Napoli kept their hopes of Champions League progress alive with a 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in Group F on Tuesday.
A brilliant strike from Lorenzo Insigne opened the Serie A leaders’ scoring in the 56th minute, the Italy international jinking in from the left and then firing a right-foot drive into the top corner from 25 yards out.
Napoli’s Polish midfielder Piotr Zielinski missed a chance to double their lead when he shot over the bar after a defensive mix-up left him in a promising position.
Dries Mertens scored to help Napoli beat Shakhtar Donetsk and keep hopes of progress alive
Forward Lorenzo Insigne scored the opened at the Stadio San Paolo on Tuesday evening
Before Piotr Zielinski showed composure to lift the ball over Andriy Pyatov for their second
But minutes later Zielinski made amends, confidently slotting into the far bottom corner after a smart exchange with Dries Mertens.
Seven minutes from the end, Mertens made sure of the win when Shakhtar keeper Andriy Pyatov palmed out a Raul Albiol header straight to the Belgian forward who nodded home.
It left Napoli third on six points, three behind Shakhtar Donetsk, before the final round of games which sees Napoli away at Feyenoord and the Ukrainians at home to group winners Manchester City.
Turkish champions Besiktas reached the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in their history.
They had to come from behind though, as they fought back for a 1-1 draw at home to Porto in their penultimate Group G match on Wednesday.
Besiktas earned a point with a close-range equaliser by Brazilian Talisca after 41 minutes following a marvellous assist from Cenk Tosun, who won the ball in the midfield.
The players and staff of Beskitas celebrated with fans after qualifying from the Group Stage
The hosts had fallen behind just before the half-hour mark when Felipe netted after receiving a pass from Ricardo who cut the ball back from the byline.
Besiktas are top with 11 points from five games, with Porto second on seven ahead of Leipzig.
The German side are three points behind the Portuguese team before they visit bottom side Monaco, who have two points, later on Wednesday.
Felipe celebrated with a back flip after scoring to give Porto the lead in Turkey on Tuesday
But midfielder Talisca slid in to secure a point and their qualification to the knockout rounds
Spartak Moscow conceded a stoppage-time goal to draw 1-1 at home with Slovenians Maribor on Tuesday in a scrappy Group E clash that dealt a body blow to the Russian side’s chances of reaching the Champions League knockout stages.
The result left Russian champions Spartak third in the group on six points from five games, two behind leaders Liverpool and one adrift of second-placed Sevilla, who play later on Tuesday.
The home side dominated throughout but were unable to break down a packed and well-organised Maribor defence until the 83rd minute when Ze Luis scrambled the ball past keeper Jasmin Handanovic from seven metres.
Jasmin Mesanovic scored a last-gasp equaliser to dash Spartak Moscow’s hopes of qualifying
Just when it seemed Spartak were home and dry, late Maribor substitute Jasmin Mesanovic stroked the ball into an empty net after Marcos Tavares broke down the right and delivered a fizzing low cross which left the home team’s defence flat-footed.
Despite Spartak’s incessant pressure, it was the visitors who missed the game’s best chance when central defender Marko Suler hit the post in the 50th minute after halftime substitute Dare Vrsic floated in an inviting free kick.
Ze Luis sliced a header off target in the first half and powered another one inches wide of the near post in the 77th minute before he finally found the net following a goal-mouth scramble to thrill the fervent home crowd.
Ze Luis gave them the lead from close range, but Maribor struck back in the dying moments
Massimo Carrera’s side now must win their final group game at Liverpool next month to qualify
The Spartak faithful, however, were left stunned in the second minute of stoppage time after keeper Alexander Selikhov failed to cut out Tavares’s cross, leaving Mesanovic with the simplest of tap-ins from five metres.
Having also been held to a 1-1 draw by Maribor in the reverse fixture, Spartak must now win their final group match at Liverpool next month if they are to avoid dropping into the second-tier Europa League after the winter break.
