Thursday, September 14, 2017

Europa League: Group-Stage Play Opens As Nice, Rossoneri, Lazio, Sociedad, Marseille, Gunners Grab Wins; Atalanta Too Much For Toffees

Europa League group-stage play commenced with 24 games on Thursday.

GROUP A:

At Villarreal, Spain:

Cedric Bakambu scored the winning goal in the 75th minute as Villarreal defeated visiting Astana 3-1.

At Prague, Czech Republic:

Tomas Necid provided all the scoring with his goal in the 12th minute as Slavia Prague defeated visiting Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-0.

Group A Standings:

1. Villarreal (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
2. Slavia Prague (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
3. Maccabi Tel Aviv (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)
4. Astana (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)



GROUP B:

At Kiev, Ukraine:

Junior Moraes scored the winning goal in the 49th minute as Dynamo Kiev downed visiting Skenderbeu Korce 3-1.

At Bern, Switzerland:

Christian Fassnacht's goal in the 14th minute lifted BSC Young Boys to a 1-1 home draw with Partizan Belgrade.  Marko Jankovic scored for the Serbian club in the 11th minute.

Group B Standings:

1. Dynamo Kiev (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
2. Partizan Belgrade (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
3. BSC Young Boys (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
4. Skenderbeu Korce (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)

NOTE:  Partizan Belgrade gained a 1-1 road draw with BSC Young Boys on Thursday.



GROUP C:

At Sinsheim, Germany:

Dyego Sousa scored the winning goal in the 50th minute as SC Braga knocked off TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 2-1on the road.

At Istanbul, Germany:

Istanbul Basaksehir and visiting Ludogorets Razgrad battled to a 0-0 stalemate.

Group C Standings:

1. SC Braga (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
2. Ludogorets Razgrad (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
3. Istanbul Basaksehir (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
4. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)

NOTE:  Lugogorets Razgrad gained a 0-0 road deadlock with Istanbul Basaksehir on Thursday.



GROUP D:

At Vienna, Austria:

Andre Silva delivered a hat trick (10', 20', 56') as AC Milan demolished Austria Vienna 5-1 on the road.

At Rijeka, Croatia:

Lazaros Christodoulopoulos scored the winning goal in the 62nd minute as AEK Athens defeated Rijeka 2-1 on the road.

Group D Stanings:

1. AC Milan (GP: 1; GD: +4; PTS: 3)
2. AEK Athens (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
3. Rijeka (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)
4. Austria Vienna (GP: 1; GD: -4; PTS: 0)



GROUP E:

At Reggio Emilia, Italy:

Andre Masiello (27'), Alejandro Dario Gomez (41'), and Bryan Cristante (44') each scored a first-half goal as Atalanta (playing somewhat like MLS's Atlanta United in their first two Mercedes-Benz Stadium efforts) dominated visiting Everton 3-0.

At Nicosia, Cyprus:

Adrian Sardinero's equalizer in the third minute of second-half stoppage time enabled Apollon Limassol to salvage a 1-1 draw with visiting Lyon.  Memphis Depay scored for the French club in the 53rd minute by converting a penalty kick.

Group E Standings:

1. Atalanta (GP: 1; GD: +3; PTS: 3)
2. Lyon (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
3. Apollon Limassol (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
4. Everton (GP: 1; GD: -3; PTS: 0)

NOTE:  Lyon gained a 1-1 road draw with Apollon Limassol on Thursday.



GROUP F:

At Olomouc, Czech Republic:

Fastav Zlin and visiting FC Sheriff battled to a 0-0 deadlock.

At Copenhagen, Denmark:

FC Copenhagen and guests Lokomotiv Moscow played to a 0-0 draw.

Group F Standings:

1. FC Copenhagen (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
    Fastav Zlin (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
    FC Sheriff (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
    Lokomotiv Moscow (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)



GROUP G:

At Beersheba, Israel:

Sher Tzedek scored the game winner by successfully converting his penalty kick in the 60th minute as Hapoel Be'er Sheva defeated visiting Lugano 2-1.

