Parma gain place in Champions' League

European round-up

Parma clinched a place in the Champions' League next season after beating relegated Verona 2-1 on the last day of the Italian Serie A season yesterday to finish runners-up to Juventus.

The Argentine striker Hernan Crespo scored the winner for Parma in the 64th minute after Pierluigi Orlandini had given Verona the lead in the sixth minute. Enrico Chiesa levelled the scores after 17 minutes.

Internazionale drew 2-2 with Bologna to finish third, four points behind Parma, and Udinese made sure of a place in the Uefa Cup for the first time in their history by beating a 10-man Roma 3-0. They join Inter, Lazio and Sampdoria. Vicenza are in the Cup Winners' Cup.

At the bottom, Piacenza beat Perugia 2-1, staving off relegation for at least another match. Cagliari beat Milan 1-0 at San Siro to finish level on points with Piacenza and Perugia.

Perugia are relegated with Verona and Reggiana, while Cagliari and Piacenza must play again at a neutral venue to decide which of the two survives.

In Germany, Karlsruhe won a place in the Uefa Cup thanks to a 1-1 draw with relegated Freiburg on the final day of the Bundesliga season.

The international wing-back Michael Tarnat, playing his last game for Karlsruhe before his move to the champions Bayern Munich, gave his side the lead with a 15th minute header. Nikola Jurcevic equalised for Freiburg before the interval.

VfB Stuttgart, who finished the season in fourth place, play regional league side Energie Cottbus in the German Cup final in two weeks. A victory for Stuttgart would send them into the European Cup Winners' Cup, freeing up their Uefa Cup place for 1860 Munich.

Bayern, who won the league title by beating Stuttgart last weekend, drew 2-2 with Borussia Moenchengladbach.

In Belgium, unfancied Ekeren overcame a two-goal deficit to beat Anderlecht 4-2 after extra time and win their first Belgian Cup.