Chelsea were under pressure in the dying minutes after Frank Lampard was sent off for a second bookable offence but held on.

AS Roma won 3-1 at CFR Cluj thanks to a Matteo Brighi brace and a third by Francesco Totti to go top of the group on nine points, ahead of Chelsea who have eight and Bordeaux on seven.

"We started the group really badly but today we showed that we deserve to be the leaders," Brighi said, before adding: "We were happy to get two quick goals to set us on the way to victory."

All three sides can go through while Cluj, who made a bright start with four points from their opening two games, are out of Europe after three successive defeats.

ATTACKING QUALITY

In Group D, five time winners Liverpool sealed their passage with a 1-0 home win over Olympique Marseille after captain Steven Gerrard scored his fifth goal in this season's competition.

"We know Gerrard is an offensive midfielder with a very good attacking quality and can score goals. We are pleased with him," Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez told reporters.

Liverpool were joined in the last 16 by Atletico Madrid, who beat PSV Eindhoven 2-1 in an empty Calderon as they served a one-match crowd ban in their home game against Marseille.

Barcelona, the 2006 winners, sealed top spot in Group B after a 5-2 away drubbing of also qualified Sporting while Jadson hit a hat-trick for Shakhtar Donetsk who clinched a place in the UEFA Cup last 32 with a 5-0 home rout of Basel.

Early goals from Thierry Henry and Gerrard Pique sent Barca on their way while Lionel Messi and Bojan Krkic were also on target for the Catalan side.

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily November 27, 2008)