European Football: Scots' challenge ends

SCOTTISH fans must be sick of the sight of Benito Carbone. The Torino striker, who scored a hat-trick in Italy Under-21's recent 5-2 rout of their Scottish counterparts, netted the first goal and set up the second at Pittodrie last night as his side put Aberdeen out of Cup-Winner's Cup in the second round.

Celtic's 2-0 defeat by Sporting in Lisbon, for a 2-1 aggregate loss in the Uefa Cup, signalled the end of Scottish interest in European competition this season.

Aberdeen started 3-2 down from the first leg in Turin, but they squared the aggregate after only 12 minutes when Lee Richardson scored with a 25-yard drive. Carbone struck back five minutes before the interval, taking a long pass on the chest, swivelling past Alex McLeish and hitting home an angled drive in one movement. Eight minutes into the second half he beat Brian Irvine twice on the left before crossing for Andrea Silenzi to make it 2-1 and secure Torino's quarter-final place 5-3 on aggregate.

Celtic were also undone by a skilful opportunist, Jorge Cadete twice leaving their defense appealing in vain for offside as he scored.

Manchester United's conquerors, Galatasaray, were joined in the last eight of the European Cup by Werder Bremen, the first German club to reach the Champions' League. Mario Basler scored the only goal of their home leg against Levski Sofia to secure a 3-2 aggregate win.