UEFA cup, league stage day 4

Villarreal and Sevilla are both through to the third round after good results on Thursday. A Villarreal side packed with youngsters went ahead early on against Partizan Belgrade when Cazorla picked up a pass from Xisco to score, but ex Alavés midfielder Tomic levelled the scores at 1-1 from the penalty spot after the break. However a draw between Egaleo and Lazio in the other group match means that the Spaniards and the Serbians both go through to the last 32 together with Middlesbrough.

Sevilla also qualified for the next round after beating AEK Athens 3-2, although it took a last minute penalty from Baptista to do so. The Andalusians went behind when Lyberopoulos scored for the visitors in the tenth minute, but Baptista equalised soon afterwards and Antoñito put them in front before the break. Giorgiopoulos levelled the scores again though just a minute after the restart, and it looked as if Caparrós's side would have to win their last match at Lille before Baptista's late saviour. (02.12.04)

Home victories for the two Spanish sides who kicked off day four of the new-look league stage of the UEFA cup. Athletic Bilbao beat Steaua Bucharest 1-0, the only goal of the match coming from Etxeberría on the stroke of half time with a spectacular volley after Urzaiz set him up.

And Zaragoza came from a goal down to beat Ukrainian side Dnipro 2-1 in a rain-soaked Romareda stadium. The visitors took the lead in only the first minute when Yezerskyy beat Luis García, but Savio equalised with a free kick soon afterwards and Generelo won it with a strike from 30 metres out in the second half.

Both sides need a point in their last match against Belgian opposition in a fortnight's time to be sure of making it to the next round. (01.12.04)