Barcelona advance at Brondby’s expense

BARCELONA progressed to the fourth round of the UEFA Cup following a 2-1 (3-1 on aggregate) win over Brondby last night.

Luis García opend the scoring for the hosts after 31 minutes and Barca were two clear on the night after 41 minutes when Holland’s Phillip Cocu connected with a Giovanni van Bronckhorst header.

Substitute Dan Johansen scored a late consolation for the visitors.

Turkey’s Genclerbirligi knocked Parma out of the competition thrashing the team lying fifth in Italy’s Serie A 3-0 in Ankara for a 4-0 aggregate win. Belgian midfielder Filip Daems opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 37 minutes, beating substitute goalkeeper Marco Amelia, who came on after Sebastien Frey was sent off for bringing Souleymane Youla down on the edge of the penalty area.

Parma, UEFA Cup winners in 1995 and 1999, faced an uphill battle in the second half and the Turkish side settled the tie in the 81st minute when Matteo Ferrari stretched to head the ball and watched it loop over his goalkeeper and into the net.

In the dying seconds, Genclerbirligi’s Ali Tandogan slid the ball in from near the goalpost to seal a miserable night for the Italian team.

AS Roma beat Turkish club Gaziantepspor 2-0 overturning a first-leg deficit to complete a 2-1 aggregate victory and reach the fourth round. The 2001 Italian champions lost 1-0 in Turkey last week but opened the scoring through Emerson in the 23rd minute. Roma doubled their lead when Antonio Cassano turned a low cross by John Carew into the net, a minute before half-time.

Spain’s Valencia beat Turkish side Besiktas 2-0 to ease into the fourth round 5-2 on aggregate.

Inter Milan scraped into the fourth round of the UEFA Cup with a dull goalless draw at home to France’s Sochaux.

Rosenborg defeated Benfica 2-1 but the Portuguese side advanced following an away goal from Nuno Gomes.

Two goals from Mateja Kezman and one from Kevin Hofland helped PSV Eindhoven to a 3-1 aggregate win over Perugia. Club Bruges won 1-0 on aggregate against Debrecen of Hungary finished scoreless. Girondins Bordeaux and Auxerre also advanced at the expense of Groclin Grodzisk and Panathinaikos, respectively.