Palermo outclass West Ham to progress

Former European champions Olympique Marseille suffered a humiliating 4-3 UEFA Cup exit to Mlada Boleslav yesterday to miss out on the group stage.

The Czech league leaders, 1-0 down from the first leg in France, appeared down and out when Marseille went 2-1 up on the night but Mlada stormed back.

They scored three second-half goals and secured a 4-3 aggregate victory and their passage with a stoppage time header from substitute Tomas Sedlacek.

Schalke 04, who lifted the trophy in 1997, also bowed out as French side Nancy overturned a 1-0 first-leg defeat to win 3-1 at home.

Marseille, twice beaten UEFA Cup finalists, seemed in control of their tie thanks to goals from Toifilou Maoulida and Taye Taiwo either side of a Lubos Pecka strike.

It left Mlada, who lost in the third qualifying round of the Champions League to Galatasaray, needing to score three times.

Substitute Radim Holub gave Mlada hope four minutes after coming on early in the second half and his second eight minutes from time set up a frantic finale, capped by Sedlackek's winner.

"It was a collective failure. It should have been a simple match," Marseille chairman Papa Diouf told the club's website.

"We took the lead early, we even led for a second time in the match.

"This is a day which will serve as a lesson for everybody. The players have to tell themselves you do not win a match without showing some humility."

Two goals in a seven-minute spell midway through the first half from Brazilian defender Andre Luiz and Uruguayan striker Gaston Curbelo set French Cup holders Nancy on their way to victory over Schalke, who have made a flying start to the Bundesliga season.

Issiar Dia made it 3-0 before Marcelo Bordon got one back but Schalke's woes were compounded by striker Gerald Asamoah breaking his left leg.

Twice winners Parma qualified when a goal by 18-year-old striker Daniele Paponi gave them a 1-0 win over Russian side Rubin Kazan to go through 2-0 on aggregate.

Palermo reached the group stage of the competition when they outclassed West Ham United 3-0 to complete a 4-0 win on aggregate.

Two goals by midfielder Fabio Simplicio and one by striker David Di Michele gave the home side a comfortable win, though an entertaining contest was overshadowed by the arrest of 20 West Ham fans in clashes with rival supporters and police earlier in the day.

The Premier League side started aggressively at Palermo's Renzo Barbera stadium, with strikers Marlon Harewood and Carlton Cole forcing reflex saves from keeper Alberto Fontana.

But in the 35th minute a deflected shot from outside the area by Simplicio crept in at the post to put the home side ahead.

The Brazilian got his second goal just after the hour mark, latching on to Di Michele's crossfield pass before running into the area and lobbing West Ham keeper Roy Carroll.

Di Michele wrapped up the tie for the Italians soon after, breaking the offside trap and sliding the ball between Carroll's legs.

Tottenham, Newcastle through

Tottenham Hotspur were also through after beating Slavia Prague 1-0 (Keane) at White Hart Lane to complete a 2-0 aggregate win.

Goals from Benny McCarthy and Bentley put Blackburn in the group stages after ousting Austria's Salzburg 4-2 on aggregate.

Obafemi Martins struck twice as Newcastle beat Levadia, of Estonia, 2-1 to go through 3-1 on aggregate.

Hapoel Tel Aviv marked the return of international competition in Israel with a 3-1 win (4-1 aggregate) over Chornomorets Odessa at the Bloomfield Stadium.