Rangers, Brighton make Europa League last 16

On Thursday, Rangers defeated Real Betis 3-2 thanks to a goal from Kemar Roofe, and Brighton defeated Marseille with a late goal from Joao Pedro.

With 12 minutes remaining and Sparta Prague leading 3-1 against Aris, Rangers, the competition’s runners-up two seasons prior, were on their way out of the tournament and into the Europa Conference League.

However, Roofe bundled the ball home from three yards out to move Rangers from third to first in Group C after a corner was twice unable to clear.

Brighton defeated Marseille 1-0 at home in Group B to avoid a Europa League knockout phase play-off in February.

Pedro showed neat footwork in the box before drilling the ball into the top corner in the 88th minute to score his sixth goal in as many Europa League matches this season.

West Ham finished top of their group as Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez scored in a 2-0 win over Freiburg, who finished second in Group A.

Earlier, a youthful Liverpool side lost 2-1 at Union Saint-Gilloise in their final group game.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp rang the changes with his team already secure as Group E winners and with an eye on the weekend’s Premier League game against rivals Manchester United, starting six players aged 20 or younger.

Saint-Gilloise, who needed a victory to keep alive their hopes of pipping Toulouse to second place, took the lead through Mohamed Amoura before Jarell Quansah hit back for Liverpool.

Two minutes before halftime, Cameron Puertas restored the home team’s lead with a low shot that beat Caoimhin Kelleher at his near post.

Although Toulouse defeated LASK Linz 2-1 in the other group match to finish second, the Belgians advanced to the Europa Conference League play-off round. Klopp substituted Joe Gomez, Ryan Gravenberch, and Darwin Nunez in the second half, but Saint-Gilloise held on for a historic victory.

With a 3-2 victory against Rennes, Villarreal secured first place in Group F and automatic qualification for the round of 16. Dani Parejo scored the game’s late goal.

Azeri club Qarabag finished second in Group H courtesy of a 2-1 success against Haecken.

They were a distant eight points adrift of group winners Bayer Leverkusen, though, as the Bundesliga leaders extended their unbeaten start to the season to 23 matches in all competitions by thrashing Molde 5-1. (AFP)

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