Hamburg lead big guns into knockout phase

Hamburg led a trio of former European champions into the UEFA Cup knockout phase yesterday and previous winners Valencia also secured a last 32 place.

Aston Villa and Ajax Amsterdam progressed from Group F along with Hamburg. VfL Wolfsburg and Braga qualified from Group E, joining favourites Milan, CSKA Moscow, Manchester City, St Etienne, Udinese, Galatasaray, Standard Liege, Twente Enschede and Metalist Kharkiv who had already reached the last 32.

Goals from Ivica Olic and Mladen Petric steered Hamburg to a 2-0 win over Slavia Prague and a spot in the next round of the competition.

Olic beat goalkeeper Martin Vaniak from inside the area in the 30th minute after the ball was luckily deflected to him by Slavia defender Marek Suchy following a shot by Petric. Petric added the second from the penalty spot in injury time after Vaniak fouled Hamburg captain David Jarolim and was sent off.

The German club's victory enabled Aston Villa to progress to the next round despite the English side lost 2-1 to MSK Zilina.

Goals from Vladimir Leitner and Peter Styvar put Zilina in control before Nathan Delfouneso pulled one back on his full debut for Martin O'Neill's side.

Wolfsburg are through to the knockout stage after they edged Portsmouth 3-2, a result that confirmed the English side's elimination from the competition.

Edin Dzeko fired the hosts into the lead before Pompey responded with goals from Jermain Defoe and Arnold Mvuemba to turn the match in their favour.

However the Bundesliga side leveled just before half-time through a Christian Gentner goal and Zvjezdan Misimovic struck the winner midway through the second half.

Braga through

Portuguese side Braga were the other team to progress from Group E after goals from Renteria and Luis Aguiar handed them a 2-1 win over SC Heerenveen.

Gerald Sibon scored with a 25-meter free-kick in the 19th minute to put Heerenveen in front. Renteria headed in the equalizer on 35 minutes before Aguiar curled in the winner ten minutes after the interval.

Wolfsburg are top of Group E with nine points, two ahead of Milan and three ahead of Braga.

The remaining nine places will be decided in the last round of group games on Dec. 17 and 18.

The top three in each of the eight groups advance to the knockout phase and will be joined in the last 32 by the eight clubs who finish third in the Champions League group stage.

The UEFA Cup final is in Istanbul on May 20.

Group E

Wolfsburg vs Portsmouth 3-2; Heerenven vs Braga 1-2.

Standings: Wolfsburg 9; Milan 7; Braga 6; Portsmouth 1; Heerenveen 0.

Dec. 17: Portsmouth vs Heerenveen; Milan vs Wolfsburg.

Group F

S. Prague vs Hamburg 0-2; Aston Villa vs Zilina 1-2.

Standings: A. Villa, Hamburg Ajax 6; Zilina 4; S. Prague 1.

Dec. 17: Hamburg vs A. Villa; Ajax vs S. Prague.

Group G

Valencia vs C. Brugge 1-1; FC Copenhagen vs Rosenborg 1-1.

Standings: St Etienne 7; Valencia 5; C. Brugge 3; FC Copenhagen, Rosenborg 2.

Dec. 17: C. Brugge vs FC Copenhagen; St Etienne vs Valencia.

Group H

L. Poznan vs Deportivo 1-1; Nancy vs CSKA Moscow 3-4.

Standings: CSKA Moscow 12; Nancy, Deportivo 4; L. Poznan 2; Feyenoord 0.

Dec. 17: Deportivo vs Nancy; Feyenoord vs L. Poznan.