Date:20/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/20/stories/2008122060712200.htm

Sport - Football

Sevilla bows out

LONDON: Sevilla’s bid for a third UEFA Cup title in four years was ended on Thursday by Sampdoria, which progressed to the knockout stage alongside Stuttgart, Tottenham, NEC Nijmegen, Paris Saint-Germain and Olympiakos.

Jonathan Bottinelli’s 75th-minute goal gave Sampdoria a 1-0 win over Sevilla, which was overtaken in Group C by Stuttgart after the German club’s 3-0 win over Standard Liege.

Racing Santander was knocked out on goal difference in Group A when Manchester City, which had already qualified, scored an injury-time consolation goal in a 3-1 loss.

The results: Group A: Paris St. Germain (France) bt FC Twente (Netherlands) 4-0; Racing Santander (Spain) bt Manchester City (England) 3-1. Group B: Olympiakos (Greece) bt Hertha Berlin (Germany) 4-0; Benfica (Portugal) lost to Metalist Kharkiv (Ukraine) 0-1. Group C: Sampdoria (Italy) bt Sevilla (Spain) 1-0; Stuttgart (Germany) bt Standard Liege (Belgium) 3-0. Group D: NEC Nijmegen (Netherlands) bt Udinese (Italy) 2-0; Tottenham (England) drew with Spartak Moscow 2-2. — Agencies