Thursday, December 08, 2016

Europa League: Group-Stage Play Concludes (Save For One Game Postponed In Italy Due To Fog)

23 games were contested on  Thursday as group-stage play in the Europa League---save for one contest postponed to Friday due to heavy fog----came to a conclusion.

GROUP A:

At Rotterdam, Netherlands:

Moussa Sow scored the only goal of the match in the 22nd minute as Fenerbahce knocked off Feyenoord Rotterdam 1-0 on the road to secure top spot in Group A

At Odessa, Ukraine:

Henrikh Mkhitaryan (48') and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (88') delivered the goals as Manchester United locked up a knockout-stage berth by blanking Zorya Luhansk 2-0 on the road.

Final Group A Standings:

1. Fenerbahce (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 13)
2. Manchester United (GP: 6; GD: +8; PTS: 12)
3. Feyenoord Rotterdam (GP: 6; GD: -4; PTS: 7)
4. FC Zorya Luhansk (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 2)

Fenerbahce and Manchester United advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.



GROUP B:

At Bern, Switzerland:

Michael Frey (63'), Guillaume Hoarau (66'), and Thorsten Schick (71') each scored a goal during a nine-minute second-half span as BSC Young Boys dominated visiting Astana 3-0 in the tournament finale for both clubs.

At Nicosia, Cyprus:

Manuel de Costa (OG-19') and Igor de Camargo (83') each scored once as APOEL FC clinched top spot with a 2-0 blanking of visiting Olympiacos as both clubs had already clinched berths in the Round of 32.

Final Group B Standings:

1. APOEL FC (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 12)
2. Olympiacos (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 8)
3. BSC Young Boys (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 8)
4. Astana (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 5)

NOTE:  Olympiacos had a win and a draw in two games against BSC Young Boys.

APOEL FC and Olympiacos advanced to the knockout stage.


GROUP C:

At Mainz, Germany:

Alexander Hack (30') and Pablo De Blasis (40') provided the goal power as Mainz 05 blanked visiting Gabala 2-0 as both clubs concluded their European campaigns.

At Brussels, Belgium:

In a battle of two clubs that had already locked up berths in the knockout rounds, Alexander Soderlund scored twice (62', 67') and Kevin Monnet-Paquet once (74') as Saint-Etienne came back from two goals down to upend RSC Anderlecht 3-2 on the road and jump the Belgian club to win Group C.

Final Group C Standings:

1. Saint-Etienne (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 12)
2. RSC Anderlecht (GP: 6; GD: +8; PTS: 11)
3. Mainz 05 (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 9)
4. Gabala (GP: 6; GD: -9; PTS: 0

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



GROUP D:

At Alkmaar, Netherlands:

Muamer Tankovic scored the winning goal in the 68th minute as AZ Alkmaar defeated visiting Zenit Saint Petersburg 3-2 to join the Russian club in the knockout stage.


At Netanya, Israel:

In what proved to be a meaningless match because of AZ's victory, Dor Micha scored the winning goal in the 38th minute as Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated visiting Dundalk 2-1 as both clubs said Au Revoir to European competition.

Final Group D Standings:

1. Zenit Saint Peterburg (GP: 6; GD: +9; PTS: 15)
2. AZ Alkmaar (GP: 6; GD: -4; PTS: 8)
3. Maccabi Tel Aviv (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 7)
4. Dundalk FC (GP: 6; GD: -3; PTS: 4)

Zenit Saint Petersburg and AZ Alkmaar advanced to the knockout stage.



GROUP E:

At Plzen, Czech Republic:

Michal Duris scored twice in the second half (72', 84') as Viktoria Plzen defeated visiting Austria Vienna 3-2 in what proved to be the tournament swan song for both clubs.

At Bucharest, Romania:

Despite being held to a 0-0 stalemate by visiting AS Roma, Astra Giurgiu advanced to the knockout stage, joining the Italian club.

Final Group E Standings:

1. AS Roma (GP: 6; GD: +9; PTS: 12)
2. Astra Giurgiu (GP: 6; GD: -3; PTS: 8)
3. FC Viktoria Plzen (GP: 6; GD: -3; PTS: 6)
4. Austria Vienna (GP: 6; GD: -3; PTS: 5)

AS Roma and Astra Giurgiu advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.



GROUP F:

At Vienna, Austria:

Enric Saborit's equalizer in the 84th minute lifted knockout stage-bound Athletic Bilbao to a 1-1 road draw with Rapid Vienna.  Joelinton scored for the hosts in the 72nd minute.

At Reggio Emilia, Italy:

Due to heavy fog, the Sassoulo-KRC Genk contest was postponed to Friday.


Athletic Bilbao and KRC Genk advanced to the Europa League knockout stage.



