Europa League

Action resumed in Europa League group-stage play on Thursday with 24 games.

GROUP A:

At Istanbul, Turkey:

Miroslav Stoch (59') and Simon Kjaer (67') each scored a goal as Fenerbahce blanked visiting Zorya Luhansk 2-0, eliminating the Ukrainian club from the tournament.

At Manchester, England:

Wayne Rooney opened the scoring in the 35th minute as Manchester United went on to demolish visiting Feyenoord Rotterdam 3-0.

Group A Standings:

1.    Fenerbahce (GP: 5; GD: +1; PTS: 10)
2.    Manchester United (GP: 5; GD: +6; PTS: 9)
3.    Feyenoord Rotterdam (GP: 5; GD: -3; PTS: 7)
4. z-Zorya Luhansk (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS: 2)

z-Eliminated from tournament



GROUP B:

At Astana, Kazakhstan:

Dorde Despotovic scored the winning goal in the 84th minute as Astana knocked off visiting APOEL FC 2-1.

At Piraeus, Greece:

At Guillaume Hoarau's equalizer in the 58th minute lifted BSC Young Boys to a 1-1 road draw with Olympiacos.  Kostas Fortounis scored for The Legend at 48 minutes as the hosts advanced to the knockout stage and eliminated the Swiss club from the tournament.

Group B Standings:

1. x-APOEL FC (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 9)
2. x-Olympiacos (GP: 5; GD: +3; PTS: 8)
3. z-BSC Young Boys (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 5)
4. z-Astana (GP: 5; GD: -3; PTS: 5)

x-Clinched berth in knockout stage

z-Eliminated from tournament



GROUP C:

At Baku, Azerbaijan:

Massimo Bruno scored the winning goal in the 90th minute as RSC Anderlecht defeated Gabala 3-1 on the road.

At Saint-Etienne, France:

A 0-0 home stalemate with Mainz 05 carried Saint-Etienne to the knockout stage.

Group C Standings:

1. x-RSC Anderlecht (GP: 5; GD: +9; PTS: 11)
2. x-Saint-Etienne (GP: 5; GD: +2; PTS: 9)
3. z-FSV Mainz 05 (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS: 6)
4. z-Gabala (GP: 5; GD: -7; PTS: 0)

x-Clinched berth in knockout stage

z-Eliminated from tournament



GROUP D:

At Saint Petersburg, Russia:

Aleksandr Kokorin (44') and Aleksandr Kerzhakov (90'+1) each scored a goal as Zenit Saint Petersburg blanked visiting Maccabi Tel Aviv 2-0.

At Dublin, Ireland:

Wout Weghorst scored the only goal of the match in the ninth minute as AZ Alkmaar moved into second place in Group D with one game left with their 1-0 road win over Dundalk.

Group D Standings:

1. y-Zenit Saint Petersburg (GP: 5; GD: +10; PTS: 15)
2.    AZ Alkmaar (GP: 5; GD: -5; PTS: 5)
3.    Dundalk (GP: 5; GD: -2; PTS: 4)
4.    Maccabi Tel Aviv (GP: 5; GD: -3; PTS: 4)

y-Clinched berth in knockout stage



GROUP E:

At Rome:

Edin Dzeko scored twice (10', 61', 88') as AS Roma locked up top spot in Group E with a 4-1 beatdown of FC Viktoria Plzen that knocked the Czech club out of the tournament.

At Vienna, Austria:

Goals from Daniel Florea (79') and Constantin Budescu (PK-88') enabled Astra Giurgiu came from behind to upend Austria Vienna 2-1 on the road and took over second place in Group E.

Group E Standings:

1. y-AS Roma (GP: 5; GD: +9; PTS: 11)
2.    Astra Giurgiu (GP: 5; GD: -3; PTS: 7)
3.    Austria Vienna (GP: 5; GD: -2; PTS: 5)
4. z-FC Viktoria Plzen (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS: 3)

y-Won Group E and clinched berth in knockout stage

z-Eliminated from tournament



GROUP F:

At Genk, Belgium:

Nikos Karelis scored the lone goal of the match in the 11th minute as KRC Genk clinched a berth in the Round of 32 with a 1-0 home win over Rapid Vienna as the Austrian club were eliminated.

At Bilbao, Spain:

Inigo Lekue scored the winning goal in the 79th minute as Athletic Bilbao locked up a berth in the knockout stage by eliminating visiting Sassuolo 3-2.

Group F Standings:

1. x-KRC Genk (GP: 5; GD: +2; PTS: 9)
2. x-Athletic Bilbao (GP: 5; GD: -1; PTS: 9)
3. z-Rapid Vienna (GP: 5; GD: -1; PTS: 5)
4. z-Sassuolo (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 5)

x-Clinched berth in knockout stage

z-Eliminated from tournament

NOTE:  Rapid Vienna and Sassuolo each scored three goals in the course of two draws between the clubs with the Austrian club having the away-goals advantage 2-1.



GROUP G:

At Vigo, Spain:

Konstantinos Laifls' equalizer in the 81st minute lifted Standard Liege to a 1-1 road draw with Celta Vigo.  Iago Aspas scored for the hosts in the eighth minute.

