Played five, won one – in the end this record wasn’t good enough for either of the Danish sides in the Europa League. Following their elimination, both FC Copenhagen and OB will treat their final group games in two weeks time as dead rubbers following their failure to beat Ukrainian outfit FC Vorskla Poltava and Polish champions Wis?a Kraków respectively this week.

OB lost 2-1 last night at home to the Poles – a side they comfortably beat 3-1 in the opening group game. The visitors took the lead against the run of play in the 20th minute and thereafter played on the counter-attack, adding a second eight minutes later. OB rallied after the break, but in the end could only manage one goal – their only effort on target all night out of a total of eleven. OB’s final game is away at Fulham on December 14.

FCK, meanwhile, on Wednesday travelled to Ukraine needing a win to keep their hopes alive, but in the end two strikes by their star striker Dame N'Doye – one at each end – condemned them to a draw that leaves them in third, three points behind Hannover 96, a side they cannot overtake due to an inferior head-to-head record.

The Lions, who in their final game on December 15 face group leaders Standard Liège with nothing but their pride to play for, will ultimately look back at their 2-1 defeat to the Bundesliga side on November 3 as the result that cost them a place in the knockout stage.

Nevertheless, FCK are guaranteed a place in the Champions League group stage next season – providing they win the Superliga.