GROUP G:

At Liege, Belgium:

Benito Raman's equalizer in the 85th minute enabled Standard Liege to salvage a 1-1 home draw with Ajax Amsterdam, a deadlock that ultimately cost the Belgian club a knockout-stage berth.  Anwar El Ghazi scored for the club that had already claimed the Group G crown in the 27th minute.

At Athens, Greece:

John Guidetti (4') and Fabian Orellana (PK-76') each scored once as Celta Vigo punched their ticket for the knockout stage after their 2-0 road win over Panathinaikos.


Final Group G Standings:

1. Ajax Amsterdam (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 14)
2. Celta Vigo (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 9)
3. Standard Liege (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 7)
4. Panathinaikos (GP: 6; GD: -10; PTS: 1)

Ajax Amsterdam and Celta Vigo advanced to the Europa League knockout stage.



GROUP H:

At Konya, Turkey:

Kalifa Coulibaly scored the only goal of the match in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time as KAA Gent locked up a berth in the Round of 32 with a 1-0 road win over Konyaspor.


At Braga, Portugal:

Serhiy Kryvtsov (22', 62') and Taison (39', 66') each scored twice (once in each half) as Shakhtar Donetsk doubled up SC Braga 4-2 on the road, concluding a perfect group stage campaign.

Final Group H Standings:

1. Shakhtar Donetsk (GP: 6; GD: +16; PTS:18)
2. KAA Gent (GP: 6; GD: -4; PTS: 8)
3. SC Braga (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS; 6)
4. Konyaspor (GP: 6; GD: -10; PTS: 1)

Shakhtar Donetsk and KAA Gent advanced to the Europa League knockout stage.



GROUP I:

At Wals-Siezenheim, Austria:

Xaver Schlager (22') and Josip Radosevic (90'+4) each scored a goal as FC Red Bull Salzburg blanked visiting FC Schalke 2-0, ruining the Royal Blues' perfect group-stage campaign.

At Nice, France:

Maxime Le Marchand scored the winning goal in the 77th minute as OGC Nice defeated visiting FC Krasnodar 2-1.

Final Group I Standings:

1. FC Schalke 04 (GP: 6; GD: +6; PTS: 15)
2. FC Krasnodar (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 7)
3. FC Red Bull Salzburg (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 7)
4. OGC Nice (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 6)

NOTE:  FC Krasnodar had a win and a draw in two games against FC Red Bull Salzburg.

FC Schalke 04 and FC Krasnodar advanced to the Europa League knockout stage.



GROUP J:

At Baku, Azerbaijan:

Federico Chiesa scored the winning goal in the 76th minute as Fiorentina clinched top spot in Group J with a 2-1 road win over Qarabag.


At Thessaloniki, Greece:

Garry Rodrigues (29') and Dimitris Pelkas (67') produced the goals as PAOK FC advanced to the knockout stage with their 2-0 blanking of visiting Slovan Liberec.

Final Group J Standings:

1. Fiorentina (GP: 6; GD: +9; PTS: 13)
2. PAOK FC (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 10)
3. Qarabag (GP: 6; GD: -5; PTS: 7)
4. FC Slovan Liberec (GP: 6; GD: -5; PTS: 4)

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



GROUP K:

At Milan, Italy:

Eder scored twice (23', 90') as Inter Milan, playing for pride, knocked off group-topping Sparta Prague 2-1 on the road.

At Southampton, England:

Maor Buzgalo's goal in the 79th minute lifted Hapoel Be'er Sheva to a 1-1 road draw, good enough for the Israeli club to advance to the knockout stage.  Virgil Van Dijk scored for the now-eliminated English club in the opening minute of second-half stoppage time.

Final Group K Standings:

1. Sparta Prague (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 12)
2. Hapoel Be'er Sheva (GP: 6; GD: 0; PTS: 8)
3. Southampton (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 8)
4. Inter Milan (GP: 6; GD: -4; PTS: 6)

NOTE:  With Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Southampton playing to two draws with the aggregate score at 1-1, the Israeli club had the away-goals advantage (1-0).

Sparta Prague and Hapoel Be'er Sheva advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.



GROUP L:

At Ankara, Turkey:

Dzon Delarge (73') and Erdal Kilicaslan (89') each scored once as Osmanlispor blanked visiting FC Zurich 2-0 to lay claim to top spot in Group L.

At Villarreal, Spain:

Manu Trigueros scored the winning goal in the 88th minute as Villarreal punched their tickets for the knockout stage by beating visiting Steaua Bucharest 2-1.

Final Group L Standings:

1. Osmanlispor (GP 6; GD: +3; PTS: 10)
2. Villarreal (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 9)
3. FC Zurich (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 6)
4. Steaua Bucharest (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 6)

NOTE:  FC Zurich and Steaua Bucharest battled to two draws and with the aggregate score at 1-1, the Swiss club had the away-goals advantage (1-0)

Osmanlispor and Villarreal advanced to the Europa League's group stage.







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