Two goals by Mirko Vucinic guided AS Roma to a surprise 3-1 win over last season’s runners-up Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday. Former Chelsea defender Christian Panucci tapped in the first from close range on 34 minutes and Montenegro striker Vucinic struck twice at the start of the second half as Roma ended a run of five consecutive defeats.The Londoners pulled one back through captain John Terry in the 75th before having midfielder Deco sent off for a second yellow card five minutes later.Chelsea stay top of Group A with seven points from four games, one point ahead of Roma and Girondins Bordeaux.The visitors were in complete control until the unmarked Panucci strolled through a sleepy defence to convert a right-wing cross from close range. Chelsea had enjoyed most of the possession, forcing good saves out of Brazilian keeper Doni from long-range efforts by Deco and Frank Lampard (twice). But the goal lifted the Serie A side’s confidence and Vucinic drove the ball in from outside the box three minutes after the break to make it 2-0. He then capped off a long run down the left with a cool finish in the 58th with Chelsea’s defence scattered.Terry, who scored the winner in the 1-0 home win over Roma two weeks ago, pulled one back when he converted a left-wing cross from three metres.Barca edge throughIn other results, Barcelona and Sporting advanced to the knockout stage, while Inter Milan missed the chance to guarantee their place.A 1-1 draw at home to Basel was enough for Barca to qualify from Group C alongside Portugal’s Sporting, who beat Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 thanks to Brazilian striker Derlei’s 73rd-minute strike.Substitute Lionel Messi put the Spaniards en route to the next phase when he fired the home side in front in the 62nd minute, though Basel gave the Primera Liga leaders a fright with an equaliser from Eren Derdiyok eight minutes before the end.“It took us a bit of effort to get into the match and exert our superiority,” Barca coach Pep Guardiola said in a television interview. “But we have qualified for the last 16 and that’s great news.”Serie A champions Inter needed an 80th-minute header from striker Julio Cruz to salvage a 3-3 draw in Cyprus against a resilient Anorthosis Famagusta.Split wide openInter’s draw, combined with Panathinaikos’s 3-0 win at Werder Bremen, left Group B wide open with two matches remaining. The Italians are top on eight points from four games, Anorthosis have five, Panathinaikos four and Werder three.Mario Balotelli and Marco Materazzi put Inter ahead twice against Famagusta, but a string of defensive errors allowed Cedric Bardon and Georgios Panagi to equalise twice.Another poor clearance allowed Nikolaos Frousos to fire the home side in front five minutes after the break before substitute Cruz saved the Serie A side’s blushes.“There were incredible individual errors. They really were gifts even if Christmas is still a way off,” Inter coach Jose Mourinho told reporters.
