Real Madrid’s Angel di Maria celebrates with Gonzalo Higuain after scoring the winner, against Auxerre. (AP)

London: Christian Nobua and David Villa each converted a penalty kick Wednesday as Barcelona was held to a 1-1 draw by Rubin Kazan in their Champions League Group D match.

Nobua put Rubin in the lead in the 30th minute after Daniel Alves fouled Vitali Kaleshin in the box.

Barcelona equalised in the 60th with Villa beating Giedrius Arlauskis into the right lower corner of the net after defender Lasha Salukvadze brought down Andres Iniesta.

On Tuesday, Angel di Maria’s late intervention spared Real Madrid another inquest into the case of the misfiring forwards while Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s sense of occasion salvaged a point for AC Milan.

Di Maria struck shortly after coming on to give Real a 1-0 win away to Auxerre on Tuesday, just as another embarrassing goalless draw was looming for a team boasting Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema in the starting line-up.

While Real were nervously clinching a second win in two Champions League games, Group G rivals Milan had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Ajax Amsterdam. Ibrahimovic earned them the point, controlling superbly and smashing in for the equaliser on his return to the club where he came to prominence.

Chelsea scored twice in the first half to set up an easy 2-0 win at home to Marseille in Group F, where earlier Spartak had beaten Zilina 3-0.

Arsenal were shaky at the back at times against Partizan Belgrade in Group H but came away with a 3-1 win — making it nine goals in two games after their 6-0 win over Braga.

Chelsea’s victory was in no doubt once John Terry had squeezed the ball home with the outside of his left boot for an opener in the seventh minute.

Tuesday’s Results

Group E: Bayern 2 Basel 1, AS Roma 2 CFR Cluj 1; Group F: Chelsea 2 Marseille 0, Spartak 3 Zilina 0; Group G: Real 1 Auxerre 0, Ajax 1 Milan 1; Group H
Shakhtar Donetsk 3 Braga 0,
Arsenal 3 Partizan Belgrade 1

(Reuters)