Sam seals safe passage for Leverkusen

Bayer 04 Leverkusen secured their round of 32 berth as Sidney Sam's 35th-minute drive was enough to edge Rosenborg BK 1-0 in Trondheim.

A Patrick Helmes hat-trick had inspired the German outfit to a 4-0 success in the reverse fixture, but a single strike proved sufficient for Jupp Heynckes' charges this time around. Club Atlético de Madrid's surprise home defeat by Aris Thessaloniki FC in Group B's other contest ensured Leverkusen also sealed top spot in the section with a game to spare and eliminated Rosenborg.

The Norwegian champions, who completed an unbeaten league campaign following Matchday 4, twice went close to prising an early advantage. Morten Moldskred's fierce effort from distance flew just wide before the striker's header clipped the post following a precise cross from Per Ciljan Skjelbred.

Leverkusen then established command, however, with Nicolai Jørgensen's header bringing out the best from Daniel Örlund and Helmes also calling the goalkeeper into action moments after he had a goal disallowed for offside. The breakthrough finally arrived, though, when Sam was afforded time and space to control and turn 20 metres out before unleashing a veering shot into the bottom corner.

The formative stages of the second half mirrored the first with the home team in the ascendancy but again two chances went begging. Steffen Iversen met Moldskred's cross only for Sami Hyypiä to clear off the line then Rade Prica unhinged the offside trap, but could not beat Fabian Giefer when one on one.

Vadim Demidov was next to spurn a presentable chance as he rose to head wide Mikael Dorsin's free-kick, then Prica scythed through the visitors' rearguard only for his shot to somehow evade Iversen and the far upright. Giefer grasped Prica's looping header at full stretch as time ran out on Rosenborg's aspirations.