Tottenham Hotspur exacted stunning revenge against UEFA Champions League holders Inter Milan as Manchester United moved to the brink of the last 16, but Rangers lost away to Valencia.
FC Twente claimed a first victory in Group A, while Lyon continue to lead the way in Group B despite losing to Benfica, while Schalke drew in Israel.
Both matches in Group D finished all-square to leave FC Copenhagen and Barcelona as the favourites to go through to the knock-out rounds.
A fortnight after an agonising 4-3 defeat in Milan, Spurs offered the perfect riposte with a fantastic 3-1 success over Inter at White Hart Lane.
Spurs edged ahead in the 18th minute through the in-form Rafael van der Vaart, who slipped the offside trap to fire home from Luka Modric's clever pass.
The night got even better for Spurs just past the hour mark when the electric Gareth Bale burst down the left and rolled in a low cross for Peter Crouch to convert from close range.
Inter pulled a goal back with 10 minutes to go when Samuel Eto'o smacked a low shot across Carlo Cudicini, but Spurs snuffed out the comeback a minute from time when substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko tapped in after more excellent work down the left from Bale.
Dutch champions Twente kept alive their hopes of reaching the knock-out phase after a 2-0 win away to 10-man Werder Bremen.
The game turned on 75 minutes when Torsten Frings was sent off for pulling back Bryan Ruiz on the edge of the area.
Twente took advantage to take the lead through Nacer Chadli's deflected strike on 81 minutes and Luuk de Jong's header three minutes later made certain of the points.
Manchester United moved on to the magical 10-point mark in Group C after a professional performance produced a 3-0 win over Bursaspor in Turkey.
Bursaspor mustered a lively first-half display before United had a goal chalked off on 39 minutes after Paul Scholes had used his arm to bring the ball under control.
United required just three minutes of the second half to gain the upper hand as Michael Carrick picked out the unmarked Darren Fletcher to drill a low shot into the far corner.
The second goal for United arrived on 73 minutes when Gabriel Obertan received a pass on the edge of the box before unleashing a thunderbolt beyond Dimitar Ivankov.
A third goal duly arrived four minutes later when Scholes played in substitute Bebe and his flicked finish found its way inside the upright via a deflection.
Rangers dropped down into third spot in Group C after Valencia claimed a 3-0 success in the Mestalla.
Steven Naismith rattled the post for Rangers early on before Valencia took the lead on 34 minutes when Roberto Soldado squeezed his shot inside the post after Allan McGregor had flapped at a corner.
McGregor may again have done better with Valencia's second goal on 71 minutes as Soldado's low shot squirmed under the Gers keeper's hand.
Naismith was denied by the post again before Valencia put a seal on the triumph with a third goal in the final minute from Facundo Costa.
FC Copenhagen and Barcelona remain in pole position to qualify from Group D after playing out a 1-1 draw in Denmark.
Barca took the lead on 31 minutes through Lionel Messi's clinical finish, but Copenhagen levelled two minutes later when Claudemir volleyed home after poor goalkeeping from Victor Valdes.
Rubin Kazan and Panathinaikos both failed to enhance their chances of reaching the last 16 after playing out another dull 0-0 draw.
A fortnight after a goalless stalemate in Greece, nothing could separate the two teams in Russia as Rubin's Aleksandr Rtazantsev was denied by the feet of Pana keeper Alexandros Tzorvas.
Benfica withstood a late rally from last season's semi-finalists Lyon to claim a thrilling 4-3 home success in Group B.
Lyon had seen two goals ruled out before Benfica took the lead on 20 minutes through Alan Kardec's powerful downward header from a free-kick swung in from the left.
The lead was doubled on 31 minutes when Fabio Coentrao volleyed home after a swift break and Javi Garcia headed the third from close range on 43 minutes after Lyon keeper Hugo Lloris had flailed at a corner.
Coentrao scored a delightful fourth midway through the second half following another Benfica break before Lyon pulled a goal back through Yoann Gourcuff 15 minutes from time.
Bafetimbi Gomis reduced the arrears further with five minutes to go before Dejan Lovren scored deep into stoppage-time.
