Aaron Ramsey’s goal earns Arsenal hard-fought win in Germany

Champions League round-up: Arsenal battled to a superb 1-0 Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund as a second-half goal from Aaron Ramsey proved enough to take all three points away from the Germans' Westfalenstadion fortress.

Dortmund had come into the Group F encounter searching for an eighth successive home Champions League win and had never lost against English opposition.

Jurgen Klopp's well-drilled side, who had won 2-1 in London a fortnight ago, dominated for long spells, but were made to pay for not converting their chances when Ramsey nodded home a knockdown from Olivier Giroud on 62 minutes.

It may not have been the flowing display which manager Arsene Wenger would have preferred, but the Premier League leaders once again answered questions with a display of real character to hand a rare defeat to last season's beaten finalists.

With Napoli beating Marseille 3-2 in France, Arsenal still have work to do to secure safe passage through to the knockout stages, but will have gained more belief they can last the distance this season.

Samuel Eto'o scored twice as Chelsea took another step towards a place in the knockout stages with a 3-0 victory over Schalke in Group E.

In the absence of leg injury victim Fernando Torres, who scored twice in the 3-0 win in Gelsenkirchen two weeks ago, Eto'o stepped up as the 2012 European champions moved on to nine points, three clear of nearest rivals Schalke in the standings with two games to play.

It was Schalke who started the better before Chelsea got a lucky break after 31 minutes.

Eto'o, who dispossessed Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall as he bounced the ball last month to set up Eden Hazard, ran at Timo Hildebrand as the Schalke stopper prepared to fire downfield. Instead Hildebrand kicked it against the striker and saw the ball go into his own net.

There was nothing lucky about the second as Eto’o, previously a Champions League winner with Barcelona and Mourinho’s Inter Milan, converted clinically.

Eto'o likes playing against Schalke – he scored his first Champions League goal against the Germans, for Real Mallorca – but there was to be no hat-trick as Demba Ba replaced him 13 minutes from time before striking his first goal of the season to seal victory.

Giovanni Sio struck in injury time to salvage a point for Basel in a 1-1 draw at home to Steaua Bucharest in the other game in Group E.

Italian Federico Piovaccari, who has spent most of his career playing for Italian lower league clubs and is on loan from Sampdoria, gave Steaua the lead in the 17th minute, when Lukasz Szukala sent a long pass over the Basel defence and Piovaccari broke clear to fire the ball into the roof of the net.

Celtic's hopes are hanging by a thread after they slumped to the bottom of Group H with a 1-0 defeat by Ajax at the Amsterdam ArenA.

Lasse Schone, who had scored after coming on as substitute in the 2-1 defeat at Celtic Park, grabbed the winner with a well-taken goal in the 51st minute to sink the Scottish champions who were far from their best in what was a mostly scrappy game.

Hoops goalkeeper Fraser Forster strengthened his claim for an England cap with two good saves in the first-half which was bereft of quality and in which Neil Lennon’s men hardly threatened.

The game opened up after the break. Schone struck just after Celtic midfielder Beram Kayal had missed a good chance for the visitors and before Anthony Stokes failed with a good opportunity to level.

Barcelona booked their place in the last 16 with two games to spare when a Lionel Messi double and a Sergio Busquets header secured a 3-1 home win over AC Milan in Group H on Wednesday at the Camp Nou.

World Player of the Year Messi ended his recent mini drought when he struck from the penalty spot after half an hour and midfielder Busquets netted a rare goal when he headed in a Xavi free kick 10 minutes later.

Milan pulled one back when Kaka's low centre deflected into the net off Barca defender Gerard Pique moments before half-time before Messi raced through the middle to bag his sixth goal in Europe this season seven minutes from time.

Atletico Madrid cruised to their fourth consecutive victory with a 4-0 win at home to Austria Vienna, assuring themselves of top spot in Group G and a place in the last 16.

Miranda, Raul Garcia and Filipe Luis put La Liga's second- placed side three up before half-time and leading scorer Diego Costa netted the fourth late on after missing a second-half penalty.

The visitors, struggling domestically, bottom of the group and without a goal to their name, rarely threatened after a couple of chances early on.

The group's second-placed side Zenit St Petersburg were earlier held to a 1-1 draw at home to Porto to move on to five points, seven adrift of leaders Atletico and their perfect record with two games left to play.