Story highlights
Raul scores his 74th goal in UEFA competitions as Schalke win in Europa League
German club through to the last 32 after beating Steaua Bucharesti 2-1 at home
Athletic Bilbao, Twente, Anderlecht, Lokomotiv Moscow, Sporting and Stoke also qualify
Big-spending PSG in danger of missing out ahead of next month's final group matches
Veteran Spanish striker Raul extended his European scoring record as Schalke beat Steaua Bucuresti 2-1 on Thursday to reach the knockout stages of the continent’s second-tier competition.
The German side clinched top spot in Group J with a match to spare as the 34-year-old netted a trademark 57th-minute winner from close range for his first Europa League goal and 74th in all UEFA competitions.
Greek defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos headed the opener for the home side in the 25th minute but striker Raul Rusescu leveled for the Romanians soon after the half-hour mark.
Raul, three times a winner of the Champions League with Real Madrid, pounced after an effort by strike partner Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was blocked, putting him four clear of AC Milan’s Filippo Inzaghi.
Tottenham face elimination after defeat
The win left Schalke on 11 points from five matches, while Maccabi Haifa retained second place on six points despite losing 2-1 at AEK Larnaca of Cyprus.
The Israelis host Schalke in the final round on December 14, while Steaua or Larnaca can claim the second qualification spot by winning in Bucharest if the other match is a draw.
Spain’s Athletic Bilbao went through as top team in Group F after a 2-1 win at home to Slovan Bratislava.
The Slovakians are bottom with just one point but can have an influence on the group outcome as they host Salzburg in the final round.
The Austrians dented the hopes of Paris Saint-Germain by winning 2-0 at home to join the big-spending French club on seven points.
PSG’s recent poor run continued, and the Qatar-owned team are now third on goal difference and facing an uphill battle to qualify.
Dutch club Twente qualified as winners of Group K with a 1-0 win at home to Fulham thanks to an 89th-minute winner from Marc Janko.
The English side, who had striker Andy Johnson sent off in time added on for a second booking, stayed second on seven points ahead of next month’s home match against Odense.
The Danish team are bottom after losing 2-1 at home to Poland’s Wisla Krakow, who moved to within a point of Fulham and host Twente next.
Anderlecht notched a fifth successive victory in Group L to be the only team with a perfect record, winning 2-1 at pointless AEK Athens.
Lokomotiv Moscow also went through with a fourth success, beating Austria’s Sturm Graz 3-1 at home.
Sporting Lisbon clinched top spot in Group D with a 2-0 win over Swiss side Zurich that put the Portuguese club six points clear of Lazio and Vaslui – who drew 0-0 in Romania.
Serie A high-flyers Lazio will host Sporting in Rome on December 14, while Vaslui travel to Zurich with second place up for grabs.
Stoke City went through to the round of 32 after coming from behind to earn a 1-1 draw at home to Dynamo Kiev in Group E.
The English side, playing in Europe for the first time since the 1974-75 season, trailed to Matthew Upson’s first-half own-goal but leveled with nine minutes left through striker Kenwyne Jones’ header.
Stoke now need a draw at Besiktas to clinch top spot, while the Turks claimed second with a 3-2 win away to Maccabi Tel Aviv that put them three points clear of Kiev.
