By IANS
London : Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League prospects took another knock as they lost away from home again, but Chelsea eased to victory over Schalke 04.
Robinho helped to spare Real Madrid’s blushes at home to 10-man Olympiakos, while Werder Bremen edged past Lazio.
Holders AC Milan were convincing winners over Shakhtar Donetsk, Rosenborg surprised Valencia and Marseille were held at home by 2004 champions Porto.
In Group A, Liverpool have slipped to the bottom of the four-team league table after suffering a 1-2 defeat to Besiktas in Istanbul.
The opening goal of the game arrived on 13 minutes in somewhat comical circumstances as Serdar Ozcan’s shot deflected home off the luckless Sami Hyypia after Jamie Carragher’s attempted clearance had ricocheted off Steve Finnan.
Besiktas snatched a second goal on the break on 82 minutes when Bobo beat Hyypia to the ball before sliding a shot through Jose Reina’s legs.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard set up a grandstand finish with a header from just inside the area five minutes from time, but last season’s runners-up could not muster an equaliser.
Marseille’s perfect record came to an end after a 1-1 draw with Porto, although the French side remain top of Group A.
Mamadou Niang provided Marseille with a 70th minute lead against the run of play, but Lucho Gonzalez levelled from the penalty spot nine minutes later after Lisandro Lopez had been fouled.
Chelsea is firmly in command of Group B after goals early in each half secured a comfortable 2-0 home win over German side Schalke 04.
The London outfit was gifted the lead on four minutes when Florent Malouda twisted and turned inside the box before seeing his shot squirm through the grasp of Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
The English Premier League club needed just two minutes of the second half to score again when Didier Drogba stooped to head home Paulo Ferreira’s right-wing cross.
Rosenborg is now second in the group after a stunning 2-0 win over Valencia — the Norwegians’ first home success in the Champions League in six years.
A deserved opening goal came on 53 minutes when Yssouf Kone’s low shot crept over the line and Vidar Riseth added the second just past the hour mark.
Celtic succumbed late on in Benfica as the Scottish side’s miserable form away from home in the Champions League continued.
Goalkeeper Artur Boruc had kept Benfica at bay until the 87th minute when Oscar Cardozo stole in behind the defence, brought the ball under control and slotted home.
Defending champions AC Milan smashed Shakhtar Donetsk’s all-win record in Group D following a 4-1 win at the San Siro.
Alberto Gilardino provided Milan with the perfect start when heading home Andrea Pirlo’s corner on six minutes and the Italy striker then nodded in Clarence Seedorf’s cross on 14 minutes.
Shakhtar pulled a goal back six minutes into the second half when Italian hit-man Cristiano Lucarelli volleyed home.
But Milan’s response was to score twice in the space of seven minutes through Seedorf’s brace of classy finishes.
Real Madrid has taken control of Group C after an entertaining 4-2 win at home to 10-man Olympiakos of Greece.
Raul put Real ahead after just two minutes, but Olympiakos were level on eight minutes through former Atletico Madrid ace Luciano Galletti.
The Greeks then had Vassilis Torosidis sent off on 13 minutes for bringing down Ruud van Nistelrooy before stunning the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium by taking the lead on 47 minutes through Julio Cesar.
Robinho’s far-post header restored parity on 68 minutes before Van Nistelrooy smashed a penalty over the bar after the Brazilian had been fouled.
With seven minutes to go Robinho hammered in his second of the game and Javier Balboa completed the scoring in injury time.
Werder Bremen hung on to claim a 2-1 win at home to Lazio, with Boubacar Sanogo opening the scoring on 28 minutes.
Hugo Almeida made it 2-0 on 54 minutes before Christian Manfredini set up a tense finale by netting for Lazio with eight minutes left.