Kalou brace seals Rangers’ Euro fate

RANGERS joined Celtic on the European scrap heap after a Bonaventure Kalou double fired Auxerre to a 2-0 victory at Ibrox.

The home side had been sitting pretty in Group F and had only to avoid defeat to progress to the UEFA Cup knockout stages.

Graz AK, Stuttgart and Heerenveen secured their places in the last 32, but Dinamo Zagreb were knocked out.

Rene Aufhauser’s strike and a Roland Kollman penalty saw Graz progress. Amica Wronki finished at the bottom of the table without a point.

German second division side Alemannia Aachen progressed after a 2-0 win against AEK Athens in Group H.

Aachen went into the game in fourth place behind Zenit St Petersburg, but second-half goals from Erik Meijer and Daniel Gomez saw them leapfrog the Russians.

Stuttgart moved level on points with Benfica at the top of Group G after a 2-1 win against Zagreb. Christian Tiffert gave the Germans a first-half lead before Ivan Bosnjak equalised.

Fernando Meira’s 75th-minute goal sealed the win for Stuttgart, while Heerenveen’s 1-0 win against Beveren meant Zagreb would have needed to win.

Arnold Bruggink’s 26th-minute strike was enough for Heerenveen to beat Belgian side Beveren.

Lille secured top spot in Group H with a 1-0 win against Sevilla, who had already qualified. Matt Moussilou’s strike 13 minutes from time sealed the win.

Partizan Belgrade and Villarreal were playing for position in Group E with their places in the last 32 already secured.

Villarreal had an emphatic 4-0 victory over bottom-side Egaleo.

Goals from Hector Font, Antonio Guayre, Javi Venta and Santiago Cazorla sealed victory for Villarreal, who moved into second place above Partizan. Italian giants Lazio were already eliminated.