Europa League, MatchDay #6

The final week of group stage play in UEFA's Europa League commenced on Wednesday with 12 games.

Group D:

At Berlin:

In rare good news amidst a dismal domestic campaign, Hertha Berlin locked up a berth in the knockout stage as Gojko Kacar scored the game's only goal (70') in the hosts' 1-0 win over Sporting, who already locked up top spot in Group D.

At Heerenveen, Netherlands:

In what turned out, due to Hertha Berlin's win, to be a meaningless game, Gerald Sibon scored twice (77', 78') as SC Heerenveen, who would have advanced had Sporting won on the road, brassknuckled visiting FK Ventspils 5-0.

FINAL GROUP D STANDINGS:

1. Sporting (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 11)
2. Hertha Berlin (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 10)
3. SC Heerenveen (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 8)
4. FK Ventspils (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 3)

Sporting and Hertha Berlin will play in the Europa League's round of 32.

Group E:

At Sofia, Bulgaria:

Alessio Cerci doubled (45'+1, 52') as AS Roma secured top spot in Group E with a 3-0 road beatdown of CSKA Sofia.

At Basel, Switzerland:

Bobby Zamora tallied twice late in the first half (42', 45') and Zoltan Gera scored the game winner at 77 minutes as Fulham defeated FC Basel 3-2 on the road to overtake the Swiss club and advance into the Europa League's knockout stage.

FINAL GROUP E STANDINGS:

1. AS Roma (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 13)
2. Fulham (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 11)
3. FC Basel (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 9)
4. CSKA Sofia (GP: 6; GD: -10; PTS: 1)

AS Roma and Fulham advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

At Athens, Greece:

Djibril Cisse doubled (80', 85') as Panathinaikos locked up a berth in the round of 32 with a 3-0 home win over Dinamo Bucharest.

At Graz, Austria:

Despite clinching the bottom of the Group F standings, SK Sturm Graz still blanked Galatasaray, who already laid claim to the top spot in the group, 1-0. Daniel Beichler scored the game's lone goal at 21 minutes.

FINAL GROUP F STANDINGS:

1. Galatasaray (GP: 6; GD: +8; PTS: 13)
2. Panathinaikos (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 9)
3. Dinamo Bucharest (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 6)
4. Sturm Graz (GP: 6; GD: -3; PTS: 4)

Galatasaray and Panathinaikos advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group J:

At Bruges, Belgium:

Ivan Perisic scored the only goal of the match in second-half stoppage time (90'+3) at Club Brugge defeated Toulouse 1-0 to claim a berth in the knockout stage and end the French club's European campaign.

At Belgrade, Serbia:

Despite finishing in the Group J basement, Partizan Belgrade did give the home fans something to cheer about as Lamine Diarra 6th-minute goal held up in the hosts' 1-0 win over knockout-stage-bound Shakhtar Donetsk.

FINAL GROUP J STANDINGS:

1. Shakhtar Donetsk (GP: 6; GD: +11; PTS:13)
2. Club Brugge (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 11)
3. Toulouse (GP: 6; GD: -5; PTS: 7)
4. Partizan Belgrade (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 3)

Shakhtar Donetsk and Club Brugge advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group K:

At Prague, Czech Republic:

Dame N'Doye notched two goals (22', 30') as FC Copenhagen dominated Sparta Prague 3-0 on the road to secure a spot in the knockout stage.

At Cluj-Napoca, Romania:

Danko Lazovic (PK-19') and Nordin Amrabat (68') provided the goalpower that carried PSV Eindhoven, who already locked up Group K, to a 2-0 road win over CFR Cluj.

FINAL GROUP K STANDINGS:

1. PSV Eindhoven (GP: 6; GD: +6; PTS: 14)
2. FC Copenhagen (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS 10)
3. Sparta Prague (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 7)
4. CFR Cluj (GP: 6; GD: -7; PTS: 3)

PSV Eindhoven and FC Copenhagen advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group L:

At Bilbao, Spain:

In a battle of the group two knockout-stage-bound clubs, Claudio Pizarro (13'), Naldo (20'), and Markus Rosenberg (36') each tallied once as Werder Bremen locked up top spot in Group L with a 3-0 road beatdown of Athletic Bilbao.

At Funchal, Portugal:

Ruben Micael scored twice (23', 57') as CD Nacional annihilated visiting Austria Vienna 5-0.

FINAL GROUP L STANDINGS:

1. Werder Bremen (GP: 6; GD: +11; PTS: 16)
2. Athletic Bilbao (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 10)
3. CD Nacional (GP: 6; GD: -1; PTS: 5)
4. Austria Vienna (GP: 6; GD: -12; PTS: 2)

Werder Bremen and Athletic Bilbao advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.