The group's other fixture saw Schalke draw 0-0 away to Hapoel Tel-Aviv to remain in second position.
FC Twente claimed a first victory in Group A, while Lyon continue to lead the way in Group B despite losing to Benfica, while Schalke drew in Israel.
Both matches in Group D finished all-square to leave FC Copenhagen and Barcelona as the favourites to go through to the knock-out rounds.
A fortnight after an agonising 4-3 defeat in Milan, Spurs offered the perfect riposte with a fantastic 3-1 success over Inter at White Hart Lane.
Spurs edged ahead in the 18th minute through the in-form Rafael van der Vaart, who slipped the offside trap to fire home from Luka Modric's clever pass.
The night got even better for Spurs just past the hour mark when the electric Gareth Bale burst down the left and rolled in a low cross for Peter Crouch to convert from close range.
Inter pulled a goal back with 10 minutes to go when Samuel Eto'o smacked a low shot across Carlo Cudicini, but Spurs snuffed out the comeback a minute from time when substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko tapped in after more excellent work down the left from Bale.
Dutch champions Twente kept alive their hopes of reaching the knock-out phase after a 2-0 win away to 10-man Werder Bremen.
The game turned on 75 minutes when Torsten Frings was sent off for pulling back Bryan Ruiz on the edge of the area.
Twente took advantage to take the lead through Nacer Chadli's deflected strike on 81 minutes and Luuk de Jong's header three minutes later made certain of the points.
Manchester United moved on to the magical 10-point mark in Group C after a professional performance produced a 3-0 win over Bursaspor in Turkey.
Bursaspor mustered a lively first-half display before United had a goal chalked off on 39 minutes after Paul Scholes had used his arm to bring the ball under control.
United required just three minutes of the second half to gain the upper hand as Michael Carrick picked out the unmarked Darren Fletcher to drill a low shot into the far corner.
The second goal for United arrived on 73 minutes when Gabriel Obertan received a pass on the edge of the box before unleashing a thunderbolt beyond Dimitar Ivankov.
A third goal duly arrived four minutes later when Scholes played in substitute Bebe and his flicked finish found its way inside the upright via a deflection.
Rangers dropped down into third spot in Group C after Valencia claimed a 3-0 success in the Mestalla.
Steven Naismith rattled the post for Rangers early on before Valencia took the lead on 34 minutes when Roberto Soldado squeezed his shot inside the post after Allan McGregor had flapped at a corner.
McGregor may again have done better with Valencia's second goal on 71 minutes as Soldado's low shot squirmed under the Gers keeper's hand.
Naismith was denied by the post again before Valencia put a seal on the triumph with a third goal in the final minute from Facundo Costa.
FC Copenhagen and Barcelona remain in pole position to qualify from Group D after playing out a 1-1 draw in Denmark.
Barca took the lead on 31 minutes through Lionel Messi's clinical finish, but Copenhagen levelled two minutes later when Claudemir volleyed home after poor goalkeeping from Victor Valdes.
Rubin Kazan and Panathinaikos both failed to enhance their chances of reaching the last 16 after playing out another dull 0-0 draw.
A fortnight after a goalless stalemate in Greece, nothing could separate the two teams in Russia as Rubin's Aleksandr Rtazantsev was denied by the feet of Pana keeper Alexandros Tzorvas.
Benfica withstood a late rally from last season's semi-finalists Lyon to claim a thrilling 4-3 home success in Group B.
Lyon had seen two goals ruled out before Benfica took the lead on 20 minutes through Alan Kardec's powerful downward header from a free-kick swung in from the left.
The lead was doubled on 31 minutes when Fabio Coentrao volleyed home after a swift break and Javi Garcia headed the third from close range on 43 minutes after Lyon keeper Hugo Lloris had flailed at a corner.
Coentrao scored a delightful fourth midway through the second half following another Benfica break before Lyon pulled a goal back through Yoann Gourcuff 15 minutes from time.
Bafetimbi Gomis reduced the arrears further with five minutes to go before Dejan Lovren scored deep into stoppage-time.
The group's other fixture saw Schalke draw 0-0 away to Hapoel Tel-Aviv to remain in second position.
