Heerenveen were eliminated from the Europa League despite a thumping home victory over FK Ventspils.

Second-half goals from Mika Vayrynen, Viktor Elm, Gerald Sibon (two) and Darryl Janmaat won the game for the hosts, but it proved not to be enough as Hertha Berlin did the necessary against Sporting Lisbon.

The Dutch side, under the guidance of interim coach Jan de Jonge until the end of the season, headed into the encounter third in Group D and needing to win and hope pool winners Sporting beat Hertha at the Olympiastadion.

Heerenveen fulfilled their part of the deal by seeing off their already-eliminated Latvian opponents, but Hertha's 1-0 win over Sporting ensured the German side advanced to the last 32 along with the Portuguese outfit.

Roy Beerens mustered the first shot of tonight's match in the 10th minute, drilling a 30-yard right-footed effort over the bar for Heerenveen.

Beerens then provided a corner from the right which resulted in a volleyed shot from Michal Papadopulos which also flew over from close range.

Ventspils goalkeeper Pavel Chasnowski was called into action for the first time after 20 minutes, comfortably keeping out a blast from Vayrynen as the home team continued to push for the opener.

The visitors' only real opening of the first period arrived moments later, but Igor Tsigirlash could only fire wide from the left side of the penalty area.

Back at the other end, Chasnowski had to be alert just before the half-hour to prevent his team going behind to an Elm header, and then again 10 minutes later to parry a curling free-kick from Beerens.

Chasnowski remained the busier of the two goalkeepers in the second half, punching away a fierce long-range effort from Elm in the 53rd minute.

He was powerless, however, to do anything about Heerenveen's opener 60 seconds later as Vayrynen met Goran Popov's left-wing cross and lashed into the bottom-left corner from close range.

The game had barely restarted when the Eredivisie outfit doubled their advantage. Beerens' right-wing cross found Elm, who directed his header into the top-right corner.

It continued to be one-way traffic thereafter, Oussama Assaidi and Popov shooting wide and Elm seeing a right-footed volley fisted away by Chasnowski.

The third goal duly arrived in the 76th minute. Beerens was again the provider, producing the right-wing cross for Sibon to head home.

Sibon doubled his personal tally a minute later, slotting into the bottom-right corner to make it 4-0, and Janmaat drilled home from Beerens' right-wing cross to put the icing on the cake three minutes from time.

But Gojko Kacar's goal for Hertha against Sporting ensured Heerenveen's efforts were in vain.