Mame Biram Diouf's goal secured Hannover a 1-0 win away to Club Brugge and comfortable progression to the last 16.
Bundesliga side to face Belgian opposition again in the last 16
Former Manchester United striker Mame Biram Diouf's goal secured Hannover a 1-0 win away to Club Brugge and comfortable progression to the last 16.
Leading 2-1 from the home leg last week, Hannover scored the only goal of the return meeting after 21 minutes and they will now face another Belgian side in the shape of Standard Liege.
Club Brugge's hopes of advancing in this competition, and of closing the seven-point gap on Anderlecht in the Jupiler League, have been hit by an injury to captain Fredrik Stenman, adding to an already lengthy injury list.
Even so, they started on the front foot as Lior Rafaelov tested Ron-Robert Zieler from close range in the ninth minute before Niki Zimling saw his shot pushed round the post for a corner.
Mohamed Abdellaoui had a couple of early openings for Hannover, but the Germans got the goal that made all the difference in the 21st minute when Lars Stindl crossed for Diouf to drill home from close range.
Frantic spell
It sparked a frantic spell in the match, as Thomas Meunier sought a quick response with a volley which Zieler saved, before Rafaelov fired over.
Joseph Akpala then tried his luck from the edge of the area, but Zieler was untroubled.
Hannover heeded the warning and took the action to the other end, where Jan Schlaudraff's shot was parried before Manuel Schmiedebach fired over and Abdellaoui's effort was charged down.
Akpala was off target with another chance before Carl Hoefkens went close to getting the hosts back into it with a header that Zieler palmed away for a corner.
The start of the second half produced chances for both sides, but it was Rafaelov who went closest for the hosts, with his close-range effort again blocked by the goalkeeper.
Zieler was called on again moments later to keep out Victor Vazquez's free-kick.
As time began to run out, Hannover might have added a second when Vladan Kujovic did well to keep out Hoefkens' free-kick before Diouf was unlucky with an excellent header that went narrowly over.
