ExtraFootie's Rolly Pelovangu reflects on a thrilling (and cold) night in Kiev as holders Barcelona ensured their safe passage into the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League as Group F winners.

There are some things money can't buy, for everything else there is Lionel Messi and Xavi.

Yes, two of the three red-hot favourites to claim the prestigious 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year award axiomatically proved they are rightly in the mix to receive footbal's most prized individual accolade come the end of the month.

Now it is one thing slamming home a hat-trick against Racing Santander in La Liga, or terrorising little Xerez, but what about on a freezing cold-winter's evening in Kiev with your team's is back firmly up against the wall?

Can the likes of Xavi and Messi shine in a blaze of glory then? The answer is an emphatic YES, as the pair stole the show on their way to netting the goals which not only sealed a solid 2-1 win, but also ensured Barca head into next Friday's draw as group winners.

In another telling move, Barca coach Pep Guardiola once again left the ever-frustrated defensive midfielder Yaya Toure on the bench along with striker Thierry Henry for the crucial match.

A complicated group faced a complicated scenario as the hosts Dynamo Kiev had to win in the Ukrainian capital and hope that Inter Milan and Rubin Kazan draw.

Things started well, in fact very well for the Bilo-Syni who took the lead as early as the fifth minute when captain Artem Milevskiy turned the ball home after an Andriy Shevchenko free-kick had caused havoc in the Barca box.

Yet, Barcelona rallied nd grabbed a deserved equaliser just past the half-hour when a trio of players in Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi and Eric Abidal linked up beautifully before the Frenchman whizzed the ball into the box for Xavi to slide home for 1-1.

The goal incidentally was the midfield maestro's 49th for La Blaugrana in his 100th UEFA Champions League appearance.

The second-half could better be described as the Lionel Messi show as the Argentine proved a handful for a Kiev back-line who crept deeper and deeper into their own third as the visitors went for broke.

The winner when it came arrived courtesy of a splendid free-kick, a la anything Cristiano Ronaldo can do, Messi can do better, as his left footed curler crashed off the underside of the bar and into the net in the 85th minute.

Top of the group, three wins, as well as seven goals, and all this when the holders are not even in top gear! No wonder Guardiola was delighted with his men's efforts as they navigated through, what he refered to as a 'terrible group'.

"We reacted well and after the Dynamo goal they barely got past midfield. We have been patient in our movement and have controlled the game," he told the post-match press conference.

"I congratulate all the players because they have made a tremendous effort. The group has been a terrible one and we had to overcome many things. The last team in the group [Kiev], for example, has taken five points."

Check out the best of the action below as the holders march on into the last 16.