PastyHusty

I usually don't watch many UEFA Cup matches solely because of that. As much as I'll support British teams in Europe, I don't often like the ones in the UEFA Cup (Liverpool often are) This year is a bit different, but I think Newcastle are being given more coverage than Middlesbrough.. Unfair as it's Boro's first European season.

ForeverInLoveWithJus

I guess its because Newcastle are deemed a more attractive club...

PastyHusty

Group Phase 4 (A-D)
Group A
Ferencvaros 1-2 Basel
Feyenoord 2-1 Schalke

1. Feyenoord. 7.
2. Schalke. 7.
3. Basel. 4.
4. Hearts. 3.
5. Ferencvaros. 1.

Feyenoord book their place in the next round (along with Schalke) with a match to spare. In the last match they travel to Basel - a match the Swiss will need to win. Hearts .v. Ferencvaros will be the battle to go through if Basel fail to win. Personally, I think Hearts have the best chance.

Group B
Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Steaua Bucharest
Besiktas 1-1 Standard Liege

1. Athletic Bilbao. 6.
2. Steaua Bucharest. 6.
3. Besiktas. 4.
4. Standard Liege. 4.
5. Parma. 3.

One of the most intresting groups going into the last matchday. Any team could go through and any could go out. Steaua have played all 4 and so will have to hope that results go their way. Ideally for them, Parma - Besiktas would be a draw. Bilbao travel to Standard needing to win to go through in 1st place (as a draw plus Besiktas winning would place Besiktas top) but just a draw will do for Bilbao to qualify in 1st or 2nd. The other 3 teams know that a win may be the only result that will do.

Group C
Austria Vienna 1-1 Club Brugge
Real Zaragoza 2-1 Dnipro

1. Dnipro. 9.
2. Real Zaragoza. 6.
3. Club Brugge. 4.
4. Austria Vienna. 4.
5. Utrecht. 0.

Dnipro have finished all their games, but they were through already. Utrecht entertain Vienna at home on Matchday 5, but they are playing for pride and with no pressure, thus I think Club Brugge and Real Zaragoza will go through.

Group D
Panionios 5-2 Dinamo Tbilisi
Sporting Lisbon 0-1 Sochaux

1. Newcastle United. 9.
2. Sporting Lisbon. 6.
3. Sochaux. 6.
4. Panionios. 3.
5. Dinamo Tbilisi. 0

Tbilisi finish their campaign with a 4th successive defeat and score their first goals of the group stage. There are allegations over match-fixing in that game though - personally, the score does seem a bit dodgy to me. Lisbon's defeat to Sochaux was a bit shocking, considering how differently both had been playing up until then. Despite Panionios still able to catch Sporting matchematically, it's highly unlikely if you look at their GD's. Newcastle and Sporting meet on the final matchday, while Sochaux and Panionios fight it out for 3rd place. I see the French team winning.

ForeverInLoveWithJus

I would love to see Hearts going through!

PastyHusty

Group Phase 4 (E-H)
Group E
Egaleo 2-2 Lazio
Partizan Belgrade 1-1 Villarreal

1. Middlesbrough. 6.
2. Partizan Belgrade. 5.
3. Villarreal. 5.
4. Lazio. 3.
5. Egaleo. 1.

Without kicking a ball last Thursday, Boro went through. Lazio's failure to win means they can't quality, as they've played all 4 matches. They're poor league form isn't likely to be a blip, as shown by their also poor European form - drawing against a poor Greek team is bad..
The last group games will simply decide who finishes where in the top 3, which will decide where each team will be in next Friday's draw.

Group F
AZ Alkmaar 1-0 Rangers
Auxerre 5-1 Amica Wronki

1. AZ Alkmaar. 9.
2. Rangers. 6.
3. Auxerre. 4.
4. Grazer AK. 4.
5. Amica Wronki. 0.

Amica Wronki have finished their group games, so no more thrashings for them this season! AZ Alkmaar have a very different European record though, with 9 points from 3 matches. They're through and need just a point to finish in 1st place when they play Grazer AK next week. Rangers travel to France needing just a point to go through.

