Champions League Last 16 First Leg

CROATIA 1 MEXICO 3

Croatia responded from their controversial World Cup opening loss to hosts Brazil with a 4-0 Group A defeat of 10-man Cameroon to keep their hopes of a place in the last 16 alive.

France progressed to the World Cup finals amid more play-off controversy as they beat Ukraine 3-0 to complete a stunning comeback in Paris.

World Cup qualifiers - roundup

Shakhtar Donetsk 2 Borussia Dortmund 2

Chelsea 3 Shakhtar Donetsk 2

Chelsea 3 Shakhtar Donetsk 2

Croatia 2 Wales 0

No side has ever won three major titles in-a-row.

As the dust settles on Ireland’s European championship flop Miguel Delaney looks at the successes and failures in Poland and where Giovanni Trapattoni can go from here.

Spain had some anxious moments, but, in the end, their qualification was rarely in doubt.

Spain 1 Croatia 0

Italy 1 Croatia 1

At the very least, we now know.

Emulating Chelsea is impossible without getting the basics right in defence.

By Brendan O'Brien

0 — Croatia have never conceded a goal in their opening match at a Euro finals (1-0 v Turkey, 1996; 0-0 v Switzerland, 2004; 1-0 v Austria, 2008).

Slaven Bilic has neglected to ape Giovanni Trapattoni by naming his team in advance of Sunday’s Group C opener against Ireland in Poznan but it now seems certain the Croatian coach will ask Everton’s Nikica Jelavic to spearhead his attack.

Slaven Bilic overshadowed the announcement of Croatia’s preliminary 27-man squad for Euro 2012 by confirming that he would be standing down after the tournament.

Slaven Bilic has announced he will step down as coach of Croatia’s national team after Euro 2012.

To listen to Mircea Lucescu, you’d think everything in Ukrainian football is stacked against him and his Shakhtar Donetsk side.

It’s half-time at the Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb and Croatia are halfway to disaster.

Niko Kranjcar is in no doubt — Darijo Srna must be the most underrated player in Europe.

BARCELONA all but secured their spot in the Champions League semi-finals and a probable showdown with arch-rivals Real Madrid after building a huge first-leg lead over Shakhtar Donetsk.

Barcelona 5 Shakhtar Donetsk 1

BARCELONA head into tonight’s Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk in buoyant mood, although striker David Villa admits to concern over his recent lack of goals at club level.

SHAKHTAR DONETSK reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in their history as they saw off 10-man Roma last night to seal a 6-2 aggregate success.

Shakhtar Donetsk 2 Arsenal 1

Arsenal 5 Shakhtar Donetsk 1

REAL MADRID’S bid to win a 10th European Cup began with a comfortable 2-0 win over Ajax at the Santiago Bernabeu.

EDUARDO looks set to bring his three-year spell at Arsenal to an end in the next 24 hours by completing a £6 million (€7.1m) move to Ukranian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk.

ROY HODGSON last night saluted an historic win for Fulham after Brede Hangeland’s goal sent them into the last 16 of the Europa League.

Shakhtar Donetsk 1 Fulham 1 (Fulham win 3-2 on aggregate)

Fulham 2 Shakhtar Donetsk 1

CHELSEA coach Carlo Ancelotti has given four key players permission to go to the African Nations Cup early.

ENGLAND booked their ticket to the World Cup finals with a five-star performance at Wembley last night.

England 5 Croatia 1

SHAKHTAR Donetsk became the last winners of the UEFA Cup by defeating Werder Bremen 2-1 in the final in Istanbul last night.

Shakhtar Donetsk 2 Werder Bremen 1 (after extra time)

Tottenham face an uphill battle to qualify for the last 16 of the UEFA Cup after a makeshift side conceded two late goals in sub-zero temperatures at RSC Olympiyskiy.

Croatia 1 England 4

TWO GOALS from Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso ensured European champions Spain completed preparations for their World Cup qualification campaign on a high.

Croatia 1 Turkey 1 (Turkey won 3-1 on penalties)