Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur both advanced to the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League as winners of their groups on Thursday, as the likes of ACF Fiorentina, Olympique de Marseille and RSC Anderlecht also progressed to the round-of-32.
However, the two English representatives — who will be joined in the draw for the next round by Manchester United after their UEFA Champions League exit — concluded their group-stage campaigns in contrasting fashion.
Enjoying an excellent campaign in the Premier League, Tottenham clinched top spot in Group J by outclassing AS Monaco 4-1 at White Hart Lane in London.
Photo: Reuters
Erik Lamela was the hero for Spurs, the Argentine netting a first-half hat-trick to put Mauricio Pochettino’s side out of sight before Stephan El Shaarawy got one back for the visitors.
Tom Carroll added the fourth goal for Tottenham late on and they go through with Anderlecht, who beat Qarabag 2-1 in Brussels in the other game in the group.
Last season’s Champions League quarter-finalists Monaco are out of Europe altogether.
Liverpool advanced to the knockout stages as winners of their group after a 0-0 draw with Sion in the bitter chill of Switzerland.
Juergen Klopp’s side had already progressed so the German handed starts to the likes of Kolo Toure, Divock Origi and young leftback Brad Smith against opponents who required a point to confirm their own qualification.
Smith’s performance was one of the biggest plusses in a game of few chances played in freezing temperatures and it was a result that suited both teams.
Liverpool finished top of Group B after going unbeaten through their six games, while Sion advanced as well, although even a defeat would have sufficed for them because Rubin Kazan drew 2-2 at Girondins de Bordeaux in the other match.
“It was difficult; the ground was very difficult to play and for both teams the first thing to do was show you were prepared for a game like this, and that is what my team did,” Klopp said.
“I am really satisfied, no one is injured, and they were very focused and concentrated on the game,” he said.
Serie A high-flyers Fiorentina confirmed their place in the round-of-32 with a 1-0 win at home to Belenenses of Portugal, Khouma Babacar scoring the only goal of the game.
La Viola progressed in second place in Group I behind Swiss club Basel, who were 1-0 winners away to Lech Poznan.
It was a good night for Italian clubs, with already-qualified SS Lazio drawing 1-1 away to AS Saint-Etienne in France and SSC Napoli making it six wins from six in Group D with a 5-2 thumping of Legia Warsaw.
In a game marred by trouble between rival fans, Nathaniel Chalobah, Lorenzo Insigne, Jose Callejon and a double from Dries Mertens handed Serie A’s third-placed side a convincing win.
Augsburg joined fellow Bundesliga sides Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 in advancing by virtue of a 3-1 success against Partizan in Serbia.
The hosts took the lead, but the Bavarians, struggling domestically this season, turned the game around with Hong Jeon-ho, captain Paul Verhaegh and Raul Bobadilla scoring.
Schalke ended the group stage unbeaten after a 4-0 victory away to Asteras Tripolis in Group K, but already-qualified Dortmund lost 1-0 at home to PAOK in Group C.
The German trio will be joined in the round-of-32 by Bayer 04 Leverkusen, who were eliminated from the Champions League in midweek.
Celtic finished without a win in Group A after a 1-1 draw with Fenerbahce in Istanbul that took the Turkish side through.
Lazar Markovic, on loan from Liverpool, put the hosts ahead, but they had the Brazilian midfielder Diego sent off before Kris Commons came off the bench to secure a point for the already-eliminated Scottish champions.
Other sides to go through on Thursday night were Midtjylland of Denmark, who drew 1-1 with Club Brugge KV; Olympique de Marseille, who triumphed 4-2 away at Slovan Liberec; Lokomotiv Moscow, who beat Albania’s Skenderbeu Korce 3-0; and Portugal’s Sporting, who downed Besiktas of Turkey 3-1.
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