(MENAFN- Arab Times) Hector Herrera scored one goal and set up two more as Porto eased to a 3-0 win over BATE Borisov in the Champions League on Tuesday. The Mexico midfielder scored with a spectacular shot from the edge of the box on 56 minutes before setting up Jackson Martinez for Porto's second goal nine minutes later. Cristian Tello added an 89th-minute third, with Herrera providing the assist.
Unbeaten Porto had already qualified from Group H but coach Julen Lopetegui opted not to rest his star players, keeping Herrera, Martinez and striker Yacine Brahimi all in the starting lineup. BATE sits third in the group with one win, four defeats and a goal difference of -20.
Meanwhile, Vasily Berezutsky's equaliser deep in injury time earned CSKA Moscow an unlikely 1-1 draw with Roma on Tuesday after Francesco Totti enhanced his standing as the Champions League's oldest goalscorer. Totti, who claimed the scoring record against Manchester City in September, put Roma in front in the 43rd minute at the age of 38 years, one month and 29 days.
That appeared to be enough to secure Roma the win in freezing conditions until Berezutsky's cross evaded the Italian defence and slotted into the far corner in the 93rd minute. The stalemate in front of an eerily empty Khimki Arena as CSKA serve a spectator ban left Roma and CSKA on five points apiece, with Roma occupying second on their head-to-head record. Already qualified Bayern Munich are at Manchester City later Tuesday with City, on two points, requiring a win to remain in the race for the knockout stages.
Roma still have their knockout stage destiny in their own hands as a win against City in a fortnight will see them through. Roma, who had seen off CSKA 5-1 on the Russian champion's visit to Italy, began confidently, dominating possession. But it was the Red Army side who created the first live chance when Israeli playmaker Bebras Natcho lobbed the ball into the box to Alan Dzagoev, who failed to redirect it into the net from 12 metres.
On 36 minutes Totti found unmarked Alessandro Florenzi in the area but he also squandered his chance, sending the ball out for a throw-in from the edge of the six-yard box. CSKA's Ivory Coast forward Seydou Doumbia then had a close range effort denied by Roma goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis. Totti broke the deadlock with a powerful 17-metre freekick into the top left-hand corner, past the outstretched hands of CSKA 'keeper Igor Akinfeev two minutes from the break.
Roma's Belgian midfielder Radja Nainggolan had a clear opportunity to double his side's lead just before the hour mark as he picked up the ball and worked his way into the area but his close-range shot went just inches off the far left post. Serbian attacker Adem Ljajic also had an excellent chance to make it 2-0 for the guests with 11 minutes to go but Akinfeev cleared his unopposed shot from just inside the area with his left foot for a corner.
CSKA then stunned Roma in the third minute of stoppage time as Berezutsky beat De Sanctis with a left-handed cross which flew through Italian traffic and into the far corner. Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has insisted his side won't let up despite already securing their place in the last 16 of the Champions League as they seek a club record-equalling 15th consecutive win away to Basel on Wednesday. The European champions winning run began with a 5-1 thrashing of the Swiss side back in September and could still have a pivotal role to play in deciding who joins them in the knockout phase.
Basel sit second on six points, three ahead of Champions League debutants Ludogorets Razgrad and Liverpool who meet in Bulgaria on Wednesday. "The players are motivated to ensure that everything goes well. The players are working hard, fighting, sacrificing themselves on the pitch to ensure this good run keeps going," said the Italian. Los Blancos have twice strung together 15 straight wins under Miguel Munoz in the 1960-61 season and three seasons ago with Jose Mourinho in charge.
"The most important thing is to play well. We have got to this stage because we have played with concentration," added Ancelotti. "The records are part of the history of Real Madrid. We haven't thought about it a lot. Obviously it is important, but we will only achieve it playing like we have been until now."
Ancelotti confirmed the star trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale will continue in attack with the Portuguese looking to overtake Madrid legend Raul's mark of 71 Champions League goals. "I don't think the team will change that much from the one that played against Eibar. I have a few doubts over the full-backs, there are a few that are tired, but up front they will be the same."
Pepe and Sami Khedira didn't travel with their teammates to Switzerland due to minor injuries, so Raphael Varane will start in central defence alongside Sergio Ramos. Varane became France's youngest ever captain at 21 when he led his side and scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Sweden last week, but has found first team opportunities harder to come by at club level. "It is different. I play more minutes with the national team and I have more responsibility," he said.
"My objective is to obtain that same level of responsibility with Real Madrid." Basel's Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa insists his side have improved since the first meeting between the teams, and he also claimed he is looking forward to the challenge of taking on countryman Ronaldo. "It wasn't easy at the Bernabeu, I was trying to set up my team, my ideas, my philosophy," he said.
"We had some chances but we conceded a lot of goals. "It's never easy over there against such amazing players, they really do have incredible attacking potential. "As a Portuguese I'm delighted to see Ronaldo at this level, I always like coming up against the best players. "Since September we've had a chance to work hard, to implement our ideas and now we're better."
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