Europa League: Group-Stage Play Ends

Group-stage play in the Europa League concluded on Thursday with 24 games.

GROUP A:

At Istanbul, Turkey:

Kris Commons' equalizer in the 75th minute carried Celtic to a 1-1 road draw with Fenerbahce.  However, the Bhoys were already eliminated from the tournament.  Lazar Markovic scored for the knockout-stage-bound Yellow Canaries in the 39th minute.

At Amsterdam, Netherlands:

Harmeet Singh delivered the equalizer in the 29th minute as Molde FK won Group A after gaining a 1-1 road draw with Ajax, who were eliminated from European competition.  Donny Van de Beek scored for the hosts in the 14th minute.

Final Group A Standings:

1. Molde FK (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 11)
2. Fenerbahce (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 9)
3. Ajax Amsterdam (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 7)
4. Celtic FC (GP: 6; GD: -4; PTS: 3)

Molde FK and Fenerbahce advanced to the Europa League knockout stage.



GROUP B:

At Bordeaux, France:

Maksim Kanunnikov (31') and Vitali Ustinov (76') each scored once as Rubin Kazan gained a 2-2 road draw with already-eliminated Bordeaux.  The draw, though, was not good enough for the Russian club to advance to the knockout stage.  Gaetan Laborde (57') and Diego Rolan (63') each scored once for the Girondins.

At Sion, Switzerland:

A 0-0 home stalemate with Liverpool was good enough for FC Sion as the Swiss club joined the Reds in advancing to the knockout stage.

Final Group B Standings:

1. Liverpool (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 10)
2. FC Sion (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 9)
3. FC Rubin Kazan (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 6)
4. Bordeaux (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 4)

Liverpool and FC Sion advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.



GROUP C:

At Baku, Azerbaijan:

Ragnar Sigurdsson (26'), Mauricio Pereya (41'), and Wanderson (75') each scored once as FC Krasnodar clinched top spot in Group C after their 3-0 road domination of Gabala FK. 

At Dortmund, Germany:

Robert Mak's goal in the 33rd minute carried PAOK FC to a 1-0 road win over Borussia Dortmund, who still advanced to the knockout rounds.

Final Group C Standings:

1. FC Krasnodar (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 13)
2. Borussia Dortmund (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 10)
3. PAOK FC (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 7)
4. Gabala FK (GP: 6; GD: -10; PTS: 2)

FC Krasnodar and Borussia Dortmund advanced to the knockout stage.



GROUP D:

At Herning, Denmark:

Pione Sisto's goal in the 27th minute enabled FC Midtjylland to gain a 1-1 home draw with Club Brugge and a berth in the knockout stage.  Jelle Vossen scored in the 68th minute for the Belgian club, who were eliminated from the tournament.

At Naples, Italy:

Dries Mertens scored twice (65', 90'+1) as Napoli capped off the only perfect group-stage campaign in either of Europa or Champions League with a 5-2 home domination of Legia Warsaw.

Final Group D Standings:

1. Napoli (GP: 6; GD: +19; PTS: 18)
2. FC Midtjylland (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 7)
3. Club Brugge (GP: 6; GD: -7; PTS: 5)
4. Legia Warsaw (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 4)

Napoli and FC Midtjylland advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage. 



GROUP E:

At Vienna, Austria:

Matej Jelic scored the winning goal in the 59th minute as Rapid Vienna sealed top spot in Group E with a 2-1 home win over Dinamo Minsk.

At Plzen, Czech Republic:

Cedric Bakambu (40'), Jonathan dos Santos (62'), and Bruno Soriano (90'+4) each scored once as Villarreal, who already locked up a knockout-stage berth, gained a 3-3 road draw with FC Viktoria Plzen.  Daniel Kolar (PK-8'), Jan Kovarik (65'), and Tomas Horava (90') each scored once for the Czech club.

Group E Standings:

1. Rapid Vienna (GP: 6; GD: +4; PTS: 15)
2. Villarreal (GP: 6; GD: +6; PTS: 13)
3. FC Viktoria Plzen (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 4)
4. FC Dinamo Minsk (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 3)

Rapid Vienna and Villarreal advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.



GROUP F:

At Liberec, Czech Republic:

Abdelaziz Barrada scored the winning goal in the 48th minute as Marseille outlasted Slovan Liberec 4-2 and snatched a knockout-stage berth away from the hosts.

At Groningen, Netherlands:

A 0-0 road deadlock with FC Groningen still locked up top spot in Group F for SC Braga.

Final Group F Standings:

1. SC Braga (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 13)
2. Marseille (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 12)
3. FC Slovan Liberec (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 7)
4. FC Groningen (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 2)

SC Braga and Marseille advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.



