Manchester United, with Tim Howard in goal, advanced to the knockout stage of the European Champions League with a win over Panathinaikos before falling to Chelsea in Premier League action. … Claudio Reyna, who had battled the flu the previous weekend, played the final 12 minutes as Manchester City was eliminated from the UEFA Cup after a tie with Groclin, then started in a Premier League loss to Middlesbrough. … Jovan Kirovski (Birmingham/England) and keeper Matt Jordan (OB/Denmark) saw their first league action of the season.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (Nov. 26)

* Tim Howard (Manchester United, England) at Panathinaikos (Greece), 1-0.
Started: 90 minutes.
Man U clinched a spot in the knockout round of the Champions League.
Manchester Evening News rating (10 high; 1 low): 5. ''Back-passes kept him busier than Greek attack.''

UEFA CUP (Nov. 27)

* Claudio Reyna (Manchester City, England) at Groclin (Poland) 0-0.
Aggregate: 1-1. Groclin wins on away goals.
Entered as sub in 78th minute.

WEEKEND LEAGUE ACTION:

ENGLAND
* Tim Howard (Manchester United, PL) at Chelsea, 0-1.
Started: 90 minutes
The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 7.
Frank Lampard's penalty kick downed Man U. Manchester United is in 3rd place, three points behind Arsenal and four points behind 1st place Chelsea.
Season league stats: 14 games.

* Claudio Reyna (Manchester City, PL) vs. Middlesbrough, 0-1.
Started: 90 minutes
The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 7.
Manchester Evening News rating (10 high; 1 low): 6. ''Often crowded in the midfield but he foraged tirelessly and tried to get things moving.''
Sun Jihai's first-half own-goal gave Middlesbrough the win.
Manchester City is in 9th place.
Season league stats: 7 games; 1 goal.

* Brad Friedel (Blackburn, PL) vs. Tottenham, 1-0.
Started: 90 minutes.
Blackburn is in 16th place.
The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 7.
Season league stats: 14 games.

* Kasey Keller (Tottenham, PL) at Blackburn, 0-1.

Started: 90 minutes.
The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 7.
Blackburn coach Graeme Souness said: ''Kasey Keller made good saves at key times in the second half and that kept them in the game, but we kept at it and deserved to win.''
Tottenham is in 15th place.
Season league stats: 14 games.

* Jovan Kirovski (Birmingham, PL) at Liverpool, 1-3.
Entered as a sub for Christophe Dugarry in the 78th minute for his first league action of the season.
The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 6.
Birmingham is in 8th place.
Season league stats: 1 game.

* Marcus Hahnemann (Reading, D1) vs. Watford, 2-1.
Started: 90 minutes.
Reading is in 6th place.
Season league stats: 20 games.

* Eddie Lewis (Preston North End, D1) at Sheffield United, 0-2.
Entered as sub in 4th minute.
Preston is in 10th place.
Season league stats: 15 games; 1 goal.

GERMANY
* Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96, D1) vs. Freiburg, 3-0.
Started: 90 minutes.
Kicker rating (1 high; 6 low): 3.
Hannover is in 9th place.
Season league stats: 12 games; 0 goals

* Gregg Berhalter (Energie Cottbus, D2) vs. Duisburg, 1-1.
Started: 90 minutes.
Kicker rating (1 high; 6 low): 3.5.
Cottbus is in 3rd place.
Season league stats: 12 games; 1 goal.

* Conor Casey (Karlsruhe, D2) vs. Jahn Regensburg, 0-3.
Started: 90 minutes.
Kicker rating (1 high; 6 low): 4.
Karlsruhe is in 9th place.
Season league stats: 12 games; 4 goals.

* Joe Enochs (Osnabrueck, D2) vs. Aachen, 3-1. Started: 90 minutes.
Kicker rating (1 high; 6 low): 2.5.
Osnabrueck is in 15th place.
Season league stats: 14 games; 0 goals.

* Tony Sanneh (Nuremberg, D2) vs. Arminia Bielefeld
DNP. Season league stats: 0 games.

FRANCE
* Greg Vanney (Bastia, D1) at Bordeaux, 1-1.
DNP.
Bastia is in 13th place.
Season league stats: 11 games; 0 goals.

NETHERLANDS
* John O'Brien (Ajax, D1) vs. Feyernoord, 2-0. DNP. Injured.
Ajax is in 1st place.
Season league stats: 0 games.

BELGIUM
* Alex Yi (Antwerp, D1) vs. Lokeren, 0-3.
Started: 55 minutes.
Antwerp is in 15th place.
Season league stats: 7 games; 0 goals.

* Oguchi Onyewu (La Louviere, D1) at La Gantoise, 0-3.
Started: 90 minutes.
La Louviere is in 10th place.
Season league stats: 8 games; 0 goals.

DENMARK
* Wade Barrett (Aarhus, SL) vs. Herfolge BK, 1-3.
Started: 90 minutes.
Aarhus is in 7th place.
Season league stats: 10 games; 0 goals.

* Matt Jordan (OB, SL) vs. Frem, 2-1.
Started: 90 minutes.
OB is in 4th place.
Season league stats: 1 game.

MEXICO
* Daniel Hernandez (Necaxa, D1) vs. Pachuca, Thursday, quarterfinal, first leg.
League stats: 13 games; 0 goals.