ROME:AS Roma finished second in Europa League Group G after beating Moldovan side Sheriff Tiraspol 3-0 on Thursday, courtesy of first-half goals from Romelu Lukaku and Andrea Belotti and a late strike by Niccolo Pisilli.
Slavia Prague held on to top spot in the group with a scintillating home performance to crush Servette 4-0 with first-half goals from David Doudera, Ivan Schranz, and a brace from Mojmir Chytil.
Liverpool, confirmed in the round of 16 as top of Group E, lost 2-1 to Union SG, who failed to reach the knockout play-offs as Toulouse became the runners-up thanks to a 2-1 win over LASK Linz.
Union’s Mohammed Amoura opened the scoring against Liverpool, who rested several key players. Jarell Quansah equalised seven minutes later but Cameron Puertas secured the victory for Union just before halftime.
Lukaku scored for Roma after 11 minutes by being in the right place at the right time to tap in Nicola Zalewski’s cross from a short distance.
After 32 minutes, Belotti extended the lead for the home side by heading the ball into an open net, capitalising on a rebound from Zalewski’s volley which had initially been clawed away by Sheriff keeper Maxym Koval.
Pisilli added the third goal deep into stoppage time with a low shot into the bottom corner.
Roma ended with 13 points, two behind Slavia Prague, and will move into the play-off rounds.
Group H winners Bayer Leverkusen ended Molde’s hopes of reaching the play-offs with a 5-1 thrashing that included an own goal from Molde midfielder Martin Ellingsen. Qarabag finished runners-up in the group instead, after a 2-1 win over bottom-placed Hacken.
In a pulsating Group F clash, Villarreal won 3-2 away to Stade Rennais to snatch top spot from the hosts on 13 points, one clear of the French side.
Rennes thought they had earned a dramatic draw but the VAR disallowed Lorenz Assignon’s last-gasp goal for offside.
Maccabi Haifa won 2-1 at Panathinaikos to finish third and enter the Europa Conference League knockout play-offs.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - Reuters)