GROUP G:

At Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine:

Matheus Leite Nascimento scored twice (35', 60') as FC Dnipropetrovsk dominated visiting Rosenborg 3-0 in the tournament finale for both clubs.

At Saint-Etienne, France:

In a battle of knockout-stage clubs, Valentin Eysseric's equalizer in the 76th minute carried Saint-Etienne to a 1-1 home draw with Lazio.  Alessandro Matri scored for the Young Eagles in the 52nd minute.

Final Group G Standings:

1. Lazio (GP: 6; GD: +7; PTS: 14)
2. Saint-Etienne (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 9)
3. FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 7)
4. Rosenborg BK (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 2)

Lazio and Saint-Etienne advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.



GROUP H:

At Lisbon:

Bryan Ruiz scored twice (72', 78') as Sporting CP came from behind to upend visiting Besiktas 3-1 and gain a knockout-stage berth at the Black Eagles' expense.

At Elbasan, Albania:

Dmitri Tarasov (18'), Baye Oumar Niasse (89'), and Aleksandr Samedov (90'+1) each produced a goal as Lokomotiv Moscow overtook Besiktas and won Group H after dominating Skenderbeu Korce 3-0 on the road and ended the Albanian club's European campaign.

Final Group H Standings:

1. Lokomotiv Moscow (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 11)
2. Sporting CP (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 10)
3. Besiktas (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 9)
4. Skenderbeu Korce (GP: 6; GD: -9; PTS: 3)

Lokomotiv Moscow and Sporting CP advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.



GROUP I:

At Florence, Italy:

Khouma Babacar scored the only goal of the match in the 67th minute as Fiorentina clinched a berth in the knockout stage with their 1-0 home win over Belenenses, ending the hopes of the Portuguese club (and Lech Poznan as well) of advancing.

At Poznan, Poland:

Jean-Paul Boetius scored the lone goal of the match in the 50th minute as FC Basel finished atop Group I following their 1-0 road win over Lech Poznan.

Final Group I Standings:

1. FC Basel (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 13)
2. Fiorentina (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 10)
3. Lech Poznan (GP: 6; GD: -4; PTS: 5)
4. Belenenses (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 5)

FC Basel and Fiorentina advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.



Group J:

At Brussels, Belgium:

Stefano Okaka scored the winning goal in the 31st minute as RSC Anderlecht defeated visiting Qarabag and locked up a berth in the knockout stage.

At London:

Erik Lamela delivered a natural hat trick (2', 15', 38') as Tottenham Hotspur locked up top spot in Group J after their 4-1 home win at AS Monaco's expense.

Final Group J Standings:

1. Tottenham Hotspur (GP: 6; GD: +6; PTS: 13)
2. RSC Anderlecht (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 10)
3. AS Monaco (GP: 6; GD: -4; PTS: 6)
4. Qarabag FK (GP: 6; GD: -4; PTS: 4)

Tottenham Hotspur and RSC Anderlecht advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.



GROUP K:

At Nicosia, Cyprus:

David Lafata scored twice (77', 87') as Sparta Prague, already bound for the Round of 32, defeated APOEL FC 3-1 on the road.

At Tripoli, Greece:

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored twice (37', 78') as Schalke demolished Asteras Tripoli 4-0 on the road and clinched top spot in Group K.

Final Group K Standings:

1. FC Schalke 04 (GP: 6; GD: +12; PTS: 14)
2. Sparta Prague (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 12)
3. Asteras Tripoli (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 4)
4. APOEL FC (GP: 6; GD: -9; PTS: 3)

FC Schalke 04 and Sparta Prague advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.



GROUP L:

At Belgrade, Serbia:

Paul Verhaegh scored the winning goal in the 51st minute as FC Augsburg knocked off Partizan Belgrade 3-1 on the road and, due to superior overall goal differential, pipped the Serbian club for a knockout-stage berth.

At Bilbao, Spain:

Enrique Sola (43') and Mike San Jose (47') delivered the goals as Athletic Bilbao gained a 2-2 home draw with AZ Alkmaar.  Joris Van Overeem (26') and Vincent Janssen (88') delivered the goals for the Dutch club as their European campaign came to a conclusion.

Final Group L Standings:

1. Athletic Bilbao (GP: 6; GD: +8; PTS: 13)
2. FC Augsburg (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 9)
3. Partizan Belgrade (GP: 6; GD: -4; PTS: 9)
4. AZ Alkmaar (GP: 6; GD: -5; PTS: 4)

Athletic Bilbao and FC Augsburg (the latter due to total superior goal differential vis-a-viv Partizan Belgrade) advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.