A horrendous goalkeeping blunder undid 88 minutes of good work by Shakhtar Donetsk as Lionel Messi (photo, centre) came off the bench to poach two late goals to hand Barcelona what had seemed an unlikely win.

Ilsinho put the visitors ahead on the stroke of half time, and the Ukranians had seemed on the verge of an historic victory until Pyatov spilled an innocuous-looking low cross by Bojan (photo, right), leaving the little Argentinian striker with the simplest of tap-ins.

The fact that the goal came from a move that started with a throw-in to Barcelona after a Shakhtar player kicked the ball out so that an injured team-mate could receive treatment, and that the ball was not returned, incensed the home side, who went on to concede the winner three minutes later when Xavi slipped the ball through to Messi, who beat the keeper, this time, with a delicate lob.

Barcelona top Group C with a perfect six points, three points clear of both Shakhtar and Sporting Lisbon, who beat Swiss side Basel 2-0 at home in last night's other game.

Atlético Madrid's 2-1 home win against Marseille puts them top of Group D, level on points with their next opponents, Liverpool, who eased to a 3-1 home victory against PSV that featured both a first goal for new signing Robbie Keane, and club captain Steve Gerrard's 100th.

Wednesday, October 1

Group C
Shakhtar 1-2 Barcelona
Sporting 2-0 Basel

Group D
Liverpool 3-1 PSV
Atlético Madrid 2-1 Marseille