Manchester United became the third club to reach theChampions League knockout stages after coming from behind to beat Braga 3-1 andensure they also top their group.
However, it was the side that beat them to being Britain'sfirst ever winner of the European Cup, Celtic, that stole the glory as theyrecorded a deserved 2-1 home win over four-time champions Barcelona just a dayafter the hosts celebrated their 125th birthday.
Another British winner of European club football's premiercompetition - defending champions Chelsea - kept their hopes alive of avoidingthe humiliation of becoming the first champions to go out at the group stagewith a last gasp 3-2 home win over talented Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk.
However, while they top the group on goal difference fromShakhtar their fate probably hangs on their trip to Italian champions Juventusin a fortnight as their hosts are just a point behind them having demolishedNordsjaelland 4-0 in Turin.
The biggest winners on Wednesday night were last season'sbeaten finalists Bayern Munich who humiliated hapless French side Lille 6-1with Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro scoring a hat-trick in the first-half.
In the earlier group matches Arsenal squandered away their chancesof heading the table. Manager Arsene Wenger was left rueing his side's missedchances after they threw away a two-goal lead as Schalke 04 fought back to draw2-2 to leave Group B wide open.
The draw leaves Schalke top of the table with eight pointswhile the gunners are just a point behind in second, with Olympiakos third onsix points after their 3-1 win over bottom Montpellier, leaving all still toplay for in the group.
"It's an open group, I believe we are in a goodposition where you want to win your home game," said Wenger withArsenal hosting Montpellier, bottom ofGroup B, in a fortnight while Olympiakos are at Schalke the same night.
"Schalke have to win their game against Olympiakos aswell, so it will probably come down to the last game."
England forward Theo Walcott squandered two clear chances towin the game, hitting the post in the final 15 minutes, then firing straight atSchalke goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall with virtually the last kick of the game.
"It's regrettable that we conceded a goal before thebreak, then missed a goal with the last chance of the game. They both had agreat influence on the result," admitted Wenger.
