Point enough for Prague
Sparta Prague claimed the point they needed in a 2-2 draw at 10-man Palermo to book their place in the knockout stages of the Europa League.
Nicola Rigoni put the hosts ahead after 24 minutes, but the key moment came five minutes after the break when Dorin Goian fouled Bony Wilfred in the box, picking up his second yellow card and allowing Jiri Kladrubsky to level.
Mauricio Pinilla briefly put the home side back in front with a 59th-minute penalty, but Juraj Kucka's header four minutes later put Sparta through.
The point left second-placed Sparta four points clear of their opponents in Group F with one match to play.
The match started at a good pace as Massimo Maccarone tried his luck from distance, sending his effort wide of goal, before at the other end Jaromir Blazek wasted a much better opportunity as he shot over the bar from 12 yards.
The shots rained in but mostly from distance as Javier Pastore and Fabio Liverani failed to find the target for Palermo, as did Sparta's Kucka twice.
Finally a punt came off for the hosts when Rigoni found the top corner from 20 yards in the 24th minute.
The Sicilians were starting to find their range and Pastore's strike from the edge of the box needed fisting clear by Blazek.
Sparta were still having radar issues though, with Manuel Pamic shooting wide just before the half-hour mark, before sending in a corner after 43 minutes which Leonard Kweuke could only head wide.
Goian went into the referee's notebook soon after for a foul on Wilfred as his side finished the half in the ascendancy, Maccarone and Mauricio Pinilla both unsuccessfully trying their luck.
Palermo keeper Francesco Benussi was finally called into action shortly after the restart when he punched clear Kucka's 18-yard strike.
And moments later things took a distinct turn for the worse for the Italians when Goian again fouled Wilfred, this time in the area, and was promptly handed his second yellow card.
Kladrubsky converted the penalty to restore parity, but it lasted just eight minutes before Palermo were handed a spot-kick of their own.
Kamil Vacek was booked for his challenge on Liverani and Pinilla made it 2-1 to the 10 men from the spot.
The home fans barely had time to celebrate before Sparta were level again.
Vacek made amends for his error as his cross was headed home by Kucka.
There was a touch of desperation about the home side as they fired in shots from distance, though Rigoni's speculative effort did at least need punching clear by Blazek.
Palermo 2-2 Sparta Prague: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game as it happened.
Source: DSG
