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Celtic & Rangers dumped out as English sides progress

Rangers failed to beat NK Maribor at home © Getty Images

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Celtic and Rangers both slumped to defeat as all three Scottish sides failed to reach the main draw of the Europa League, while all four English sides progressed.

Having failed to qualify for the Champions League, Rangers also missed out on the second tier of European football as they fell to a 3-2 aggregate defeat after drawing 1-1 at home to NK Maribor.

Despite Rangers dominating for most of the game, Dalibor Volas gave NK the lead and though Carlos Bocanegra equalised with 15 minutes to go, the Gers could not find the crucial second.

Celtic crashed out of Europe after falling 3-1 to FC Sion. After a 0-0 draw at Celtic Park, Neil Lennon's men gave themselves with a mountain to climb going a goal and a man down within the opening three minutes. Daniel Majstorovic was sent off after conceding a penalty, which was converted by Pascal Feindouno to give the Swiss side an early lead.

Feindouno doubled Sion's lead with a free-kick shortly after the hour mark, but Charlie Mulgrew gave the Hoops a glimmer of hope, pulling one back with 12 minutes remaining. However, Giovanni Sio scored eight minutes from to seal Celtic's fate.

Hearts found a young Tottenham side too much as they failed to overturn a 5-0 first-leg deficit in a goalless draw at White Hart Lane as Spurs ensured European football for the season.

Stoke held a narrow 1-0 lead over FC Thun from the first leg, but the Potters ran riot with a 4-1 win at Britannia Stadium. Matthew Upson scored his first goal for Stoke to open proceedings before Kenwyne Jones extended Stoke's lead before half-time with a diving header from a Jermaine Pennant cross.

Glenn Whelan made it 3-0 before Jones headed in his second, but they failed to keep a clean sheet as Andreas Wittwer scored a consolation.

They may be playing in the Championship this season, but Carling Cup holders Birmingham booked their place in the group stages with a convincing 3-0 win over CD Nacional de Madeira. First half-goals from Nathan Redmond and David Murphy gave the Blues a two-goal advantage at the break, before Chris Wood sealed an impressive win with four minutes remaining.

Fulham was the only English team to suffer defeat, but a 1-0 loss to Dnipro was enough to seal their progress with a 3-1 aggregate win. Evgeny Shakhov hauled Dnipro back into the tie in the 22nd minute, but Fulham hung in Ukraine on to secure the tie.

Shamrock Rovers became the first Irish side to reach the group stages of a European competition as Stephen O'Donnell's extra-time penalty gave them a famous 3-2 aggregate win over Partizan Belgrade.

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