MANCHESTER, England (AP)—AC Milan eased past FC Zurich into the UEFA Cup group stage Thursday along with two-time champion Tottenham.
Borussia Dortmund, the 1997 Champions League winner, was eliminated by Udinese 4-3 on penalty kicks, but Hamburg, Stuttgart, Schalke and Wolfsburg will form a strong German representation.
Four Spanish teams—2006 and ‘07 champion Sevilla, league leader Valencia, Real Santander and Deportivo La Coruna—also marched into the next phase, as did Manchester City, Portsmouth, Everton and Spurs from the Premier League.
Andriy Shevchenko scored his first goal since returning to Milan—the only one of the night—to secure the seven-time European Cup champion’s passage 4-1 on aggregate. Sampdoria is the third Serie A team of the 40 in Tuesday’s draw.
Tottenham eased the pressure on under-fire manager Juande Ramos by completing a 3-1 aggregate win with a 1-1 draw at Wisla Krakow and will join Manchester City in the next phase after the newly enriched Premier League club repeated its 2-1 first-leg victory over Omonia Nicosia.
Aston Villa was held 1-1 by Litex Lovech, but was carried through 4-2 on aggregate. Standard Liege defeated Everton 2-1 to take the two-leg series 4-3. Portsmouth had surrendered its 2-0 first-leg cushion within 32 minutes against Guimaraes, but Peter Crouch scored twice in extra time for the FA Cup winner to leave Portugal 4-2 aggregate victors.
Stuttgart drew 2-2 with Cherno More Varna, but progressed 4-3 past the Bulgaria; Schalke had a comfortable 4-1 first-leg advantage over Apoel Nicosia and played out a 1-1 draw; Wolfsburg tied Rapid Bucharest 1-1 to oust the Romanians 2-1 on aggregate; and after a scoreless first leg Hamburg overcame Unirea Valahorum Urziceni 2-0 in Romania.
Benfica turned around a 3-2 first-leg loss to beat Napoli 2-0, with goals from Jose Antonio Reyes and Nuno Gomes.
Milan, the favorite to lift the UEFA Cup next May, didn’t need to exert itself to defend its 3-1 lead from the first leg at the San Siro two weeks ago.
Ukraine striker Shevchenko timed his run to beat the offside trap and collect Ronaldinho’s flicked pass before slipping his shot under Zurich goalkeeper Johnny Leoni.
“I’m extremely happy that I’ve finally done it,” Shevchenko said after scoring for the first time since returning to Milan from Chelsea in August. “Every time it seemed something was preventing me from scoring. Today again, the goalkeeper blocked my shot at the start. Even though I could have done better, the goal finally came and it’s a big step for me.
“I’m still seeking my best form.”
Tottenham’s progression was secured by Arkadiusz Glowacki’s own-goal in the 58th minute.
As Gareth Bale swung in a low cross from the left, Fraizer Campbell was almost clinging to defender Glowacki, forcing the Wisla captain to clip the ball inside the far post.
The Poles equalized when Pawel Brozek lobbed the onrushing Brazil goalkeeper, who made amends in the 87th by repelling the striker’s header while on his knees.
Spurs, who are last in the Premier League after its worst domestic start in 53 years, held on in the anxious closing moments.Eleven minutes later, Serb forward Jovanovic ran through the Everton defense and was brought down by Leighton Baines in the center of the penalty area. He stepped up to convert the penalty himself.
Four-time European champion Ajax breezed past Borac 2-0 to advance 6-1 on aggregate.
While Sampdoria rallied to beat Kaunas 2-1, the Italians’ passage was never in doubt thanks to its 5-0 victory two weeks ago.
Spartak Moscow side defended its 1-0 first-leg advantage with a 1-1 draw.
Two-time winner Feyenoord went through on away goals, recovering from a 1-0 first-leg deficit to beat Kalmar 2-1.
Former England manager Steve McClaren steered FC Twente through 2-2 on away goals, after the Dutch side recovered a 2-1 loss at Rennes.
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