AEK Athens shed the unwanted label of being one of just two sides not to have collected a point in this season's Europa League by beating Sturm Graz 3-1 in Austria.

With only themselves and Shamrock pointless heading into the final group games, and with qualification already beyond the two sides, Nikos Kostenoglou's men had nothing but pride to play for and they ensured they returned home with some of it thanks to a commanding performance.

They may have lost the lead of the Greek Superleague by not being in domestic action tonight, but they took the spoils against Die Schwoazn, with Kostas Manolas, Nathan Burns and Klonaridis Victor all on target. Florian Kainz had briefly given the home side chance of a comeback, but it was not to be.

With nearly all issues in the group resolved, fireworks were never expected at Stadion Graz Liebenau and that was how the opening exchanges played out.

Roger Guerreiro's eighth-minute effort for the home side was the first noteworthy incident, although it caused home goalkeeper Silvije Cavlina little trouble.

The early malaise would not last for much longer, though, with AEK taking a 10th-minute lead through Manolas.

Guerreiro's corner eventually fell for the Greece Under-21 international in the box and he did the rest with a crisp left-footed finish.

The same man should have doubled his side's advantage with a header that drifted harmlessly wide, before Dimitrios Konstantopoulos earned his money in the AEK goal, getting down well to keep out Darko Bodul's shot.

The same two players were involved again as half-time approached, with the latter working the former from distance, but Burns showed Bodul how it should be done three minutes before the break when he converted a chance from just inside the area.

Matthias Koch headed over after the break as Sturm attempted to mount a fightback, and their hopes were boosted in the 59th minute when Kainz crept in to get on the end of a Joachim Standfest cross.

But optimism was wiped out with 14 minutes left, when Victor found a gap in the home defence and drilled into it from the edge of the box.

That proved to be the end of Sturm's challenge, with AEK easing over the line.