Europa League Group Stage Play Concludes

Group stage play in the UEFA Europa League concluded with twelve games on Thursday.

Group A:

At Amsterdam, Netherlands:

Romelu Lukaku scored twice (13', 22') as RSC Anderlecht grabbed top spot in Group A with a 3-1 road win over Ajax Amsterdam. Both clubs will play in the Europa League's round of 32.

At Zagreb, Croatia:

FC Timisoara picked up their first win of group stage play with a 2-1 road win over Dinamo Zagreb. Gheorghe Bucur (67') and Dorin Goga (84') each scored once for the Romanian club.

FINAL GROUP A STANDINGS:

1. RSC Anderlecht (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 11)
2. Ajax Amsterdam (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 11)
3. Dinamo Zagreb (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 6)
4. FC Timisoara (GP: 6; GD: -5; PTS: 5)

Anderlecht and Ajax advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group B:

At Villeneuve d'Asca, France:

Yohan Cabaye (25'), Gervinho (40'), and Ludovic Obraniak (80') each scored a goal as LOSC Lille Metropole locked up a berth in the knockout stage with a 3-1 home win over Slavia Prague.

At Genoa, Italy:

Valencia, with a goal during each half's period of stoppage time (Bruno Saltor [45'+1] and David Villa [90'+5]), defeated Genoa 2-1 on the road to secure top spot in Group B.

FINAL GROUP B STANDINGS:

1. Valencia (GP: 6; GD: +4; PTS: 12)
2. Lille (GP: 6; GD: +6; PTS: 10)
3. Genoa (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 7)
4. Slavia Prague (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 3)

Valencia and Lille advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group C:

At Tel-Aviv, Israel:

Samuel Yeboah scored the game's lone goal (23') as Hapoel Tel-Aviv defeated visiting Hamburg 1-0 to overtake their German guests and clinch top spot in Group C.

At Vienna, Austria:

In an exciting match of eliminated clubs, Celtic, thanks to goals from Marc-Antoine Fortune (24', 67') and Paul McGowan (90'+1), erased an early three-goal deficit to gain a 3-3 road draw with Rapid Vienna. The hosts were paced by Nikica Jelavic (1', 8') and Hamdi Salihi (19').

FINAL GROUP C STANDINGS:

1. Hapoel Tel-Aviv (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 12)
2. Hamburg (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 10)
3. Celtic (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 6)
4. Rapid Vienna (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 5)

Hapoel Tel-Aviv and Hamburg advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group G:

At Rome:

To cap off an otherwise abysmal showing in group stage play, Hristo Yovov scored Levski Sofia's first goal of group stage action (60'), which was enough for the Bulgarian club to knock off Lazio 1-0 on the road and end the hopes of the club from the Eternal City to reach the knockout stage.

At Villarreal, Spain:

Dusan Svento scored the lone goal of the match at 7 minutes as Red Bull Salzburg won all six games, the only club in group stage play in either the Europa or Champions League to do so. The Austrian club knocked off Villarreal 1-0 on the road. Both teams will play in the knockout stage.

FINAL GROUP G STANDINGS:

1. Red Bull Salzburg (GP: 6; GD: +7; PTS: 18)
2. Villarreal (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 9)
3. Lazio (GP: 6; GD: -1; PTS: 6)
4. Levski Sofia (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 3)

Red Bull Salzburg and Villarreal advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group H:

At Bucharest, Romania:

Ronnie Stam's 35th-minute equalizer lifted FC Twente to a 1-1 road draw with Steaua Bucharest, enabling the Dutch club to lock up a berth in the knockout stage.

At Istanbul, Turkey:

Ugur Boral's goal at 15 minutes proved to be enough as Fenerbahce ended FC Sheriff's outside hopes of advancing to the knockout stage of the Europa League with a 1-0 home win.

FINAL GROUP H STANDINGS:

1. Fenerbahce (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 15)
2. FC Twente (GP: 6; GD: -1; PTS: 8)
3. FC Sheriff (GP: 6; GD: -1; PTS: 5)
4. Steaua Bucharest (GP: 6; GD: -3; PTS: 4)

Fenerbahce and FC Twente advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.

Group I:

At London:

BATE Borisov, with Aleksandr Yurevich scoring the game's lone goal at 75 minutes, defeated knockout-stage-bound Everton 1-0 on the road.

At Lisbon, Portugal:

Angel Di Maria doubled (45', 73') as SL Benfica, already bound for round of 32 play, held off visiting AEK Athens 2-1.

FINAL GROUP I STANDINGS:

1. SL Benfica (GP: 6; GD: +10; PTS: 15)
2. Everton (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 9)
3. BATE Borisov (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 7)
4. AEK Athens (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS; 4)

Benfica and Everton advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.


All 24 teams who finished first or second in their respective groups will be joined by the clubs who finished third in their respective Champions League groups in the round of 32 of the Europa League.