Liverpool qualifies, Real Madrid loses

Liverpool qualified for the Champions League Round-of-16 on Tuesday after defeating Dutch side Ajax 1-0 in a Group D match at Anfield here.

Premier League club Liverpool, which missed a host of key players due to injuries, found its hero in young midfielder Curtis Jones, who struck the winner in the 58th minute. In the group’s other fixture, Italian team Atalanta played out a 1-1 draw against Midtjylland.

2018-19 CL winner Liverpool tops Group D with 12 points from five games, four ahead of second-placed Atalanta. Ajax is third with seven points.

Porto also booked its spot in the knockout stages of the event by playing out a goalless draw with Manchester City. In Group C, City has 13 points from five fixtures, with Porto at 10 points.

Real Madrid suffered another shock defeat in its campaign, losing 0-2 to Shakhtar Donetsk, which has now done the double over the La Liga champion. Both teams have seven points to show.