Drogba secures late draw for Chelsea at Barcelona

By Tom Merton Oct 31, 2006, 22:29 GMT

F.C. Barcelona´s Brazilian defender Tyago Motta (L) jumps for the ball with Chelsea F.C. German Michael Ballack (R) during their Champions League group A soccer match played at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on Tuesday 31 October 2006. EPA/ALBERTO ESTEVEZ

Hamburg - A goal in injury time from Didier Drogba secured a draw for Chelsea away to Barcelona in Champions League group action Tuesday while Liverpool secured their place in the last 16 with a 3-0 defeat of Bordeaux.

 Chelsea travelled to the home of the European champions knowing a victory would put them through to the knock-out stages with two games to spare in Group A.

But it was Barcelona who got off to the perfect start in the Camp Nou, going ahead after just three minutes through Portuguese international Deco, who fired home from the edge of the area.

Frank Lampard equalised for the English champions on 52 minutes but former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen restored the home side's lead six minutes later after some fine build-up work from Ronaldinho.

But just as it looked like Jose Mourinho's side would leave empty- handed up popped Drogba to make it 2-2 and seriously dent Barca's hopes of making it to the knockout stages.

Chelsea remain top with now 10 points, five clear of Barca and three ahead of Bundesliga leaders Werder Bremen, who moved second with a comfortable 3-0 win away to Levski Sofia.

All three Bremen goals came in a four-minute spell in the first half. Lucio Vagner opened the scoring with an own goal on 33 minutes, when his back pass to Nikolai Mihailov bobbled over the goalkeeper's foot and into the empty net.

Frank Baumann headed in a Torsten Frings corner two minutes later to make it 2-0 and Frings made it three shortly afterwards with a shot from 16 metres.

Liverpool sit top of Group C with 10 points from four matches after a 3-0 defeat of Bordeaux, who finished with 10 men after Fernando saw a straight red for head-butting John Arne Riise.

Luis Garcia opened the scoring for the 2004 champions on 23 minutes and once Fernando left the field with 24 minutes remaining, Liverpool took total control and secured the win with Steven Gerrard's first goal of the season and a second from Garcia.

PSV Eindhoven are also on 10 points and guaranteed a place in the next phase after a 2-0 win against Galatasaray, who played the entire second half with 10 men after Tomas Stjepan was sent off for a professional foul on Jefferson Farfan after 38 minutes.

But Eindhoven had to wait for a Timmy Simons goal on the hour mark to go in front and the impressive Ivory Coast star Arouna Kone made it 2-0 six minutes from time with a fine individual effort.

Bayern Munich dropped their first points of this season's Champions League Group B campaign after a scoreless draw at home to Sporting Lisbon but remain top with 10 points.

Earlier, Serie A leaders Inter Milan moved second on six points, one clear of Sporting, with a valuable 1-0 win away to Spartak Moscow.

Julio Cruz netted his third goal in two games after just two minutes to secure victory for Roberto Mancini's side.

In Group D, Julio Cesar gave Olympiakos Piraeus a surprise lead away to AS Roma but Francesco Totti secured a draw for the Italian side, who stay second on seven points. Valencia remain top with 10 points thanks to a 2-2 draw away to Shakhtar Donetsk.