Owen hat-trick lifts Liverpool, Auxerre upsets Arsenal
Guy Jackson, Agence France-Presse, Paris
Michael Owen struck a hat-trick against Spartak Moscow to move Liverpool nearer a place in the second phase of the Champions League, but Arsenal was shocked by unfancied Auxerre at Highbury on Tuesday.
It was a frustrating night for Real Madrid, who failed to clinch qualification when it squandered a two-goal lead and eventually drew 2-2 with AEK Athens as Ronaldo made his European debut in the all-white strip.
Owen helped Liverpool come from behind to beat Spartak 3-1 and the English Premiership leader moved to seven points, three behind Valencia in Group B after the Spanish champion was held to a 2-2 draw by surprising Swiss side Basel.
Lyon and Inter Milan fought out a thrilling 3-3 draw in Group D and AS Roma and Genk of Belgium produced a goalless stalemate in Group C.
An inconclusive night meant everything in Europe's top club competition hinges on the remaining two rounds of matches.
In Moscow, Owen banished memories of his early-season lack of goals by hitting his first goals in European competition this season and his second hat-trick in a month.
Eighteen-year-old striker Alexander Danishevsky fired Spartak into a 23rd-minute lead but six minutes later Owen pulled the visitors level, beating Ukrainian international 'keeper Maxim Levitsky with a downward header from Jamie Carragher's precise cross.
Owen grabbed his second in the 70th minute, sweeping in a rebound after Danny Murphy's left-sided free kick.
And as Spartak pushed up, Owen scored his third one minute into injury time, when he stroked home a cross from Murphy.
"Michael deserves special credit for his hat-trick," said Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier. "Remember only a month ago he was getting stick for not scoring."
Auxerre ruined Arsenal's unbeaten record in the competition this season and spoiled Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's 53rd birthday with a 2-1 victory in London.
First-half goals from Olivier Kapo and Khalilou Fadiga were enough to earn a precious three points on another miserable night for David Seaman.
The disintegration of the England goalkeeper's confidence was cruelly exposed by another hesitant display, his error contributing to Fadiga's goal.
Kapo created his own, picking up a throw-in on the edge of the area, he nutmegged Patrick Vieira on the turn and unleashed an unstoppable left foot drive into the far corner.
Nigerian forward Nwankwo Kanu pulled a goal back for Arsenal six minutes after the break but it was not enough.
Arsenal still leads Group A with nine points and Borussia Dortmund has seven after it was held to a 1-1 draw by bottom- placed PSV Eindhoven.
Defending champion Real Madrid went 2-0 up with two goals for English midfielder Steve McManaman but AEK stormed back to grab a point with two goals in the last fifteen minutes.
First, Konstantinos Katsouranis was allowed a free header from a corner after 74 minutes before substitute Walter Centeno slotted home a right-wing cross from Ilija Ivic with four minutes left.
McManaman gave the Spanish giants a deserved lead in the 24th minute when he latched on to a cross from Argentina midfielder Esteban Cambiasso.
Ronaldo's magic created Real's second goal. He first of all released Guti before taking the return pass and his delightful shimmy and stepover drew the AEK defenders before he rolled the ball to McManaman who made no mistake but Real let it slip.
Real leads Group C with eight points, AS Roma is second with five and AEK has four.
Lyon meanwhile maintained its two-point lead over Inter Milan in Group D when veteran captain Sonny Anderson scored the goal which made it 3-3 at the Stade Gerland, his second of the game.