Sports Desk, November 29 (EFE) Joao Cancelo scored one goal and set up another as Barcelona came from one goal down to beat FC Porto 2-1 on Tuesday to qualify for the UEFA Champions League round of 16 for the first time in three seasons.
Atletico de Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, and Lazio also qualified for the knockout phase, winning their respective matches, while Kylian Mbappe’s last-gasp penalty rescued a point for Paris Saint-Germain against Newcastle United.
Barcelona virtually sealed their top position in Group H with the comeback win in their makeshift home Olympic Stadium.
Barcelona now have to lose on their trip to Antwerp, a team that have yet to pick a point, and Shakhtar Donetsk have to win by more than seven goals in Porto if the Spanish champions are to finish second in the group.
Pepe pounced on a rebound to put Porto in front in 30 minutes, but their lead lasted only two minutes as Cancelo took his side level.
Joao Felix went close twice in the early second-half lead before he linked up with Cancelo to score the winning goal.
Things went from bad to worse for Porto, who saw Shahktar beat Antwerp 1-0 to go level with them in the table with nine points in a tight race for the other slot from the group in the second round.
Dortmund overcame AC Milan 1-3 to qualify from Group F.
Milan, PSG, and Newcastle are vying for the remaining slot from the group billed as a group of death.
Olivier Giroud missed an early penalty before Marco Reus converted one for Dortmund to put the visitors ahead.
However, Samuel Chukwueze’s first goal for the Italian side meant they were level at halftime.
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Karim Adeyemi struck after the break to take Dortmund through to the second round.
Milan must now beat Newcastle and hope PSG lose to Dortmund in Germany in the last round of group matches.
Newcastle thought they were winning at Paris after Alexander Isak struck from close range midway through the first half.
Mbappe broke their hearts by converting a penalty eighth minute into injury time in the second half after Tino Livramento’s handball.
The draw put PSG in pole position to join Dortmund in the round of 16 with seven points from five matches.
Newcastle, who got five points, have to beat Milan and wait for the result of the Dortmund-PSG match to come their way to deny the Parisians.
Atletico Madrid benefited from two own goals to beat Feyenoord 1-3 and raise their tally to 11 points, which was enough for them to book their place in the round of 16.
Lazio followed the Madrid side with a 2-0 win over Celtic thanks to two late goals from Ciro Immobile, who came off the bench to score in 82 and 85 minutes.
Already qualified defending champions Manchester City came from two goals down to beat RB Leipzig 3-2.
Lois Openda scored twice to give the visitors a stunning 2-0 lead inside 33 minutes.
City coach Pep Guardiola rang changes in the second half, enabling Erling Haaland and Phil Foden to put them level before Julian Alvarez scored the winner to complete the comeback.
Young Boys beat Crvena Zvezda 2-0 in the other match of the group on the night.
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