LEVERKUSEN: Monaco boosted their hopes of finishing as Champions League Group C winners with a 1-0 win at leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who progressed to the last 16 despite Wednesday’s defeat.
Roger Schmidt’s Leverkusen secured their place in the round of 16 because of Zenit St Petersburg’s 1-0 win at home to Benfica earlier.
Argentina’s Lucas Ocampos slotted home Monaco’s winner at Leverkusen’s BayArena with their only clear shot of the game to stun the hosts on 72 minutes.
“We were well prepared and we knew their game. We knew they would tire in the second half,” said Monaco’s ex-Leverkusen striker Dimitar Berbatov.
“We seized our only chance and one goal is enough for tonight, everyone is happy.”
The result means just two points separate the group’s top three teams with Leverkusen on nine, Monaco second on eight and Andre Villas-Boas’s Zenit third on seven points.
It means Monaco can finish as group winners if they beat Zenit at home in a fortnight in a winner-takes-all match when Leverkusen are away to bottom side Benfica. AFP