Liberec advance in Europa League qualifiers, Sparta knocked out

Slovan Liberec have reached the next qualifying round of the Europa League, European soccer's second-tier club competition. After a 1:2 home defeat to Skonto Riga last week, Liberec beat the Latvians 1:0 on Thursday night, going through on the away goals rule. Sparta Prague, meanwhile, are finished in Europe for this season; they had drawn 2:2 at home with Sweden's Häcken in their first leg tie but lost 1:0 in Sweden on Thursday night.