Spurs, Liverpool win through to knockouts

English sides Liverpool and Tottenham are through to the knockout stage of the Europa League after beating Udinese and Panathinaikos yesterday.

Steaua Bucharest, Stuttgart and FC Basel claimed the remaining berths in the last 32 to be played in February.

In Italy, Jordan Henderson scored midway through the first half to help Liverpool to a 1- 0 win, avenging the 3- 2 loss to Udinese in October.

When Young Boys of Switzerland beat already- qualified Anzhi Makhachkala of Russia 3- 1, Liverpool won Group A.

All three teams finished on 10 points, but Liverpool had the best head- to- head record, followed by Anzhi.

Stuttgart advanced despite an embarrassing 1- 0 defeat at home to Molde, edging Copenhagen on headto- head.

Udinese had a couple of decent chances before Liverpool took the lead in the 23rd minute with its first real opportunity.

Luis Suarez headed on a corner and Suso passed it back for Henderson to rifle in.

It almost ended badly for Liverpool in stoppage time as Antonio Di Natale sent a shot skimming over the crossbar with the last kick of the game.

In Switzerland, Gonzalo Zarate gave Young Boys the lead in the 38th when his initial shot ricocheted around the area and back to him to slot home from a tight angle.

Anzhi Makhachkala levelled in first- half stoppage time, but Moreno Costanzo doubled Young Boys’ lead eight minutes after the break, and Alexander Gonzalez added a third in stoppage time.

Lazio finished as Group J winners after a 4- 1 win over Maribor. The Italian side progressed with Tottenham, which won 3- 1 over Panathinaikos.

In the tight Group E, Steaua needed only a point to advance and was reduced to 10 men at the start of the second half when Cristian Tanase was sent off for a second yellow card.

Raul Rusescu gave it the lead with a stunning shot from outside the area which took a slight deflection as it curled into the right side of the goal.

Copenhagen levelled three minutes from time through Igor Vetokele, but it was too little too late.

At Stuttgart, Davy Claude Angan ran from inside his own half to score the only goal in first- half stoppage time for Norway’s Molde.

FC Basel went through after a goalless draw against alreadyqualified Genk.