Rutten makes forgettable return

Schalke coach Fred Rutten made a dismal return to his former stomping ground as FC Twente booked their place in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup with a 2-1 win at Arke Stadion.

Rob Wielaert and Kenneth Perez scored the goals which ensured Steve McClaren's troops of a place in the knockout stages, while Gerald Asamoah's late strike for Schalke could not spark a fightback in Enschede.

The defeat leaves Schalke hanging on the results of the final Group A matches if they are to progress.

Already-qualified Manchester City maintained their unbeaten pool record with a goalless draw against Paris St Germain at Eastlands.

In Group C, Standard Liege booked their place in the last 32 with a 3-0 victory over Sampdoria.

Headers from Igor De Camargo and Oguchi Onyewu put the hosts firmly in control after 35 minutes and Milan Jovanovic's strike two minutes before half-time sealed the triumph.

Luis Fabiano netted a brace as Sevilla also moved a step closer to the next stage with a 3-0 home win over Partizan Belgrade.

The 28-year-old's two efforts sandwiched a goal from his fellow Brazil international Renato as the 2006 and 2007 UEFA Cup winners moved onto six points from their three Group C games.

Udinese's European adventure will continue into the new year after a 2-1 victory over Dinamo Zagreb in Group D. The victory - their third in as many games - has left the Friuli outfit three points clear of Tottenham and six ahead of NEC Nijmegen, Spartak Moscow and Dinamo Zagreb with one round of matches remaining.

Meanwhile, NEC Nijmegen kept their qualification hopes alive with a 2-1 triumph against Spartak Moscow, while Metalist Kharkiv and Galatasaray secured their last-32 berths from Group B with 1-0 wins over Olympiacos and Hertha Berlin respectively.