Begrüßung » catch over the middle for a 10-5 lead

Andrea Pirlos sumptuous free kick earned Juventus a place in the Europa League quarterfinals, where the competition favourites were joined in an attractive lineup by Sevilla after its penalty-shootout win over fierce Spanish rival Real Betis on Thursday. Portuguese sides Benfica and Porto also advanced to the last eight while Basel overcame an early red card to win 2-1 at Salzburg and progress from a last-16 second leg that was briefly suspended because of crowd trouble. Lyon, Valencia and AZ Alkmaar will also be in Fridays draw in Nyon, Switzerland, where the team to avoid will be Juventus -- even though the Italian champions made heavy work of their all-Italian last-16 match against Fiorentina. Having drawn 1-1 at home in the first leg, Juve was staring at elimination on the away-goals rule until Fiorentina defender Gonzalo Rodriguez was dismissed in the 69th minute for a second booking. From the resulting free kick at the edge of the area, Pirlo stepped up and whipped a brilliant strike into the top corner to seal a 1-0 win. The classy Italy midfielder shows no sign of decline at the age of 34 -- he scored a similarly sublime free kick for his team in a last-gasp league win over Genoa on Sunday, which kept Juve 14 points clear in Serie A and on course to defend its title. Juventus will be hosting the Europa League final on May 14 and the runaway Italian league leader may yet be playing in the showpiece match in front of its own fans. Sevilla overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit courtesy of goals by Jose Antonio Reyes and Carlos Bacca, earning a 2-0 win that sent the match to penalties. Sevillas first spot kick by Vitolo was saved but Alfred NDiaye and Nono failed to find the target with Betis last two attempts, putting the two-time winners through 4-3 on penalties. Benfica remained on course for a return to the final after surviving a late fightback by Tottenham to draw 2-2 in their second leg and advance 5-3 on aggregate. Two goals in less than two minutes by Nacer Chadli put Spurs 2-1 ahead on the night and gave them 11 minutes to score another, which would have forced extra time. The English team missed a number of chances before conceding a penalty deep into injury time, converted by Lima. There was no repeat of the touchline spat between rival coaches Jorge Jesus and Tim Sherwood form the first leg -- Sherwood opted to sit in the stands and stay out of trouble. Portos 1-0 lead from its first leg against Napoli was wiped out by Goran Pandevs deft finish in the 21st minute. The Italian side dominated but was picked off on counterattacks through goals by Nabil Ghilas in the 69th and Ricardo Quaresma in the 76th. Quaresma, the mercurial playmaker, finished off a flowing move by jinking between two defenders and slamming a shot high into the net for the goal of the evening. Duvan Zapatas consolation goal earned Napoli a 2-2 draw but it exited 3-2 on aggregate, denying coach Rafael Benitez the opportunity to retain the title he won when in interim charge of Chelsea last season. Players were taken off the pitch by the referee for about 10 minutes midway through the first half of Salzburg-Basel after missiles, including fireworks, were thrown onto the field of play by Basel fans. The score was 1-0 to Salzburg at the time after Jonatan Sorianos competition-high eighth goal in the Europa League, while Basel was down to 10 men after Marek Suchys straight red in the ninth minute. However, Marco Streller and Gaston Sauro scored headed goals in the second half for the Swiss team and Salzburg also ended the match with 10 men after Alan received a second yellow card for trying a bicycle kick and hitting Basel defender Philipp Degen in the face. Lyon lost 2-1 at Viktoria Plzen but advanced 5-3 on aggregate, Valencia beat Ludogorets Razgrad 1-0 thanks to Paco Alcacers 59th-minute goal and advanced 4-0 on aggregate. AZ Alkmaar drew 0-0 at Anzhi Makhachkala for a 1-0 aggregate victory. MONTREAL -- Coach Scott Milanovich says his Toronto Argonauts are getting better. They played with discipline, stuffed Montreals offence and got a big game from running back Steve Slaton in a 31-5 defeat of the punchless Alouettes on Friday night. The Argonauts (2-4) ended a three-game losing skid and, despite their record, moved into first place in the woeful CFL