3 minute read
Liverpool joined Brighton and West Ham in booking their place in the knockout stages of the Europa League with a 4-0 rout of LASK on Thursday night.
With Toulouse and Union Saint-Gilloise playing out a 0-0 draw in the group's other fixture, Jurgen Klopp's side confirmed themselves as Group E winners with a game to spare, avoiding the threat of a round of 32 play-off in February.
Early goals from Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo were followed by a second-half Mohamed Salah penalty – his 199th goal for the club – before Gakpo added his second of the night in stoppage time.
In the earlier games, Brighton and West Ham both made sure of progress, although the battle for top spot in their groups will go to the final games.
European new boys Brighton will continue their adventure into next year after Joao Pedro's 55th minute penalty earned a 1-0 win over AEK Athens in Greece, despite Albion being second best for much of the night.
Pedro stepped up after VAR judged he was fouled by Damian Szymanski, and Athens were reduced to 10 men in the 65th minute when Mijat Gacinovic earned a second yellow card.
However, Roberto De Zerbi's men remain a point behind Group B leaders Marseille, who beat 10-man Ajax 4-3 thanks to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang completing his hat-trick in stoppage time.
The Hammers are also through after the in-form Tomas Soucek struck yet another late goal, getting an 89th minute winner to beat Backa Topola 1-0.
West Ham will go head-to-head with Freiburg in two weeks' time to decide who tops Group A after the Germans thrashed Olympiacos 5-0 as Michael Gregoritsch scored a first-half hat-trick.
Rangers missed a chance to secure their progress as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Aris Limassol, needing teenager Ross McCausland's first goal for the club to salvage a point that leaves them with work to do away to Group C leaders Real Betis in the final fixture.
Rangers sit second, one point behind Betis and one above Sparta Prague, who earlier beat the Spaniards 1-0 courtesy of Lukas Haraslin's curling strike in the 54th minute.
Jose Mourinho's Roma limped through as they were held to a 1-1 draw away to Servette, with Romelu Lukaku's early goal cancelled out by Chris Bedia in the second half.
That means Slavia Prague will go into the final fixtures two points clear at the top of Group G after Muhamed Tijani's penalty five minutes into stoppage time earned a 3-2 win away to Sheriff Tiraspol.
Rennes are also through to the knockout stages after a 3-0 away win over Maccabi Haifa in Budapest, with Martin Terrier, Amine Gouri and Fabian Rieder getting the goals.
Villarreal will follow Rennes out of Group F as they held off a second-half comeback from Panathinaikos to win 3-2.
Atalanta were confirmed as Group D winners with a 1-1 draw against second-placed Sporting, who levelled through Marcus Edwards early in the second half after Gianluca Scamacca had put Atalanta ahead.
The other group game saw Rakow Czestochowa win 1-0 away to Sturm Graz.
In Group H, Bayer Leverkusen wrapped up top spot with a 2-0 win away to whipping boys Hacken, while Molde and Qarabag remain level on points in the fight for second place after a 2-2 draw in Norway.