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AFC Champions League Draw Held

Iran's Zob Ahan has been drawn with two-time winner Al Ittihad in Group B of the AFC Champions League as three other Iranian clubs are also facing tough opponents.

The 32 teams in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League were split into eight groups of four, divided into West and East zones, at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur with all opponents playing each other at home and away.

In the West Zone, Iranian champions Esteqlal will face Qatari champion Al Gharafa, Saudi Arabia's Al Ahli and Al Jazira of the UAE in Group A.

Zob Ahan was drawn in Group B along with AFC Champions League 2004 and 2005 winner Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia, Uzbek giant Bunyodkor and the winner of the west-zone playoff between India's Churchill Brothers against either Syria's Al Karamah or Al Wahda of the UAE.

Iran's Sepahan, the 2007 runner-up, will face the 2003 winner Al Ain of the UAE, Saudi Arabia's Al Shabab and Uzbekistan Cup winner Pakhtakor in Group C.

In Group D, Iran's Mes Kerman, in its first Asian appearance, will clash with Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal, UAE champions Al Ahli and Qatar's Al Sadd.

Since the inauguration of the Champions League AFC's premier event Iran has had only one appearance in the tournament's final match which dates back to 2007, when Sepahan lost to Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds 3-1 on aggregate.

Last year, Esteqlal, Sepahan and Saba could not make it to the second round while Persepolis, which is absent this year, lost to Bunyodkor in the Round of 16.

AFC Champions League 2010 groups

West

Group A Al Ahli (KSA), Al Gharafa (QAT), Al Jazira (UAE), Esteqlal (IRN)

Group B Zob Ahan (IRN), Al Ittihad (KSA), Bunyodkor (UZB), Playoff winners

Group C Al Ain (UAE), Sepahan (IRN), Al Shabab (KSA), Pakhtakor (UZB)

Group D Al Sadd (QAT), Al Ahli (UAE), Mes Kerman (IRN), Al Hilal (KSA)

East

Group E Seongnam Ilhwa (KOR), Melbourne Victory (AUS), Beijing Guoan (CHN), Kawasaki Frontale (JPN)

Group F Kashima Antlers (JPN), Jeonbuk Motors (KOR), Persipura Jayapura (IDN), Changchun Yatai (CHN)

Group G Henan Jianye (CHN), Gamba Osaka (JPN), Suwon Bluewings (KOR), Playoff winners

Group H Adelaide United (AUS), Shandong Luneng (CHN), Cup winners (JPN), Pohang Steelers (KOR)

Playoffs West Al Karamah (Syria)/Al Wahda (UAE) v Churchill Brothers (India)

Playoffs East Singapore Armed Forces (Singapore)/SHB Da Nang (Vietnam) vs. Sriwijaya (Indonesia)/Muang Thong United (Thailand)

Owen Hat-trick Banishes Wolfsburg

Michael Owen scored his first hat-trick for Manchester United to beat Wolfsburg 3-1 and deny the Germans their first last 16 appearance in European competition, with CSKA Moscow going through in their stead.

Former Liverpool striker Owen, out of favour with England ahead of the World Cup next year, headed home Nani's cross on the stroke of half time in Germany.

Wolfsburg rallied through Bosnian Edin Dzeko on 56 minutes but nimble forward Owen slotted home seven minutes from the whistle and sealed the win with a crafty finish in added time to send the English champions through as Group B winners.

In Istanbul a late goal from Yevgeny Aldonin earned CSKA a 2-1 win over Besiktas to see the Russians through to the knockout stages.

Chelsea were surprisingly held 2-2 by Apoel Nicosia after conceding a late equaliser at Stamford Bridge but still went unbeaten from Group D.

Atletico Madrid scraped into the secondary Europa League despite turning in a toothless and erratic performance during a 3-0 home loss to already qualified Porto in the same group.

The Portuguese side were already through.

In Wolfsburg injury-hit United, fielding just one recognised first-team defender in French international Patrice Evra, rode their luck at times on Tuesday, although the German champions only had themselves to blame for failing to take several excellent chances against United's makeshift defence which featured regular midfielders Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher.

Lacklustre in the first half, Wolfsburg were transformed in the second period and played with more purpose after the wake-up call from Owen, but it was the England man who had the final say.

United manager Alex Ferguson was delighted after Owen's match-winning performance.

"Fantastic. Brilliant. You know what he is. His timing of runs is fantastic," he told Sky Sports.

Owen moved to United in July from relegated Newcastle United.

In London Cypriots Apoel stunned Stamford Bridge with a sixth minute goal from Marcin Zewlakow.

The Group D leaders, who had previously conceded only two goals in five games, replied in the 19th when Michael Essien lashed in a swerving shot from 25 metres.

Chelsea went 2-1 up through Didier Drogba in the 26th while temporarily down to 10 men through an Essien injury before Frank Lampard came on as a substitute in a dominant first half.

Chelsea, already assured of top spot in the group, eased off in the second half and a glaring defensive error allowed Apoel to come back into the game with an 89th minute goal from substitute Nenad Mirosavljevic.

"The second half was not good, we have to do better," scowling coach Ancellotti told Sky Sports.

"More concentration, more pressure, more intensity."

CSKA secured their berth from Group B, Milos Krasic putting them ahead in the 41st minute, firing in a shot from a narrow angle on the left to beat Besiktas

keeper Rustu Recber.

Bobo knocked in a cross in from close range to put the home side level in the 89th minute, but Aldonin snatched all three points for CSKA with a shot in the fifth minute of injury time.

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