East Division. "It was big," said Milanovich. "The big thing was we bought into what it takes to win. "We had less penalties. We protected the ball better. We protected our quarterback and we got after their quarterback. Thats the formula. Its the first time we grasped that." Slaton, who rushed for 52 yards and caught six passes for another 48, caught a TD pass in the final minute of the first half and added another on the opening drive of the second. "Steves talented," Milanovich said of the former Houston Texan. "Unfortunately, hes been hurt for four of our first six games, but hes got some burst." Linebacker Jamie Robinson scored on a late interception off a pass by Alex Brink and kicker Swayze Waters added two field goals. The Argos also got four points on a pair of safeties in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. Toronto rebounded from a 37-9 loss at Saskatchewan last week despite a so-so game from Ray, who completed 19 of 33 passes for 186 yards. It hasnt helped the veteran QB that the Argos are missing a handful of receivers to injuries, including stars Chad Owens and Andre Durie. It helped a lot that the defence held Montreal to only 125 net yards and that, as a team, Toronto took only four penalties to Montreals 12. The Alouettes (1-4) did not score a touchdown for a second consecutive game despite switching back and forth between quarterbacks Troy Smith and Brink, with Tanner Marsh also seeing action on short yardage plays. Sean Whyte had a field goal and two singles for the Alouettes, who were coming off a bye week after a 41-5 defeat at B.C. two weeks ago. There were boos from the 20,692 at Percival Molson Stadium as they left the field at halftime. "Right now it looks like we have a two-quarterback system, even though neither quarterback played as well as we anticipated or wanted them to," said Montreal coach Tom Higgins, who made the switches based on "certain criteria" he didnt elaborate on. "So were back at the drawing board now. "WWeve got to find a quarterback that can move our offence.ddddddddddddWere not getting production from that position. I have to find a way by hook or by crook to get more than five points. Thats not going to do it in the CFL." Smith was handed the starting job out of training camp, taking on the difficult job of replacing retired all-time CFL passing leader Anthony Calvillo. He has had his moments, but still overthrows receivers regularly and does not run with the ball. Brink looked promising, but had some drives stalled by penalties. "I wasnt happy, but weve got to win,"Smith said of getting the hook. "There was no portion of me that was going to be sombre. "I have to feel Ill get better because Im the quarterback of this team. Theres no other way to think but to be positive. I will stay positive. I wont admit this is bad and its going to get worse because Im trying to do good and positive things. Well get back to the drawing board." Smith was 5-for-10 for 63 yards, while Brink went 9-for-23 for 60 yards. Neither team was able to move the ball in the first half until Ray finally led a TD drive in the final minute capped by Slatons 10-yard catch over the middle for a 10-5 lead at the intermission. A long kickoff return by Robert Gill to open the second half and a 24-yard gain on a reverse by Slaton put the ball on the Montreal five, where Ray hit Slaton for a TD at 2:57. Robinson stepped in front of Brinks throw to Eric Deslauriers and ran it back 46 yards for a TD with 1:33 left to play. Waters had booted a 30-yard field goal on the final play of the first quarter, although he missed a 38-yarder and put 48-yard attempt off the left upright. Montreal managed two singles and a 49-yard Whyte field goal in the opening half, as Smith started and was relieved in the second quarter by Brink. The teams woes were highlighted by a third-and-two gamble at the 53, after calling a time out, on which they were called for having 13 men on the field, forcing them to punt. Smith was back to start the second half, only to have Brink step in again midway through the third quarter. Montreal receiver Mardy Gilyards first CFL start didnt last long, as he left with what seems to be a serious leg injury in the first quarter after making two catches for 16 yards. Left tackle Josh Bourque left with an injury in the fourth quarter but Higgins said it may not be serious. ' ' '