LONDON — AS Roma finished second in UEFA Europa League Group G after beating Moldovan side Sheriff Tiraspol 3-0, 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, Reuters reported.
The eight group winners earn a direct place in the last 16 whereas finishing in second only gets a team a playoff match against the clubs that drop into the Europa League as third-place finishers in Champions League groups.
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 completed the Europa League group stage with a 5-1 rout of Norwegian club Molde on Thursday to remain unbeaten across all competitions this season.
The Bundesliga leader finished as the only team with a perfect record in Europe´s second-tier tournament with six wins from six in Group H after conceding just three goals and scoring 19.
Patrik Schick and Edmond Tapsoba scored and Martin Ellingsen’s own goal made it 3-0 before halftime in Germany. Adam Hlozek added two more in the second half for Xabi Alonso´s team.
Leverkusen extended its unbeaten streak to 23 games, which includes 14 in the Bundesliga. The team also has won three matches to reach the quarterfinals of the German Cup.
Qarabag took second place in the group for a spot in a Europa League knockout stage for the first time after a 2-1 win over Hacken.
Leverkusen, Premier League leader Liverpool and Atalanta had already qualified for the round of 16 before the final round of games.
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.
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