Moscow out of UEFA Cup
LONDON — Roma, Bolton, Basel and Heerenveen advanced to the next phase of the UEFA Cup yesterday, while defending champion CSKA Moscow was eliminated without even playing.
Seventeen clubs have qualified for the knockout phase of European soccer's second-tier competition and another eight have been relegated from the Champions League. The final seven will be decided today.
CSKA Moscow was eliminated when Heerenveen claimed the final berth from Group F with a 2-1 victory over Levski Sofia. CSKA needed help from two teams, and Marseille did its part with a 2-1 victory over Dinamo Bucharest. But Levski's loss left CSKA in fourth place with four points, one behind Heerenveen.
The Dutch club will join Marseille and Levski in the next round.
CSKA Moscow was dropped into the UEFA Cup last year after being eliminated from the Champions League and went on to win Russia's first European club title.