At Amsterdam, Netherlands:

Lasse Schone (40') and Kenny Tete (50') each scored once as Ajax Amsterdam blanked visiting Panathinaikos 2-0 and locked up the Group G title.

Group G Standings:

1. y-Ajax Amsterdam (GP: 5; GD: +5; PTS: 15)
2.    Standard Liege (GP: 5; GD: +2; PTS: 6)
3.    Celta Vigo (GP: 5; GD: +1; PTS: 6)
4. z-Panathinaikos (GP: 5; GD: -8; PTS: 1)

y-Won Group G and clinched berth in knockout stage

z-Eliminated from tournament



GROUP H:

At Lviv, Ukraine:

Abdulkerim Bardacki's ominous own goal in the 11th minute got the ball rolling for Shakhtar Donetsk as they demolished visiting Konyaspor 4-0 and eliminated the Turkish club from the tournament.

At Ghent, Belgium:

Nikola Stojiljkovic (14') and Ahmed Hassan (36') each scored once as SC Braga stayed in second place in Group H after their 2-2 road draw with KAA Gent.  Kalifa Coulibaly (32') and Danijel Milicevic (40') delivered the goals for the Buffalos.

Group H Standings:

1. y-Shakhtar Donetsk (GP: 5; GD: +14; PTS: 15)
2.    SC Braga (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 6)
3.    KAA Gent (GP: 5; GD: -5; PTS: 5)
4. z-Kanyaspor (GP: 5; GD: -9; PTS: 1)

y-Won Group H and clinched berth in knockout stage

z-Eliminated from tournament



GROUP I:

At Krasnodar, Russia:

Fyodor Smolov delivered the equalizer in the 85th minute to carry FC Krasnodar to a 1-1 home draw with FC Red Bull Salzburg and a berth in the knockout stage.  Moanes Dabour scored in the 37th minute for the Austrian club, now eliminated from the tournament.

At Gelsenkirchen, Germany:

Yevhen Konoplyanka (14') and Dennis Aogo (PK-80') each scored once as Schalke 04 stayed perfect in Europa League group-stage play with their 2-0 home blanking of Nice.

Group I Standings:

1. y-FC Schalke 04 (GP: 5; GD: +8; PTS: 15)
2. x-FC Krasnodar (GP: 5; GD: +1; PTS: 7)
3. z-FC Red Bull Salzburg (GP: 5; GD: -2; PTS: 4)
4. z-OGC Nice (GP: 5; GD: -7; PTS: 3)

y-Won Group I and clinched berth in knockout stage

x-Clinched berth in knockout stage

z-Eliminated from tournament



GROUP J:

Liberec, Czech Republic:

Nikolay Komlichenko (PK-57', 63') scored twice as Slovan Liberec dominated visiting Qarabag 3-0.

at Florence, Italy:

Garry Rodrigues scored the game winner in the third minute of second-half stoppage time as PAOK FC knocked off Fiorentino 3-2 on the road.

Group J Standings:

1. Fiorentino (GP: 5; GD: +8; PTS: 10)
2. Qarabag (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS: 7)
3. PAOK FC (GF: 5; GD: -1; PTS: 7)
4. Slovan Liberec (GP: 5; GD: -3; PTS: 4)

NOTE: Qarabag won both meetings with PAOK FC.



GROUP K:

At Beersheba, Israel:

Lucio Maranhao (58'), Anthony Nwakaeme (PK-71'), and Ben Sahar (90'+3) each scored once in the second half as Hapoel Be'er Sheva came back from two goals down to upend visiting Inter Milan 3-2 and knocked the Nerazzurri from the tournament.

At Prague, Czech Republic:

Costa Nhamoinesu scored the game's lone goal in the 11th minute as Sparta Prague locked up the Group K title by downing visiting Southampton 1-0.

Group K Standings:

1. y-Sparta Prague (GP: 5; GD: +3; PTS: 12)
2.    Southampton (GP: 5; GD: +2; PTS: 7)
3.    Hapoel Be'er Sheva (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 7)
4. z-Inter Milan (GP: 5; GD: -5; PTS: 3)

y-Won Group K and clinched berth in knockout stage

z-Eliminated from tournament



GROUP L:

At Bucharest, Romania:

Marko Momcilovic (68') and Gabriel Tamas (86') each scored once as Steaua Bucharest came from behind to upend visiting Osmanlispor 2-1.

At Zurich, Switzerland:

Roberto Rodriguez successfully converted a penalty kick in the 87th minute to lift FC Zurich to a 1-1 home draw with Villarreal.  Bruno Soriano scored for the Yellow Submarine in the 14th minute.

Group L Standings:

1. Osmanlispor (GP: 5; GD: +1; PTS: 6)
2. Villarreal (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 6)
3. Steaua Bucharest (GP: 5; GD: -1; PTS: 6)
4. FC Zurich (GP: 5; GD: 0; PTS: 6)

NOTE:  Steaua Bucharest and FC Zurich battled to two draws in the two games played between the two clubs with the Romanian club holding the away-goal advantage (1-0).