UEFA Cup Group Stage, MatchDay # 4, Continued: Wolfsburg, Braga, Hamburg, Villa, Valencia Claim Knockout Round Berths; Pompey Eliminated

Eight more games were played on Thursday in UEFA Cup group stage action.

Group E:

At Wolfsburg, Germany:

Edin Dzeko (3'), Christian Gentner (23'), and Zvjezden Misimovic (74') provided the goals as VfL Wolfsburg came back from an early 2-1 deficit to defeat visiting Portsmouth 3-2 to lock up a berth in the knockout stage. The loss eliminated Pompey from European competition.

At Heerenveen, Netherlands:

Sporting Braga locked up a Round of 32 berth with a 2-1 road win over SC Heerenveen. Renteria (35') and Luis Aguiar (56') each tallied once for the winners.

GROUP E STANDINGS:

1. VfL Wolfsburg* (GP: 3; GD: +6; PTS: 9)
2. AC Milan* (GP: 3; GD: +3; PTS: 7)
3. Sporting Braga* (GP: 4; GD: +2; PTS: 6)
4. Portsmouth# (GP: 3; GD: -4; PTS: 1)
5. SC Heerenveen# (GP: 3; GD: -7; PTS: 0)

*Advanced to UEFA Cup knockout stage
#Eliminated from European conpetition

Group F:

At Prague, Czech Republic:

Goals from Ivica Olic (30') and Mladen Petric (PK-90'+4) lifted Hamburg to a 2-0 road win over Slavia Prague that clinched a knockout stage berth for the German club while eliminating the Czech club from European competition.

At Birmingham, England:

Vladimir Leitner (16') and Peter Styvar (19') each tallied once as MSK Zilina stunned Aston Villa on the road 2-0. Nevertheless, the Slovakian club was still eliminated from European competition while the Villans still advanced to the knockout stage.

GROUP F STADINGS:

1. Hamburg* (GP: 3; GD: +2; PTS: 6)
2. Aston Villa* (GP: 3; GD: +1; PTS: 6)
3. Ajax Amsterdam* (GP: 3; GD: +1; PTS: 6)
4. MSK Zilina# (GP: 4; GD: -1; PTS: 4)
5. Slavia Prague# (GP: 3; GD: -3; PTS: 1)

*Advanced to UEFA Cup knockout stage
#Eliminated from European competition

Group G:

AT Valencia, Spain:
Nikola Zigic's equalizer at 60 minutes enabled Valencia to advance to the knockout stage with a 1-1 home deadlock with Club Brugge. Antolin Alcaraz scored at 18 minutes for the Belgium club.

At Mikael Antonsson's late equalizer (85') lifted FC Copenhagen to a 1-1 home stalemate with Rosenborg to keep their shot advancing to the knockout stage alive, while eliminating the Norwegian club from European competition.

GROUP G STANDINGS:

1. Saint-Etienne* (GP: 3; GD: +5; PTS: 7)
2. Valencia* (GP: 3; GD: +4; PTS: 5)
3. Club Brugge (GP: 3; GD: 0; PTS: 3)
4. FC Copenhagen (GP: 3; GD: -2; PTS: 2)
5. Rosenborg# (GP: 4; GD: -7; PTS: 2)

*Advanced to the UEFA Cup group stage
#Eliminated from European competition

Group H:

At Poznan, Poland:

Hernan Rengifo's 42nd-minute equalizer lifted KKS Lech Poznan to a 1-1 home deadlock with Deportivo La Coruna that kept both clubs alive for a shot at advancing to the knockout stage. Diego Colotto put the Spanish club ahead early with his goal at 2 minutes.

At Nancy, France:

Vagner Love's hat trick (23', 62', 88') lifted CSKA Moscow to a 4-3 road win over AS Nancy to become only the fifth club to finish group stage play with a maximum of 12 points. Despite the loss, the French club still has a shot at advancing to the knockout stage.

GROUP G STANDINGS:

1. CSKA Moscow** (GP: 4; GD: +7; PTS: 12)
2. AS Nancy (GP: 3; GD: +2; PTS: 4)
3. Deportivo La Coruna (GP: 3; GD: 0; PTS: 4)
4. KKS Lech Poznan (GP: 3; GD: -1; PTS: 2)
5. Feyenoord Rotterdam# (GP: 3; GD: -8; PTS: 0)

**Won group and advanced to the UEFA Cup group stage
#Eliminated from European competition