira. "It's a big blow," he said, "but I am sure we will compete well and win the game. We can still win the group and that's what I want us to do."

PSV manager Guus Hiddink said that despite making sure of their place in the last 16 they would go to Panathinaikos looking for the win to guarantee first place in the group.

"One of the things about this team is that they like to play and they like to win - and I think it is good to go out and win every match. We want to do that in Athens."

Inter Milan (11 points), already through from Group G, drew 1-1 at Werder Bremen (10 points), who will also advance if they avoid defeat in their last match at Valencia (7 points) on December 7.

Valencia won 2-1 at Anderlecht, who have now lost all five matches, and the Spaniards can still qualify. They were always in control against Anderlecht from the moment Bernardo Corradi scored with a brilliantly-executed backheel after 19 minutes.

Although Christian Wilhelmsson equalised for Anderlecht after 24 minutes, Valencia scored their vital winner three minutes into the second half through Marco Di Vaio.

Chelsea (13 points) dropped their first points of the competition in a 0-0 home draw with Paris St Germain (5 points), who are level on points with European champions Porto, 1-0 winners at CSKA Moscow (4 points).

Although Chelsea had already qualified, the second-placed team will not be decided until the last match when PSG host CSKA and Porto welcome the group leaders and their former manager Jose Mourinho in two weeks.

Nine places in the knockout stage are now known. Inter Milan, Chelsea, Manchester United, Olympique Lyon, Bayern Munich and Juventus all qualified before AC Milan, Barcelona and PSV joined them on Wednesday. The group stage ends when Matchday Six is staged on the nights of December 7 and 8.

RESULTS:

PSV Eindhoven 1 Arsenal 1

Rosenborg 2 Panathinaikos 2

Barcelona 1 Celtic 1

AC Milan 4 Shakhtar 0

Anderlecht 1 Valencia 2

Werder Bremen 1 Inter Milan 1

CSKA Moscow 0 Porto 1

Chelsea 0 PSG 0. -Reuters