UCL: Liverpool Seals Group B Top Spot As Inter, Madrid, Sporting Secures Important Win

UCL: Liverpool Seals Group B Top Spot As Inter, Madrid, Sporting Secures Important Win By Omolagba Oluwayemi Liverpool zoomed into last 16 with a comfortable 2-0 win over 10-man Atletico Madrid that ensured they will finish top of Group B, BSNSports.com.ng reports. Early goals by Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane, both created by Trent Alexander-Arnold, put the Reds in full command and there was no way back for the Spanish side once Felipe was sent off before half-time. Atletico thought they had pulled a goal back from a deflected shot by former Reds striker Luis Suarez, but that too was chalked off for offside by VAR and they never seriously threatened a comeback. As well as sending Liverpool through to the knockout stage with two games to spare, the win extends the Reds' unbeaten start to the season to 16 games. Inter secured an important 3-1 victory over Sheriff Tiraspol on Wednesday night with the result leaving Champions League Group D finely poised with just two games left to play. After Real Madrid secured a 2-1 win over basement-dwellers Shakhtar Donetsk in the early kick off, the Nerazzurri knew three points was required to keep in touch of Los Blancos at the top of the group. They did exactly that with Marcelo Brozovic, Milan Skriniar and Alexis Sanchez all notching to ensure victory. Karim Benzema's double took Real Madrid top of Group D as they held off a spirited Shakhtar Donetsk side in the Champions League. Benzema tapped in the opener to record Real's 1,000th goal in European football's elite club competition. The France forward swept in a second following good work from Vinicius Junior and Casemiro after Fernando had deservedly levelled for Shakhtar. A double from Pedro Goncalves helped Sporting CP to a dominant 4-0 Champions League home win over Besiktas on Wednesday. An injury-hit Besiktas were steamrollered by the Lisbon club who scored their first three goals in a 10-minute spell late in the first half. Former Wolverhampton Wanderers youngster Goncalves put in a man-of-the-match display, firing the hosts into a 2-0 lead while Paulinho scored their third from a counter-attack before halftime. Pablo Sarabia wrapped up the scoring early in the second half. Portuguese champions Sporting are third in Group C, level on six points with second-placed Borussia Dortmund, who they face in Lisbon in their next game. They finish their group-stage campaign at Ajax Amsterdam, who top the group with 12 points. Raheem Sterling ended his 12-game goal drought to wrap up an easy Champions League win for Manchester City over Club Bruges at Etihad Stadium. Sterling converted Ilkay Gundogan's cutback to score for only the second time this season and claim his first Champions League goal in more than a year. With Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez finishing off Joao Cancelo crosses from close range either side of the interval and Gabriel Jesus rolling a shot into the far corner with the final kick of the game, Pep Guardiola's men were finding winning form after successive defeats by West Ham and Crystal Palace. Former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum scored his first goals for Paris St-Germain but a last-minute equaliser earned RB Leipzig a draw in their Champions League group game. The German hosts took an early lead when Christopher Nkunku headed home. Andre Silva then saw his penalty saved before Wijnaldum stabbed in. The Netherlands player then headed in just before half time but Dominik Szoboszlai equalised with an added-time penalty. The spot kick was awarded by VAR for a foul by Presnel Kimpembe on Nkunku in the 91st minute. PSG were without Lionel Messi for the game after the former Barcelona forward picked up a knock on Friday. The result means PSG drop to second in Group A as Manchester City's 4-1 win against Club Bruges put them top. In their fourth group game, AC Milan managed to get their first point on the board in this season's Champions League by drawing 1-1 at home with Porto. The visitors were the better side, particularly in the first half and deserved their early lead, which came courtesy of Colombian winger Luis Diaz. The Dragons' high press paid dividends when Marko Grujic robbed Ismael Bennacer and did well to set up Luis Diaz, whose finish was composed. Just after the hour mark, however, the hosts had one back, even if they needed a stroke of good fortune in the process. Porto defender Chancel Mbemba turned the ball into his own net after Pierre Kalulu had fired it low across the six-yard box. Both sides pushed for the winner in the closing stages with a sense of urgency. AC Milan were desperate to keep their European hopes alive, while Porto knew they had a chance to steal a lead on Atletico Madrid before they took on Liverpool at Anfield.