Liverpool advances in Europa League. Aubameyang hat trick for Marseille includes overhead kick

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Marseille’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, centre, celebrates after scoring his side’s fourth goal by a penalty during the Europa League Group B soccer match between Olympique de Marseille and Ajax at the Velodrome Stadium, in Marseille, France, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

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Marseille’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, left, scores his side’s third goal during the Europa League Group B soccer match between Olympique de Marseille and Ajax at the Velodrome Stadium, in Marseille, France, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

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Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo scores his side’s 2nd goal during the Europa League Group E soccer match between Liverpool and LASK, at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

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Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah goes for the ball during the Europa League Group E soccer match between Liverpool and LASK, at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

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Liverpool’s Luis Diaz celebrates scoring his side’s opening goal during the Europa League Group E soccer match between Liverpool and LASK, at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

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West Ham’s Tomas Soucek, left, celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the Europa League group A soccer match between FK TSC Backa Topola and West Ham United at the TSC Arena in Backa Topola, Serbia, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

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West Ham’s Tomas Soucek, second right, scores his side’s opening goal during the Europa League group A soccer match between FK TSC Backa Topola and West Ham United at the TSC Arena in Backa Topola, Serbia, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

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Brighton’s Joao Pedro celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the Europa League group B soccer match between AEK Athens and Brighton at the OPAP Arena, in Athens, Greece, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

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Brighton’s players celebrate after winning the Europa League group B soccer match between AEK Athens and Brighton at the OPAP Arena, in Athens, Greece, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. Brighton won 1-0. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

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Brighton’s goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen makes save during the Europa League group B soccer match between AEK Athens and Brighton at the OPAP Arena, in Athens, Greece, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

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Freiburg’s Michael Gregoritsch scores his side’s 3rd goal during the Europa League, Group A soccer match between Freiburg and Olympiakos F.C., at the Freiburg Europa-Park stadium, Germany, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

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Freiburg’s Michael Gregoritsch celebrates after scoring during the Europa League, Group A soccer match between Freiburg and Olympiakos F.C., at the Freiburg Europa-Park stadium, Germany, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

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Sparta’s Lukas Haraslin celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Europa League group C soccer match between Sparta Prague and Betis at the Epet Arena in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Betis’ Juan Miranda, right, blocks a shot by Sparta’s Jakub Pesek during the Europa League group C soccer match between Sparta Prague and Betis at the Epet Arena in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Sporting’s Marcus Edwards scores his side’s opening goal during the Europa League, Group D soccer match between Atalanta and Sporting Lisbon, at the Gewiss stadium in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

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Atalanta’s Gianluca Scamacca, right, scores his side’s opening goal during the Europa League, Group D soccer match between Atalanta and Sporting Lisbon, at the Gewiss stadium in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

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Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres is challenged by Atalanta’s Berat Djimsiti, left, during the Europa League, Group D soccer match between Atalanta and Sporting Lisbon, at the Gewiss stadium in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

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Maccabi players jump up during an Europa League group F match between Maccabi Haifa and Rennes in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Maccabi Haifa’s Ilay Hagag, left, and Rennes’ Bertug Yildirim challenge for the ball during an Europa League group F match between Maccabi Haifa and Rennes in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Bodo Glimt’s Patrick Berg celebrates during the Europa Conference League group stage match between Bodo/Glimt and Lugano at the Aspmyra stadium in Bodo, Norway, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (Mats Torbergsen/NTB via AP)

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Dante Polvara of Aberdeen, left, collides with Hassane Bande of HJK during the Europa Conference League Group G soccer match between HJK Helsinki and Aberdeen in Helsinki, Finland, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva via AP)

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Break in the match while snow is removed off the field during the Europa Conference League Group G soccer match between HJK Helsinki and Aberdeen in Helsinki, Finland, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva via AP)

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Villarreal’s Jose Luis Morales celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the Europa League group F soccer match between Villareal and Panathinaikos at the Estadio de la Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, Spain, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

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Aston Villa’s Alex Moreno, second left, scores their side’s second goal of the game during the Europa Conference League Group E soccer match between Aston Vulla and Legia Warsaw at Villa Park, Birmingham, England, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (Joe Giddens/PA via AP)

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Legia Warsaw fans are ejected from the home stand by stewards during the Europa Conference League Group E soccer match between Aston Vulla and Legia Warsaw at Villa Park, Birmingham, England, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (Joe Giddens/PA via AP)

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Police attempt to put out flares that have thrown towards them outside the stadium before the Europa Conference League Group E soccer match between Aston Villa and Legia Warsaw at Villa Park, Birmingham, England, Thursday Nov. 30, 2023. (David Davies/PA via AP)

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Frankfurt’s Far’s Chaibi, right, and PAOK Thessaloniki’s Tomasz Kedziora battle for the ball during the Europa Conference League Group G soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and PAOK Thessaloniki at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday Nov. 30, 2023. (Arne Dedert/dpa via AP)

