Hamburg - Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam, Belgium club Anderlecht and Hapoel Tel Aviv on Thursday closed in on a place in the knock-out stage of the Europa League with good victories. Former Champions League winners Ajax won their Group A game 2-0 at Dinamo Zagreb, who had a man sent off in both halves, while Anderlecht beat Timisoara 3-1 in the other group match.
The two winners top the group with eight points from their four games - five more than Zagreb.
Hapoel have an even bigger lead in Group C after their 3-0 victory at Rapid Vienna. The Israeli club is on nine points, while SV Hamburg are second with seven points after being held to a goalless draw by visiting Celtic.
In Group B Italian Serie A club Genoa stayed in the hunt for a place in the next round after beating Lille 3-2 with a last-gasp goal to move to six points - just one point behind the French club.
Valencia are also on six points after playing to a 2-2 draw at Slavia Prague in a game that saw both sides having a man sent off.
Beleaguered Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin put their woeful Bundesliga form aside with a 3-2 victory at Heerenveen to move to four points in Group D.
Although leaders Sporting Lisbon have a comfortable lead at the top of the table with ten points after playing to a 1-1 draw at home against Ventspils, they are not yet assured of a place in the next round.
Hertha's coach Friedhelm Funkel said that his side deserved the victory. "The team believed in themselves and were rewarded at the end. We did not only fight, we also created chances."
AS Roma came from behind against Premier League club Fulham to register a 2-1 victory in their Group E game to move above the visitors on seven points.
Fulham, who ended the game with nine men after having Erik Nevland sent off shortly after the restart and Paul Konchesky being red carded in injury time, stay on five points and are now four points behind leaders Basel, who beat CSKA Sofia 3-1.
Both games in Group F ended in away wins, with Galatasaray's 3-0 victory at Dinamo Bucharest ensuring them a place in the next round, while Panathinaikos, who won 1-0 at Sturm Graz are also virtually guaranteed a place in the next round.
