Meet up with one of the best of the motion from the ultimate matchday of the Europa League’s first section
The Europa League follows the same format to the Champions League, that means all 18 video games of the ultimate league section matchday passed off on Thursday evening.
Whereas loads of groups already knew their destiny heading into the midweek motion, there was nonetheless a lot left to be determined between the 36 groups.
Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest had each already secured their locations previous the league section, with the Villans going straight via to the last-16, and the Difficult Timber being compelled into the play-offs.
Celtic have been nonetheless taking part in for the possibility to proceed within the competitors, whereas the likes of Porto, Actual Betis and Roma have been all hoping to complete the evening within the prime eight.
You possibly can meet up with one of the best of the motion, proper right here on 101greatgoals.
Celtic 4-2 FC Utrecht
Celtic secured their place within the Europa League knockout section play-offs with a 4-2 win over Utrecht at Celtic Park.
The hosts made a quick begin and took the lead inside six minutes when Benjamin Nygren turned in Kieran Tierney’s pull-back on the close to submit. Nygren was concerned once more moments later, urgent excessive to pressure an error that led to Nick Viergever turning the ball into his personal internet. Celtic prolonged their benefit within the nineteenth minute after VAR dominated that Dani de Wit had dealt with Auston Trusty’s header, permitting Arne Engels to transform the ensuing penalty.
Utrecht lowered the deficit simply earlier than half-time via De Wit, earlier than Adrian Blake’s long-range strike early within the second half briefly raised rigidity. Celtic responded rapidly, restoring their two-goal lead when Trusty glanced Engels’ nook into the web.
The end result eliminates Utrecht and sends Celtic via, the place they may face both Stuttgart or Ferencvarosi within the subsequent spherical.
Porto 3-1 Rangers
Porto sealed a 3-1 dwelling win over Rangers to safe a fifth-placed end within the Europa League desk, recovering nicely from an early setback on the Estadio do Dragao.
Rangers struck first after six minutes when Djeidi Gassama headed in Findlay Curtis’ cross on the again submit, briefly placing stress on the hosts.
Porto responded with endurance and progressively took management, levelling on 27 minutes as Rodrigo Mora completed from shut vary after successful possession excessive up the pitch. The turnaround was accomplished 9 minutes later following a defensive error, with James Tavernier’s unfastened contact permitting Francisco Moura to faucet in from shut vary.
Porto added a 3rd earlier than half-time when Emmanuel Fernandez headed into his personal internet from William Gomes’ nook, giving the hosts a snug cushion. Rangers dominated possession after the break however struggled to create clear possibilities, permitting Porto to see the sport out and make sure a top-eight end.
Lille 1-0 Freiburg
Lille edged previous Freiburg with a 1-0 dwelling win, settling a decent contest with a stoppage-time penalty at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
The match was largely balanced for lengthy spells, with each side cancelling one another out via midfield and possibilities restricted within the remaining third. Lille carried barely extra risk after the break, forcing a number of saves from Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu, whereas the guests remained harmful on the counter with out discovering a transparent opening.
The turning level got here within the 74th minute when Freiburg have been lowered to 10 males, Maximilian Eggestein despatched off for a foul on Matias Fernandez-Pardo. Lille pressed with larger function thereafter and have been rewarded deep into added time. Fernandez-Pardo was introduced down within the space, and Olivier Giroud, launched from the bench, calmly transformed the ensuing penalty into the top-right nook.
Lyon 4-2 PAOK
Lyon got here from behind to beat PAOK 4-2, with three late objectives settling a match that remained open deep into the second half.
PAOK struck first within the twentieth minute when Giorgos Giakoumakis completed from shut vary after a nook triggered issues within the Lyon field. Lyon responded via Remi Himbert, who equalised on the break within the thirty third minute after good work down the suitable.
The sport shifted earlier than the interval when Giannis Konstantelias was despatched off for a second reserving, leaving PAOK with ten males. Lyon took the lead after the restart as Khalis Merah completed low from the left, however PAOK levelled once more via Soualiho Meite’s header from a nook.
Adam Karabec missed a penalty late on however made up for it with a composed end within the 88th minute, earlier than establishing Alejandro Rodriguez in stoppage time to finish the win.
Panathinaikos 1-1 Roma
Panathinaikos and Roma performed out a 1-1 attract a match formed by an early pink card and second-half objectives. Roma have been lowered to 10 males after quarter-hour when Gianluca Mancini was despatched off following a VAR evaluate for a excessive problem, forcing the guests right into a extra cautious strategy for lengthy spells.
Regardless of their numerical benefit, Panathinaikos struggled to show possession into clear possibilities earlier than the break, with efforts from Bakasetas and Katris failing to seek out the goal. Roma nonetheless threatened sporadically, with Pisilli and Tsimikas testing Alban Lafont from vary.
The hosts broke the impasse within the 58th minute when Vicente Taborda completed from a decent angle after sustained stress down the left. Roma responded nicely and drew stage 12 minutes from time, as Jan Ziolkowski rose unmarked to move dwelling from a set piece. Either side pushed for a winner late on, however neither might discover a decisive opening.
Actual Betis 2-1 Feyenoord
Actual Betis held on for a 2-1 dwelling win over Feyenoord after a primary half during which the hosts constructed a transparent benefit and a late response from the Dutch aspect.
Betis began brightly and went forward within the seventeenth minute when Antony reduce inside from the suitable and despatched a left-footed strike into the highest nook from distance.
Feyenoord had possibilities to reply, with Cyle Larin and Casper Tengstedt each going shut, however have been punished once more simply after the half-hour mark. Antony once more performed a key position, delivering a cross that Abdessamad Ezzalzouli met with a close-range header to make it 2-0.
Feyenoord pushed tougher after the break and got hope within the 77th minute when Tengstedt scored from lengthy vary to scale back the deficit. The guests pressed in stoppage time, creating stress via set items and crosses, however Betis defended their field nicely to see the sport out.
Full Europa League outcomes
Aston Villa 3-2 RB Salzburg
Basel 0-1 Viktoria Plzen
Celtic 4-2 FC Utrecht
FCSB 1-1 Fenerbahce
FC Midtjylland 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb
Porto 3-1 Rangers
Crvena Zvezda 1-1 Celta Vigo
Genk 2-1 Malmo
Go Forward Eagles 0-0 Braga
Lille 1-0 Freiburg
Ludogorets Razgrad 1-0 Good
Lyon 4-2 PAOK
Maccabi Tel Aviv 0-3 Bologna
Nottingham Forest 4-0 Ferencvaros
Panathinaikos 1-1 Roma
Actual Betis 2-1 Feyenoord
Sturm Graz 1-0 Brann
Stuttgard 3-2 Younger Boys
