Porto, Malaga reach last 16

London: Former winners Porto and impressive debutants Malaga became the first teams to reach the last 16 of the Champions League when they guaranteed progress from the group stage with two games to spare on Tuesday.

Group A leaders Porto, the 1987 and 2004 European champions, drew 0-0 away at Dynamo Kiev to move on to 10 points from four games and secure a knockout round place.

Qatari-owned Malaga continue to surprise in their first season mixing it with the continent’s elite, a 1-1 draw with seven-times champions AC Milan at the San Siro moving the Andalusian club on to 10 points in Group C.

“It’s a great achievement to qualify with two games to spare, especially doing it in a such a difficult stadium as this one,” Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini told reporters.

Borussia Dortmund were on the verge of qualifying from Group D until Mesut Ozil’s superb curling free-kick a minute from time secured hosts Real Madrid a 2-2 draw.

Dortmund (eight points) and Real (seven) remain favourites to progress after Manchester City and Ajax Amsterdam also drew 2-2, the Premier League champions hitting back from two goals down inside 17 minutes to retain their slim qualifying hopes.

Chilean Pellegrini has spearheaded Malaga’s campaign after a close season of uncertainty sparked by rumours of an exit by their Qatari owner and a fire sale of top players.

Pellegrini has fashioned an attractive and resilient unit who have taken their group by storm and, although their 100 per cent record came to an end, the unfashionable La Liga side can already look forward to the first knockout round.

Portuguese full-back Eliseu was played in by Isco to fire the Spaniards ahead five minutes before half-time. Milan improved in the second period and levelled in the 73rd, when Alexandre Pato headed home, the first goal Malaga have conceded in the group.

Milan sit second on five points, ahead of Anderlecht (four) and Zenit St Petersburg (three) after the Belgian side won 1-0.

Dortmund kept Cristiano Ronaldo quiet at the Bernabeu, where they twice led against Real, only to be pegged back late on.

Marco Reus volleyed the German champions ahead in the 28th minute before Pepe equalised with a header six minutes later and Real’s Alvaro Arbeloa poked the ball into his own net on the stroke of half-time.

Real piled on the pressure in the closing stages and were rewarded with Ozil’s exquisite set-piece, which went in off the post with keeper Roman Weidenfeller slow to get across his goal.

Paris St Germain look set to accompany Porto from Group A after thumping visitors Dinamo Zagreb 4-0, Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic having a hand in all four goals.

Anderlecht celebrated their first win at home in the competition for nine years by edging Zenit in Group C. Congolese Dieudonne Mbokani, wearing a mask to protect his broken nose, scored the winner in the 17th minute.