Deportivo go through despite loss
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| QUALIFIERS |
Group winners: Lyon, Arsenal, Monaco, Juventus, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Chelsea, AC Milan.
Runners-up: Bayern Munich, Lokomotiv Moscow, Deportivo Coruna, Real Sociedad, Stuttgart, Porto, Sparta Prague, Celta Vigo.
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EINDHOVEN, Netherlands -- Second-half goals from substitute Albert Luque and Walter Pandiani ensured Deportivo Coruna a place in the knockout stage of the Champions League, despite a 3-2 defeat by PSV Eindhoven.
Strikes from John de Jong in the 14th minute and Arjen Robben just after halftime had given PSV hopes of qualifying but these faded when Luque's 58th minute free kick found the net.
Monaco topped Group C after a drab 0-0 draw at AEK Athens on Wednesday.
Because of the League's head-to-head results rules Guus Hiddink's PSV side needed to win by three clear goals after Luque's timely strike.
Pandiani rubbed salt into Dutch wounds seven minutes from time poking home a goalmouth cross and De Jong's injury time winner made no difference to the qualification outcome.
Hiddink had to go for goals from the start and had strikers Mateja Kezman and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink supported by attacking midfielders De John, Arjen Robben and Ji-Sung Park.
On 14 minutes Robben combined with Mateja Kezman to offer De Jong the chance PSV needed.
Deportivo reacted immediately and PSV goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus had to make saves from Sergio and Jorge Andrade.
With action switching fast and furiously from end to end, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink missed a chance for PSV on 32 minutes followed by another fine save by Waterreus from Scaloni.
After the break Hiddink brought on Dennis Rommedahl to boost pressure on the Spanish defence.
With one of his first moves the Danish winger cut through Deportivo's back row. A throw in from the right reached Kezman, but the Serbian failed to control the ball and Robben picked it up in the goalmouth melee and calmly slotted it low to the left of the diving Jose Molina for a 2-0 lead.
Ten minutes later PSV's dream was shattered when Luque, who had come on a minute earlier, expertly guided his 25-metre free kick past the keeper.
It was Luque who crossed to Pandiani to level the match, De Jong adding the winner in front of a now subdued home crowd whose team will join the UEFA Cup.
Deportivo coach Javier Irureta said his side did not panic even at 2-0 down.
"After the second goal we were aiming for the winner, because to finish first would have been a big advantage in the next phase. Now we have to wait to see what the draw will bring us.
Hiddink said it was frustrating to have got so near to qualifying, achieving the same number of points as Deportivo.
"I complimented my team on today's achievement," said Hiddink. "Despite the disappointment of the Deportivo goals we kept fighting for a win."
Drap draw
Monaco sealed their place in the last 16 of the Champions League as Group winners after holding bottom-placed AEK Athens in a lacklustre 0-0 draw. .
The free-scoring principality side needed only a draw to guarantee their berth in the next round and rarely ventured into the attacking third of the pitch on a low-key night in Athens.
Monaco coach Didier Deschamps settled for the point, but clearly felt that victory could have been theirs.
"We kept our shape in defence as it was top priority not to concede, but we could have taken three points with the opportunities we made," he said.
With AEK long since out of contention -- they finished with just two points -- and Monaco prepared to defend in numbers, chances were few and far between for much of the 90 minutes.
AEK coach Dusan Bajevic made no attempt to hide his feelings after another European night of firing blanks.
"We can't be happy as we could and should have done more than we have this year, so there is bitterness and disappointment now it's over," he said.
It was Monaco's Fernando Morientes who had the best chance to light up the proceedings 10 minutes before the break but the usually lethal Spain forward sliced his close range shot high and wide with the goal gaping.
After the interval the game remained mired in a midfield battle with a rare home break gifting a chance to defender Vassilis Borbokis, who at least made Sylva scramble to save.
Cypriot forward Yiannakis nearly broke the deadlock with 10 minutes remaining but saw an elaborate far post backheel blocked on the line to end a frustrating evening.
