By Soccernet
Liverpool were sent tumbling out of the Champions League
on Tuesday night after Fiorentina secured their progress to the
knockout stage at the expense of the 2005 champions.
David Ngog scored the only goal as Liverpool
battled to a 1-0
win over Group E minnows
Debrecen, but the result was academic as a Juan
Vargas penalty in Florence took
the three points Fiorentina
needed as they beat Lyon to reach the last 16 for
the first time.
Liverpool, who conclude their Champions League campaign against
Fiorentina at Anfield next month, must now content themselves with
a place in the Europa League.
Arsenal secured a place in the last 16 with
a 2-0
win over Standard Liege at
Emirates Stadium. First-half goals from Samir Nasri and Denilson,
smashing in a 30-yard strike, set the Gunners on their way to the
knockout stages for the tenth campaign in succession as they won
Group H with a match to spare.
In the group's other game, AZ Alkmaar slipped
meekly out of the competition with a
goalless draw at home to
Olympiakos. Ronald Koeman's side needed a win to
keep alive any hope of progressing after taking just two points
from their opening four games, but they were unable to find a way
past visiting goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis as Olympiakos moved
three points clear of third-placed Standard with one game
remaining.
Holders Barcelona moved two points clear at the
top of Group F after producing a classy
display to defeat Inter Milan at
Camp Nou. Barca could have found themselves out of the competition
if results had gone against them but Pep Guardiola's side are now
within touching distance of a place in the last 16 after brushing
aside Inter thanks to early goals from Gerard Pique and Pedro
Rodriguez.
The result leaves Barca on eight points after five games, two
clear of Inter and Rubin Kazan and three above
Dynamo Kiev - who played out a
goalless draw with Rubin in Tuesday's other Group
F contest.
Rangers crashed out of Europe with a dispiriting home defeat to
Stuttgart in their penultimate Group G match.
There will not even be the consolation of a Europa League spot for
Walter Smith's side after a routine dismantling by the German side,
who scored either side of the break through midfielders Sebastian
Rudy and Zdravko Kuzmanovic.
A calamitous Ivica Dragutinovic headed own goal inflicted
Sevilla's first defeat in the tournament this
season as Unirea Urziceni remained on course for a
place in the next round with a 1-0
win. Despite a host of further chances, the
second-placed Romanians had to be content with the solitary goal
and meet Stuttgart in their final Group G game next month as they
bid to join Sevilla in the knockout stages.
