LONDON — Former winner Porto and impressive debutant 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 Tuesday. Group A leader Porto, the 1987 and 2004 European champion, 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 continues to surprise in its first season mixing it with the continent's elite, a 1-1 draw with seven-time champion AC Milan at the San Siro moving the Andalusian club on to 10 points in Group C. Borussia Dortmund was on the verge of qualifying from Group D until Mesut Ozil's superb curling freekick a minute from time secured host Real Madrid a 2-2 draw. Dortmund (eight points) and Real (seven) remain favorites to progress after Manchester City and Ajax Amsterdam also drew 2-2, the Premier League champion hitting back from two goals down inside 17 minutes to retain its slim qualifying hopes. Siem de Jong's double put the Dutch side in control before City, which failed to get beyond the group stage on its debut in the competition last season and who prop up the standings on two points this time, leveled through Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero. Goals from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Jefferson Farfan rescued Group B leader Schalke 04 as it hit back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at home to Arsenal, which had led through Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud and stay a point behind in second. Olympiakos Piraeus also remained in contention in the section by beating visitor Montpellier 3-1. Malaga's Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini has spearheaded Malaga's campaign after a close season of uncertainty sparked by rumors of an exit by its Qatari owner and a fire sale of top players. Pellegrini has fashioned an attractive and resilient unit which has taken its group by storm and, although its 100 percent record came to an end, the unfashionable La Liga side can already look forward to the knockout round. Portuguese fullback Eliseu was played in by Isco to fire the Spaniards ahead five minutes before halftime. Milan improved in the second period and leveled in the 73rd when Alexandre Pato headed home, the first goal Malaga has conceded in the group. Milan sits 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 it twice led against Real, only to be pegged back late on. Marco Reus volleyed the German champion ahead in the 28th minute before Pepe equalized with a header six minutes later and Real's Alvaro Arbeloa poked the ball into his own net on the stroke of halftime. Real piled on the pressure in the closing stages and was rewarded with Ozil's exquisite set-piece which went in off the post with keeper Roman Weidenfeller slow to get across his goal. Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini could find himself in hot water with UEFA after storming on to the pitch to remonstrate with Danish referee Peter Rasmussen after the draw with Ajax. Mancini was livid that Rasmussen had disallowed a late Sergio Aguero “goal” and refused to award a penalty after a strong claim by City's Italy forward Mario Balotelli, who had to be forcibly prevented from approaching the official. Arsenal had looked set to avenge its home defeat by Schalke last month after an impressive opening to the game in Gelsenkirchen. Walcott pounced in the 18th after Giroud, through one-on-one, was tackled on the edge of the box. Frenchman Giroud then met Lukas Podolski's left-wing cross with a diving header to double Arsenal's lead after 26 minutes. Huntelaar began Schalke's recovery just before halftime with a precise left-foot finish and it got a deserved equalizer through Peruvian Farfan in the 67th. Paris St. Germain looks set to accompany Porto from Group A after thumping visitor Dinamo Zagreb 4-0, Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic having a hand in all four goals. Anderlecht celebrated its 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. — Reuters