At Bucharest, Romania:

Constantin Budescu scored twice (PK-21', 44') as Steaua Bucharest dominated visiting FC Viktoria Plzen 3-0.

Group G Standings:

1. Steaua Bucharest (GP: 1; GD: +3; PTS: 3)
2. Hapoel Be'er Sheva (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
3. Lugano (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)
4. FC Viktoria Plzen (GP: 1; GD: -3; PTS: 0)



GROUP H:

At Belgrade, Serbia:

Mikalay Signevich's equalizer in the 72nd minute lifted FC BATE Borisov to a 1-1 road draw with Red Star Belgrade.  Nemanja Radonjic scored for the hosts in the 54th minute.

At London:

Alexis Sanchez delivered the winning goal in the 69th minute as Arsenal defeated visiting FC Cologne 3-1.

Group H Standings:

1. Arsenal (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS: 3)
2. FC BATE Borisov (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
3. Red Star Belgrade (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
4. FC Cologne (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)

NOTE: FC BATE Borisov gained a 1-1 road draw with Red Star Belgrade on Thursday.



GROUP I:

At Marseille, France:

Adil Rami scored the only goal of the match in the 48th minute as Marseille defeated visiting Konyaspor 1-0.

At Guimaraes, Portugal:

Valon Berisha's equalizer in the 45th minute lifted FC Red Bull Salzburg to a 1-1 road draw with Vitoria de Guimaraes.  Pedro Henrique scored for the hosts at 25 minute.

Group I Standings:

1. Marseille (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
2. FC Red Bull Salzburg (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
3. Vitoria de Guimaraes (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
4. Konyaspor (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)

NOTE:  FC Red Bull Salzburg gained a 1-1 road draw with Vitoria de Guimaraes on Thursday.



GROUP J:

At Lviv, Ukarine (due to war conditions in eastern Ukraine):

Saman Ghoddos (50') and Alhaji Gero (90'+4) each scored once as Ostersund blanked Zorya Luhansk 2-0 on the road.

At Berlin:

The match between Hertha BSC Berlin and guests Athletic Bilbao was played to a 0-0 stalemate.

Group J Standings:

1. Ostersund (GP: 1; GD: +2; PTS; 3)
2. Athletic Bilbao (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
3. Hertha BSC Berlin (GP: 1; GD: 0; PTS: 1)
4. Zorya Luhansk (GP: 1; GD: -2; PTS: 0)

NOTE:  Athletic Bilbao gained a 0-0 road draw with Hertha BSC Berlin on Thursday.



GROUP K:

At Waregem, Belgium:

Alassane Plea scored twice (16', 20') as Nice demolished SV Zulte Waregem 5-1 on the road.

At Arnhem, Netherlands:

Alessandro Murgia scored the winning goal in the 75th minute as Lazio defeated SBV Vitesse Arnhem 3-2 on the road.

Group K Standings:

1. Nice (GP: 1; GD: +4; PTS: 3)
2. Lazio (GP: 1; GD: +1; PTS: 3)
3. Lazio (GP: 1; GD: -1; PTS: 0)
4. SV Zulte Waregem (GP: 1; GD: -4; PTS: 0)



GROUP L:

At Skopje, Macedonia:

Aleksandr Kokorin scored twice (6', 21') as Zenit Saint Petersburg destroyed Vardar 5-0 on the road.

At San Sebastian, Spain:

Diego Llorente scored twice (9', 77') Real Sociedad demolished visiting Rosenborg 4-0.

Group L Standings:

1. Zenit Saint Petersburg (GP: 1; GD: +5; PTS: 3)
2. Real Sociedad (GP: 1; GD: +4; PTS: 3)
3. Rosenborg BK (GP: 1; GD: -4; PTS: 0)
4. Vardar (GP: 1; GD: -5; PTS: 0)

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