MADRID (Reuters) – A shocking header from Junior Messias within the dying minutes handed AC Milan a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid and stored alive their hopes of qualifying for the last-16 within the Champions League on Wednesday.
Milan arrived in Madrid rooted to the underside of Group B with just one level and something however a win in opposition to Atletico would have eradicated them from this season’s competitors.
Wednesday’s outcome means the race to see who will be part of group winners Liverpool within the subsequent spherical will go all the way down to the wire. Porto, who’re on 5 factors, in addition to Milan and Atletico, who’re tied on 4 factors, must wait till the ultimate spherical of fixtures to resolve who will end second, and therefore progress to the final 16.
Milan will host Liverpool whereas Atletico will journey to Porto on Dec. 7 for the ultimate Group B fixtures.
In a freezing evening in Madrid, a packed crowd on the Metropolitano Stadium didn’t spur on Atletico, who struggled to make any sort of influence in opposition to a Milan facet who confirmed urgency and aggression in a must-win state of affairs.
Brazilian Messias broke the impasse within the 87th minute with a spectacular header after latching on to an ideal cross from Franck Kessie.
(Reporting by Fernando Kallas, enhancing by Pritha Sarkar)
