Champions League Group D wrap: Barca, Copehagen ease through

FC Copenhagen sealed second spot in Group D with a 3-1 rout of Panathinaikos, while Rubin Kazan went down 2-0 at Barcelona on Tuesday.

Copenhagen needed a win to wrap up their spot in the Champions League’s knockout stages and did just that against the Greek champions, who finished their campaign winless.

Denmark international Martin Vingaard put the hosts ahead in the 26th minute, gathering a pass from the right and firing a low shot from outside the box that skidded past Panathinaikos goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas.

Veteran Jesper Gronkjaer made it 2-0 five minutes after the restart, coolly converting from the penalty spot after he was brought down in the area.

There was more pain to come for the Greek Super League outfit in the 73rd minute, with France international Djibril Cisse making it 3-0 with an own goal.

The Panathinaikos attacker rose to meet a flat Copenhagen corner kick but succeeded only in producing a wicked deflection that that flew past the unawares Tzorvas.

With the game all but over and Copenhagen’s progress assured, former Nice defender Cedric Kante nabbed an injury-time consolation goal when he nodded in substitute Sotiris Ninis’ free kick from the edge of the six-yard box.

Meanwhile, there would be no repeat of Rubin Kazan’s heroics last term, when they stunned the Spanish giants 2-1 at home.

Having already sewed up first place in Group D, Barca coach Pep Guardiola’s inexperienced Barca line-up still managed to topple the Russian champions 2-0 at the Camp Nou.

Young second-team defender Andreu Fontas nabbed his first-ever top-flight goal in a 51st-minute scramble, prodding a mistimed shot that took deflections off two Rubin defenders and flew wide of goalkeeper Sergei Ryzhikov.

Fontas’ Barcelona B team-mate Victor Vazquez got on the scoresheet in the 82nd minute, sealing the victory with a low volley from outside the area after cleverly playing his way into space.

Barcelona finish top of Group D with 14 points, with Copenhagen four points behind in second.

Rubin move to the Europa League with six points, while Panathinaikos exit the tournament with just two points from their six fixtures.