Group G
Beveren 0-3 Benfica
Dinamo Zagreb 2-2 Heerenveen

1. Benfica. 9
2. Stuttgart. 6.
3. Dinamo Zagreb. 4.
4. Heerenveen. 4.
5. Beveren. 0

Benfica have now qualified for the next round and have completed all their matches, which means they need Stuttgart to draw or lose in order to finish top, otherwise it'll be Stuttgart in 1st. Stuttgart are up against Dinamo Zagreb at home, so I imagine it'll be a win for them. Heerenveen have a home match against Beveren, so I imagine they shall win by at least 3 goals.

Group H
Aachen 2-2 Zenit
Sevilla 3-2 AEK Athens

1. Sevilla. 7.
2. Lille. 6.
3. Zenit. 5.
4. Aachen. 4.
5. AEK Athens. 0.

Sevilla's late winner against AEK has placed them into the next round only because Zenit have played 4 times, and so can't overtake them.Lille are also through, as even if they lose against Sevilla and Aachen win, they'll be 3rd ahead of Zenit. Aachen need to win to go through, as a draw will leave them 4th on GD. They won't have it easy in Athens, even though the Greek team have been eliminated already.

PastyHusty

Middlesbrough look like they'll be able to qualify from Group E in 1st place. They currently lead Partizan Belgrade, 2-0 and it could have easily been 4 or 5. Partizan have been a bit sloppy at the back. Combining that with a hard working Boro side means that Boro created plenty of chances from themselves. Neither of the goals were spectacular, just well worked. Job should have added a 3rd at the end of another well worked move, but the Partizan keeper was on hand to save their day (for now)

Rangers aren't having such a good night. They're 1-0 down at home to Auxerre. Grazer AK are currently 1-0 up at home to AZ Alkmaar, so atm Rangers will be 4th in the group. Even if Rangers lost, a draw for Alkmaar would be enough to send them through.

ForeverInLoveWithJus

Its not looking good for Rangers, I would have thought they would have done better. I forgot about these games to be honest.

DrTagnian

Don't underestimate Auxerre. When they really need to win, they're capable of winning.

Go Holland! Five Dutch teams will continue in the CL/UEFA Cup.

PastyHusty

Group Phase 5 (E-H)
Group E
Middlesbrough 3-0 Partizan Belgrade
Villarreal 4-0 Egaleo

1. Middlesbrough. 9.
2. Villarreal. 8.
3. Partizan Belgrade. 5.
4. Lazio. 3.
5. Egaleo. 1.

Middlesbrough secure top spot with their convincing win over Partizan. Villarreal had no problems against Egaleo, as I expected.

Group F
Grazer AK 2-0 AZ Alkmaar
Rangers 0-2 Auxerre

1. AZ Alkmaar. 9.
2. Auxerre. 7.
3. Grazer AK. 7.
4. Rangers. 6.
5. Amica Wronki. 0.

I really can't believe Rangers didn't make it.. After matchday 3 they had 6 points from 2 matches and a GD of +8. They had 2 of the best results in the group, but missed out by a point.. Grazer AK's 2-0 win over Alkmaar seems like a result that might have been obtained against a weaker Alkmaar team, considering they had qualified. If only Rangers had drawn in Holland 2 weeks ago.

Group G
Heerenveen 1-0 Beveren
Stuttgart 2-1 Dinamo Zagreb

1. Stuttgart. 9.
2. Benfica. 9.
3. Heerenveen. 7.
4. Dinamo Zagreb. 4.
5. Beveren. 0.

I'm surprised that Beveren didn't get a thrashing. Benfica lost 1st place on GD, which means they'll be up against a team dumped out of the CL.

Group H
AEK Athens 0-2 Aachen
Lille 1-0 Sevilla

1. Lille. 9.
2. Sevilla. 7.
3. Aachen. 7.
4. Zenit. 5.
5. AEK Athens. 0.

Aachen are really doing well for a lower league German team! To go to Athens and win 2-0 is an impressive result, but their tie in the next round will be a real test as it'll be against a group winner.

Duffyboy

Congratulations to Glasgow Rangers. WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT!

Not even HOUDINI could have escaped the UEFA cup in those circumstances, needing only ONE point from SIX!