Champions League Results: Cool Balotelli keep City's hopes alive

Balotelli is always a cool customer from the spot

The Premier League champions stutter in Europe once again, Arsenal are comfortable against Olympiakos and Madrid look like the Real deal away to Ajax...

Mario Balotelli scored a late penalty to keep Manchester City's Champions League campaign alive but the Blues are out to 1.645/8 to qualify from Group D.

Doubts linger over whether the Premier League champions have worked out how to approach Europe's top comepetition after they had to come from behind to earn a draw against Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium. Jake Rodwell was at fault when Marco Reus put the German team ahead and only a string of excellent saves from Joe Hart ket the home side in the match. The draw was matched at 8.415/2 before Balotelli kept a cool head to stroke home the equaliser.

Arsenal have taken maximum points from their first two matches after they swept aside Olympiakos at the Emirates. The hosts will have been disappointed to concede against the Greeks but goals from Gervinho, Lukas Podolski, and Aron Ramsey secured the Gunners' 3-1 win. They were matched at 2.01/1 when the scores were 1-1 but Podolski's goal put Arsenal in control and they are now 1.152/13 to win Group B.

Real Madrid looked like potential Champions League winners - you can back them at 4.94/1 - as they thumped Ajax 4-1 in Holland. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in a comprehensive victory in which his team were matched at 1.75/7. Meanwhile, fellow Spaniards Malaga became the first team to win their first two opening matches in their maiden campaign as they beat Anderlecht 3-0 in Belgium. They were backed at 2.89/5.

There was value in Germany as Schalke and Montpellier played out a dramatic 2-2 draw which was matched at 26.025/1 thanks to Souleymane Camara's late equaliser for the French team. In another one for overs backers, Milan touched 6.411/2 as they beat Zenit St Petersburg 3-2 in Russia. The Italians has been 2-0 up in the first-half but Zenit's comeback meant that Milan had to rely on Tomas Hubocan's 75th minute own goal to earn victory.

In the evening's remaining fixtures, Dinamo Kiev were backed at 1.574/7 as they beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 and Porto touched 5.85/1 before James Rodriguez scored the only goal of their match against Paris St-Germain.