The Hindu : Sport / Football : Leverkusen advances

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Saturday, Dec 16, 2006
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Leverkusen advances

LONDON: Bayer Leverkusen, Livorno, Osasuna, Lens, and Sporting Braga captured the last five spots for the knockout round of the UEFA Cup football on Thursday.

Leverkusen needed late goals to knock out Besiktas 2-1 while Livorno won 1-0 at Auxerre to eliminate the French club. Osasuna scored a 3-0 victory at group winner Parma, Braga beat Grasshoppers 2-0 to knock out Slovan Liberec, and Lens advanced despite losing 1-0 at Dutch club Heerenveen.

The top three in each of eight groups qualified for Friday's knockout draw at UEFA headquarters at Nyon, Switzerland, and eight clubs who finished third in their Champions League groups join them.

Starting in last place in Group B, Leverkusen captured the third spot from Besiktas by beating the Turkish club 2-1 and eliminating the visitor. The German side qualified for Friday's draw with group winner Tottenham and second place Dinamo Bucharest.

Schneider shines

Until a goal by experienced World Cup player Bernd Schneider 12 minutes from the end, however, Leverkusen appeared to be going out. But Schneider scored from the rebound after goalkeeper Vedran Runje had blocked a penalty by Mirko Babic.

Sergej Barbarez added a second with three minutes to go but a penalty by Brazilian star Ricardinho in the final minute was the only response from Besiktas.

The results: Group A: Livorno bt Auxerre 1-0, Rangers bt Partizan 1-0. Group B: Bayer Leverkusen bt Besiktas 2-1, Tottenham bt Dinamo Bucharest 3-1. Group C: AZ Alkmaar bt Sevilla 2-1. Braga bt Grasshoppers 1-0.

Group D: Osasuna (Spain) 3 bt Parma 3-1. Heerenveen bt Lens 1-0. — AP

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