Group F rivals step up to the summit

PFC Rodopa Smolian 1-2 PFC Levski Sofia

Levski needed a stoppage-time winner from Croatian defender Igor Tomašić to win at Smolian. The hosts looked to have secured a point after Ivan Karmanov cancelled out Milan Koprivarov's effort in the 90th minute before Tomašić struck to move Levski a point behind leaders PFC CSKA Sofia, who have a game in hand.

Cédric Bardon and Koprivarov were forced off with second-half injuries but are not expected to be out for a lengthy period. "Some players fell asleep after the break," said coach Stanimir Stoilov. "They let us down despite being given the chance to play in this game and that is something we will have to address."

FC Sportul Studentesc 0-2 FC Dinamo Bucuresti

Dinamo took top spot in Romania with a slightly fortuitous victory at Sportul. Florin Bratu put the visitors in front in the 27th minute with a well-directed shot from inside the penalty area, and although Sportul had opportunities to equalise, Dinamo played intelligently on the break and sealed the win with three minutes remaining as substitute Alexandru Baltoi added a second. The Bucharest club's fourth consecutive league success lifted them above FC Steaua Bucuresti, who were held by AFC Rapid Bucuresti.

Dinamo were without striker Claudiu Niculescu, sidelined after shoulder surgery, and captain Florentin Petre, who suffered a muscle injury against Heerenveen, although both should be back for Matchday 2. "The most important thing is that we won and it is important not to lose matches," said coach Ioan Andone. "My players were a bit tired following important matches in the league, Romanian Cup and UEFA Cup. What is important is to be first at the end of the season."

SC Heerenveen 1-1 FC Utrecht

An injury-time goal from substitute Niklas Tarvajärvi allowed Heerenveen to escape with a draw from their mid-table encounter with Utrecht. Both teams began the match with ten points from eight games, but the visitors had the better of the first half and went ahead through Dave van den Bergh's volley. Heerenveen pushed further forward in the second period, but despite dangerous free-kicks from Uğur Yıldırım and Danijel Pranjić, looked like slipping to a defeat until Utrecht goalkeeper Franck Grandel misjudged Pranjić's left-wing cross, allowing it to slip through his fingers and giving Tarvajärvi the chance to back-heel the equaliser.

"Dinamo was a heavy job on Thursday and we were feeling it," said coach Gertjan Verbeek, who was without the injured Georgios Samaras (ankle) and Thomas Prager (knee) as well as suspended Marcel Seip as his side slipped to 12th place in the Dutch Eredivisie. "But we were still able to make a final offensive at the end of the match, and we were rewarded with the equaliser. But I can understand why Utrecht are very disappointed."

FC Amkar Perm 0-1 PFC CSKA Moskva

CSKA went top of Russia's Premier-Liga and opened a two-point gap on FC Lokomotiv Moskva with a 1-0 victory at Amkar while their rivals were held to a goalless draw at FC Alania Vladikavkaz. Playmaker Daniel Carvalho returned to action after missing the Marseille match with an infection and scored the winner on 43 minutes after a fine solo run. Vágner Love also made his first start in more than a month, while Yuri Zhirkov, who had not played a league game for three months, appeared as a 73rd-minute substitute.

"First, I'd like to say I am very happy about the result," said coach Valeriy Gazzaev. "We played very well before half-time and were a bit below-par after the break. Amkar were very good in the second half and we had to survive some tough moments. At this stage of the season, all the league games are very tense for us."

AS Saint-Etienne 2-1 Olympique de Marseille

Marseille's four-game winning run ended at St-Etienne, whose victory consigned the visitors to ninth place in Ligue 1. Pascal Feindouno headed the home side in front in the 23rd minute, moments after OM striker Mamadou Niang joined defender Frédéric Déhu (achilles) on the injury list. The forward sprained his left ankle in a challenge with Herita Ilunga, and is awaiting the results of a scan. Niang's replacement, Sergio Koke, began the move that led to the equaliser as his cross from the right was converted by Franck Ribéry's left foot ten minutes before the interval.

Both teams threw everything forward in the second period but it was Les Verts who snatched the points, David Hellebuyck scoring six minutes from time. Despite the defeat, goalkeeper Fabien Barthez remained upbeat, saying: "Even though we lost, this sort of game shows that a team is definitely growing in Marseille."