Barca demolish Sporting to top group

LISBON: Barcelona clinched top place in Group C when they crushed Sporting 5-2 in an action-packed Champions League match on Wednesday.

With the two teams having already qualified for the knockout stage, unbeaten Barca took their points tally to 13 with one game still to play, four points ahead of the Lisbon team.

Thierry Henry opened the scoring for Barcelona, champions in 2006, in the 14th minute from a fine pull-back by Lionel Messi on the right and three minutes later they doubled the lead with a goal by defender Gerard Pique in a scramble at a corner.