Ajax stay in contention as Barcelona suffer first defeat of season

Champions League round-up: Ajax kept themselves in contention for progress to the next round after becoming the first side to beat Barcelona this season in their Champions League Group H clash.

Thulani Serero and Danny Hoesen scored to give Ajax a surprise half-time lead but straight after the break defender Joel Veltman was red carded for a tackle on Neymar and Xavi pulled a goal back from the penalty spot.

Injury-plagued Barcelona applied pressure in search of an equaliser but Ajax held out to thunderous applause from a capacity Amsterdam Arena.

Ajax stay third in the group, one point behind AC Milan, who they must now beat away on December 11th if they are to advance.

Barcelona, without injured Lionel Messi, still need one point to make sure of top place in the group but were already through to the knockout phase before Tuesday's game.

An Ajax fan was seriously injured after falling from the stands at the Amsterdam Arena as he celebrated a goal in the game , Dutch media reported. He fell some 10 metres onto the dust track around the pitch after Hoesen’s goal.

The unidentified supporter was treated by medical staff, who arrived in a trauma helicopter at halftime and two ambulances, which collided with each other as they departed the track. One took the fan to hospital, reports added.

Last season’s Champions League runners-up Borussia Dortmund beat Napoli 3-1 with a stellar attacking performance to earn a lifeline and stay in the hunt for a knockout stage spot.

Germany international Marco Reus converted a 10th minute penalty and Jakub Blaszczykowski added another goal on the hour before Lorenzo Isigne's 71st-minute strike set up what looked like a nervous finale.

However, Dortmund substitute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made sure of the three points with his first Champions League goal seven minutes later to lift Dortmund into second place ahead of Napoli with both teams on nine points.

Dortmund, who got their first win after three straight defeats in all competitions, including a 3-0 Bundesliga loss to rivals Bayern Munich, visit Marseille in their last group match next month.

Schalke’s 0-0 draw at Steaua Bucharest in Group E means Chelsea advance to the last 16 ahead of the December 11th meeting at home to the Romanians.

A goalkeeping blunder by Atletico Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois gave Zenit St Petersburg a qualification lifeline as they fought back to draw 1-1 in their Group G match in Russia.

Toby Alderweireld deflected a right-wing Igor Smolnikov cross towards the net in the 74th minute and Belgian Courtois, on loan from Chelsea, flapped at the ball as it dropped over his head into the net for a precious equaliser for the Russians.

Leaders Atletico, who were already through to the knockout stage as group winners and were missing several regulars, went ahead in the 53rd minute when Adrian Lopez raced clear on the left before slipping the ball under goalkeeper Yuri Lodygin.

Porto’s hopes of reaching the knock-out stages were dealt a major blow as they could only draw 1-1 at home to Austria Vienna.

Paulo Fonseca’s side were made to pay for a slow start as Roman Kienast smashed in Vienna’s first goal of the group stage so far after 11 minutes.

Porto dominated thereafter but only had Jackson Martinez’s header shortly after half-time to show for it by the end when they were booed from the pitch by the home fans.

With a trip to Atletico to come to round out their campaign, Porto face the prospect of dropping into the Europa League.