Beckham and Ronaldo fire Madrid into second phase

BESIKTAS must beat Chelsea next month if they are to progress to the latter stages of the Champions League after Lazio came back to force a 1-1 draw in their Group G match in Rome last night.

A timid first half in which neither side appeared committed to pushing players forward ended in controversy when Lazio defender Jaap Stam was judged to have brought down striker Sergen Yalcin on the edge of the area, and Daniel Pancu converted from the penalty spot.

A 56th-minute equaliser by ex-Udinese striker Roberto Muzzi breathed life into the match. Several times Lazio came close to scoring the winner but lacked sharpness in front of goal.

In Group F, both Real Madrid and Porto secured their places in the second phase after last night’s games.

A David Beckham free kick, and a gem of a goal by Ronaldo propelled Real Madrid to a 2-1 win over Olympique Marseille.

Ahmed Mido brought Marseille level with a header in the 63rd minute after Beckham, the man of the match with an all-action display including a yellow card, had opened the scoring in the 35th minute with a trademark goal from just outside the area.

Beckham then set up Ronaldo’s 73rd -minute winner by racing back into the Real area to break up a Marseille attack.

He smacked the ball down the line to Luis Figo, and it was fed through Raul before Ronaldo was released and prodded the ball home from close in.

South African striker Benny McCarthy ensured Porto’s progression with both goals in his side’s 2-1 home win against Partizan Belgrade.

McCarthy opened the scoring in the 25th minute, jabbing in a loose ball after Partizan goalkeeper Djordje Pantic fumbled a shot by Maniche Ribeiro.

Partizan defender Nenad Djordjevic gifted Porto their second five minutes after the restart when hHis back pass beat Pantic and McCarthy converted.

Andrija Delibasic gave Lothar Matthaeus’ side a consolation goal in injury time.

Holders AC Milan booked their place in the next phase with a 1-0 win at Ajax.

Andriy Shevchenko broke the deadlock after 51 minutes, chesting down Cafu’s pinpoint cross before coolly shooting past Ajax goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont.

Milan have 10 points and will finish as group winners. Ajax are second on six points, and must beat Club Bruges, who are bottom with five points, in their final game to guarantee qualification.

An injury-time strike from substitute Rune Lange allowed the Belgians to scramble a 1-1 draw against Celta Vigo, and keep alive their slim chances of making the last 16.

Lange sent a glancing header in at the far post, after a neat chipped pass from fellow substitute Kevin Roetlandts, to cancel out a 74th minute strike from Celta midfielder Alexander Mostovoi.

The game looked to be heading for a goal-less stalemate until Mostovoi broke the deadlock with a close-range finish, after an excellent cross from defender Eduardo Berizzo.