19 Mar 2011

British teams out of Europa League

11:47 am on 19 March 2011

Liverpool, Manchester City and Rangers are all out of the Europa League.

Liverpool were held to a goalless draw at home in their last 16 second leg of the second-tier European football competition by modest Portuguese side Braga, who have never even won a domestic league title, and went out 1-0 on aggregate.

Manchester City beat Dynamo Kiev 1-0 but still lost 2-1 on aggregate while a 1-0 home defeat for Rangers against PSV Eindhoven ended British interest.

Four-time European Cup holders Ajax Amsterdam also failed to reach the quarter-finals in another embarrassing exit.

Ajax, knocked out of the Champions League earlier this season, were outclassed 3-0 in Russia by Spartak Moscow for a 4-0 aggregate defeat.