(REUTERS) – Spain’s Raul lit up the European stage yet again as his winner sent Schalke into the Europa League last 32 while Lokomotiv Moscow also steamed through with a victory yesterday.
The long-time record scorer in the Champions League thanks to his exploits with Real Madrid, Spaniard Raul netted his first of the season in the continent’s second club competition in a 2-1 home win over Steaua Bucharest in Group J.
His 57th minute goal after Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s shot was blocked also meant the Bundesliga side secured top spot with one match to spare after Maccabi Haifa’s surprise 2-1 defeat at AEK Larnaca, which leaves the Israelis waiting to qualify.
Lokomotiv won 3-1 at home against Sturm Graz to seize the second qualification place in Group L and knock out the Austrians.
Anderlecht had already gone through but beat bottom side AEK Athens 2-1 away, meaning they will host the Russians in two weeks’ time in a fight for top spot and a better seeding.
Fulham, the 2010 runners-up, lost 1-0 in the rain at already-through Twente Enschede to miss the chance to progress and need to beat OB Odense in their last Group K game to guarantee qualification. Striker Andy Johnson will be suspended after a late red.
Third-placed Wisla Krakow prevailed 2-1 at eliminated OB to move a point behind the English side with group winners Twente travelling to Poland on December 14.
Atletico Madrid, PAOK Salonika, Braga, Metalist Kharkiv, Standard Liege and Hanover 96 all reached February’s first knockout round on Tuesday.
They joined the already-qualified Sporting, Anderlecht, PSV Eindhoven, Legia Warsaw, Twente and Athletic Bilbao in the hat and among later games played yesterday, Paris St Germain can go through with a draw in Salzburg.