FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 1 : 0 Saint-Etienne - Dnipro beat St Etienne to advance

Artem Fedetskiy's second-half goal proved crucial as Dnipro booked their place in the Europa League's round of 32 with victory over St Etienne.

The Ukrainian side started the day bottom of Group F but their 1-0 success saw them jump into second place ahead of their opponents and FK Qarabag.

They were worthy winners on the night, but the excellence of Les Verts goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier had threatened to deny them until Ruslan Rotan rattled the woodwork in the 66th minute, leaving Fedetskiy to convert from close range.

St Etienne's Max Gradel had an early chance to try his luck with an inviting free-kick but his attempt was blocked by Dnipro defender Douglas.

The finishing scarcely improved as the half progressed, Rotan lifting gently over the St Etienne crossbar before Yohan Mollo fluffed two chances in as many minutes at the other end.

Fedetskiy managed to get a header on target when he won the aerial battle for Rotan's 19th-minute free-kick but Ruffier was on hand to save.

Ruffier followed up with a fine double save soon after, palming Serhiy Kravchenko's drive round the post then stopping Roman Zozulya's near-post header from the resulting corner.

Dnipro continued to apply pressure but failed to make the breakthrough before half-time.

The visitors might have snuck in front early in the second period had Kevin Theophile-Catherine not nodded Gradel's corner wide from a good position, but instead Dnipro were finally able to get the goal their pressure deserved.

Rotan's wonderful free-kick did the hard work, leaving Ruffier static as it clipped the post, with Fedetskiy blasting home after Loic Perrin's fluffed clearance.

Dnipro had chances to add a second in the closing moments, Ruffier adding blocks from Yevhen Konoplyanka and Matheus to his earlier efforts, while Nikola Kalinic hit the crossbar from 12 yards.