Portsmouth’s European journey suffers heartbreaking end

Portsmouth's first European season ended in bitter disappointment when a 3-2 defeat at German side Wolfsburg on Thursday condemned Tony Adams's side to an early exit from the UEFA Cup.

Pompey surrendered a 2-1 lead in the Group E clash and their fate was sealed when Sporting Braga defeated Heerenveen 2-1 to secure the third qualifying place in the pool behind AC Milan and Wolfsburg.

Fellow English Premier League side Aston Villa made sure of their place in the last 32 despite suffering a shock 2-1 home defeat to Slovakia's MSK Zilina.

Their passage to the knockout round was assured when SV Hamburg defeated Slavia Prague 2-0 which allowed Ajax, who didn't play Thursday, to also qualify from Group F.

Portsmouth, who had squandered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with AC Milan at Fratton Park last week, needed to win in Germnay if they were to have any hope of making the next round.

But Wolfsburg, with two wins from their first two games, were ahead after just three minutes at the Volkswagen Arena when Edin Dzeko scored from Christian Gentner's right-wing cross.

Pompey then stormed into a 2-1 lead with Jermain Defoe finding the net from Armand Traore's cross in the 11th minute before Arnold Mvuemba scored with a long distance drive, which deflected off Andrea Barzagli and past goalkeeper Diego Benaglio, three minutes later.

Gentner then levelled for Wolfsburg after 23 minutes with Zvjezdan Misimovic hitting the decisive third in the 74th minute.

England goalkeeper David James kept Portsmouth's hopes alive when he saved an 80th-minute Misimovic penalty which was awarded when Sol Campbell chopped down Dzeko.

But Portsmouth, with just one point from three games, were unable to take advantage.

Widely-travelled striker Gerald Sibon gave Heerenveen a 19th-minute lead against Sporting Braga from a free-kick after Daniel Pranjic had been fouled by Luis Aguiar.

But the Portuguese were level on 35 minutes when Aguiar teed-up Renteria to head past Kenny Steppe in the Dutch goal. Aguiar was on target himself in the 56th minute when he drove home a 25-metre free-kick awarded after Moises was brought down by Michal Svec.

Croatian duo Ivica Olic and Mladen Petric, with a last-minute penalty, gave Hamburg, coached by former Spurs boss Martin Jol, their 2-0 win in Prague.

That was a blessing for Martin O'Neill's Aston Villa who fell behind to goals from MSK Zilina's Vladimir Leitner, who was later sent off, and Peter Styvar.

Nathan Delfouneso pulled one back on his full debut for Villa.

The English side could not find an equaliser but still join Hamburg and Ajax in qualifying from Group F.

Brazilian striker Vagner Love hit a hat-trick as CSKA Moscow, the 2005 UEFA Cup winners, made it four wins in four with a 4-3 win at French side Nancy in Group H.

In Group G, St Etienne, who have already qualified, were joined in the last 32 by Valencia after the Spanish side's 1-1 home draw with Club Bruges.