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Frankfurt’s Niels Nkounkou, left, and PAOK Thessaloniki’s Andrija Zivkovic battle for the ball during the Europa Conference League Group G soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and PAOK Thessaloniki at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday Nov. 30, 2023. (Arne Dedert/dpa via AP)

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Marseille’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, centre, scores his side’s fourth goal by a penalty during the Europa League Group B soccer match between Olympique de Marseille and Ajax at the Velodrome Stadium, in Marseille, France, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

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Marseille’s fans support their team during the Europa League Group B soccer match between Olympique de Marseille and Ajax at the Velodrome Stadium, in Marseille, France, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

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Marseille’s team players celebrate as they won the Europa League Group B soccer match between Olympique de Marseille and Ajax at the Velodrome Stadium, in Marseille, France, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

By KAREL JANICEK

Liverpool advanced to the round of 16 of the Europa League with a game to spare after Luis Díaz and Cody Gakpo scored early to set the tone in a 4-0 victory over Austria’s LASK on Thursday.

Díaz headed in a cross from Joe Gomez for the opener in the 12th before Gakpo tapped in Mohamed Salah’s pass three minutes later at Anfield. Salah made it 3-0 early in the second half in what was his 199th goal for the Reds. Gakpo added his second in stoppage time.

Liverpool is four points clear atop Group E with 12 points. Toulouse in second on eight after a 0-0 draw with Union Saint-Gilloise.

Leverkusen remained the only team with a perfect record after five games. Victor Boniface and substitute Patrik Schick contributed a goal apiece for a 2-0 victory at Hacken in Group H and a place in the round of 16.

Tomáš Souček struck late again to help West Ham beat TSC Bačka Topola 1-0 and advance to the knockout stage.

The midfielder met Maxwel Cornet’s cross at the far post to volley home the winner in the 89th minute in Serbia.

Souček, who has scored in five straight games, had snatched a 2-1 victory for West Ham against Burnley with a stoppage-time winner Saturday in the Premier League.

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West Ham is tied atop Group A with Germany’s Freiburg, which routed Olympiacos 5-0. Michael Gregoritsch had a hat trick by the 36th minute. Kiliann Sildillia and Ritsu Doan also socred. The winners both have 12 points.

The Hammers need only a point against Freiburg on Dec. 14 in London to win the group and avoid a two-legged playoff in February.

Brighton advanced from Group B after João Pedro converted from the spot for a 1-0 win over 10-man AEK in Athens.

Pedro was fouled in the box before sending goalkeeper Cican Stankovic the wrong way for his fifth goal of the campaign. The hosts lost midfielder Mijat Gaćinović to a second yellow card in the 65th minute.

Marseille forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s hat trick included a stunning overhead kick and two penalties — one in stoppage time — in a 4-3 win over 10-man Ajax to lead to Group B with 11 points. Brighton trails by one. AEK remains on four points in third, Ajax has two.

The eight group winners in Europe’s second-tier competition earn a direct place in the last 16 of the competition whereas finishing in second only gets a team a playoff against the clubs who drop into the Europa League as third-place finishers in Champions League groups.

Atalanta advanced directly to the round of 16 despite 1-1 draw at home with Sporting Lisbon. Sporting substitute Marcus answered Gianluca Scamacca’s opening goal. Atalanta won Group D with 11 points. Sporting is second with eight.

Roma’s 1-1 draw at Servette in Geneva allowed Slavia Prague to settle atop Group G following a 3-2 win at Sheriff in Tiraspol. Roma trails the Czech team by two points with a game remaining.

In Group C, Lukáš Haraslín’s second-half curling shot from the edge of the area led Sparta past Real Betis 1-0 in Prague to keep the Czech team’s home for a top-two finish alive.

Maccabi Haifa remained winless in last place in Group F after a 3-0 loss to Rennes in a game played at the Puskas Arena in Budapest because Israel is not allowed to host UEFA-sanctioned matches due to the war with Hamas.

Also in the group, 41-year-old goalkeeper Pepe Reina helped Villarreal beat Panathinaikos 3-2 to climb to second on an all-time list of appearances in European competition with his 189. Only Cristiano Ronaldo played more, 197.

EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE

Greece’s PAOK become another team to join Viktoria Plzeň in the round of 16 as a winner of Group G with a 2-1 away win at Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Czechs won 1-0 at Ballkani to make it five wins from five in Group C.

Aston Villa moved to the top of Group E after a 2-1 win over Legia Warsaw. Moussa Diaby and Álex Moreno had a goal each at Villa Park with Ernest Muçi netting for the visitors. Villa needed to win by two or more goals to clinch the top spot in the group.

Club Brugge thumped Besiktas 5-0 in Turkey to lead Group D with 13 points. Bodo/Glimt trails by three after a 5-2 win over Lugano.

A first-place finish earns a direct spot in the last 16, while finishing in second takes clubs into a playoff with third-place finishers in the Europa League.

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AP soccer: apnews.com/hub/soccer