Thursday, December 10, 2020

Europa League: Molde, Napoli, Sociedad, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Wolfsberger AC Advance To Knockout Stage As Group-Stage Play Ends

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


GROUP A:


At Bern, Switzerland:


Jean-Pierre Nsame (PK-90'+3) and Gianluca Gaudino (90'+6) each scored a second-half stoppage-time goal as BSC Young Boys upended visiting CFR Cluj 2-1 to lock up a knockout stage berth.


At Sofia, Bulgaria:


Ali Sowe scored twice (34', 55') as CSKA Sofia concluded their European campaign by knocking off visiting AS Roma 3-1.


Final Group A Standings:


1. AS Roma (GP: 6; GD: +8; PTS: 13)

2. BSC Young Boys (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 10)

3. CFR Cluj (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 5)

4. CSKA Sofia (GP: 6; GD: -4; PTS: 5)


AS Roma and BSC Young Boys advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.




GROUP B:


At Dublin, Ireland:


Joseph Willock scored the game winner in the 67th minute as Arsenal doubled up Dundalk 4-2 on the road.


At Vienna, Austria:


Magnus Wolff Eikrem scored twice (12', 46') as Molde FK secured a knockout-stage berth after gaining a 2-2 road draw with Rapid Vienna.


Marcel Ritzmaier (43') and Melih Ibrahimoglu (90') each scored once for the now-eliminated hosts.


Final Group B Standings:


1. Arsenal (GP: 6; GD: +15; PTS: 18)

2. Molde FK (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 10)

3. Rapid Vienna (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 7)

4. Dundalk (GP: 6; GD: -11; PTS: 0)


Arsenal and Molde FK advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.




GROUP C:


At Leverkusen, Germany:


Leon Patrick scored twice (8', 32') as Bayer Leverkusen locked up top spot in Group C after demolishing visiting Slavia Prague 4-0 as both clubs had already clinched berths in the round of 32.


At Petah Tikva, Israel:


In the swan song for both clubs as far as European competition is concerned, Rotem Hatuel's goal at 72 minutes lifted Hapoel Be'er Sheva past visiting Nice 1-0.


Final Group C Standings:


1. Bayer Leverkusen (GP: 6; GD: +13; PTS: 15)

2. Slavia Prague (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 12)

3. Hapoel Be'er Sheva (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 6)

4. OGC Nice (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 3)


Bayer Leverkusen and Slavia Prague advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.




GROUP D:


At Liege, Belgium:


Everton (16') and Pizzi (PK-67') each scored once as SL Benfica gained a 2-2 road draw with Standard Liege.


Nicolas Raskin (12') and Abdoul Tapsoba (60') each scored once for the hosts.


At Poznan, Poland:


Cedric Itten (31') and Ianis Hagi (72') each scored once as Rangers secured top spot in Group D after their 2-1 road victory over Lech Poznan.


Final Group D Standings:


1. Rangers (GP: 6; GD: +6; PTS: 14)

2. SL Benfica (GP: 6; GD: +9; PTS: 12)

3. Standard Liege (GP: 6; GD: -7; PTS: 4)

4. Lech Poznan (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 3)


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




GROUP E:


At Eindhoven, Netherlands:


Joel Piroe scored twice (90'+2, 90'+3) as PSV Eindhoven demolished visiting Omonia 4-0 to lock up top spot in Group E.


At Thessaloniki, Greece:


PAOK FC and visiting Granada battled to a 0-0 stalemate.


Group E Standings:


1. PSV Eindhoven (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 12)

2. Granada (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 11)

3. PAOK FC (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 6)

4. Omonia (GP: 6; GD: -7; PTS: 4)


PSV Eindhoven and Granada advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.




GROUP F:


At Napels, Spain:


William Jose's late equalizer (90'+2) carried Real Sociedad to a 1-1 road draw with Napoli as both clubs advanced to the knockout stage.


Piotr Zielinski scored for the Light Blues in the 35th minute.


At Rijeka, Croatia:


In the tournament finale for both clubs, Ivan Tomecak scored the game winner at the death (90'+3) as Rijeka defeated visiting AZ Alkmaar 2-1, robbing the Dutch club of a knockout-stage berth.


Final Group F Standings:


1. Napoli (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 11)

2. Real Sociedad (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 9)

3. AS Alkmaar (GP: 6; GD: +2; PTS: 8)

4. Rijeka (GP: 6; GD: -6; PTS: 4)


Napoli and Real Sociedad advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.




GROUP G:


At Braga, Portugal:


Joel Abu Hanna (OG-61') and Ricardo Horba (68') each scored once as SC Braga blanked visiting Zorya Luhansk 2-0.


At Leicester, England:


Cengiz Under (12') and Harvey Barnes (14') each scored once in the opening quarter-hour as Leicester City locked up top spot in Group G after blanking visiting AEK Athens 2-0.


Final Group G Standings:


1. Leicester City (GP: 6; GD: +9; PTS: 13)

2. SC Braga (GP: 6; GD: +4; PTS: 13)

3. Zorya Luhansk (GP: 6; GD: -5; PTS: 6)

4. AEK Athens (GP: 6; GD: -8; PTS: 3)


Leicester City and SC Braga advanced to the Europa League knockout stage; Leicester City had a win and a draw in two games with SC Braga.




GROUP H:


At Glasgow, Scotland:


David Turnbull scored the winning goal in the 75th minute as Celtic defeated visiting Lille 3-2.


At Prague, Czech Republic:


Jens Hauge scored the only goal in the 23rd minute as AC Milan knocked off Sparta Prague 1-0 on the road to snatch the Group H title.


Group H Standings:


1. AC Milan (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 13)

2. Lille (GP: 6; GD: +6; PTS: 11)

3. Sparta Prague (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 6)

4. Celtic (GP: 6; GD: -9; PTS: 4)


AC Milan  and Lille Metropole advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.




GROUP I:


At Tel Aviv, Israel:


Enric Saboit scored the only goal of the match in the 67th minute as Maccabi Tel Aviv locked up a knockout-stage berth following their 1-0 victory over visiting Sivasspor.


The match between Villarreal and visiting Qarabag had been postponed due to COVID-19 issues with members of the Azerbaijani club.


Group I Standings:


1. Villarreal (GP: 5; GD: +9; PTS: 13)

2. Maccabi Tel Aviv (GP: 5; GD: -1; PTS: 11)

3. Sivasspor (GP: 6; GD: -2; PTS: 6)

4. Qarabag (GP: 5; GD: -6; PTS: 1)


Villarreal and Maccabi Tel Aviv advanced to the Europa League knockout stage.




GROUP J:


At London:


Carlos Vinicius (57') and Giovani Lo Celso (71') each scored once as Tottenham Hotspur blanked visiting Royal Antwerp 2-0 to lock up top spot in the knockout stage.


At Razgrad, Bulgaria:


In the tournament finale for both clubs, Rene Renner converted his 52nd-minute penalty kick for the winning goal as LASK defeated Ludogorets Razgrad 3-1 on the road.


Final Group J Standings:


1. Tottenham Hotspur (GP: 6; GD: +10; PTS: 13)

2. Royal Antwerp (GP: 6; GD: +3; PTS: 12)

3. LASK (GP: 6; GD: -1; PTS: 10)

4. Ludogorets Razgrad (GP: 6; GD: -12; PTS: 0)


Tottenham Hotspur and Royal Antwerp advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.




GROUP K:


At Zagreb, Croatia:


Mislav Orsic scored the winning goal in the 41st minute as Dinamo Zagreb defeated visiting CSKA 3-1.


At KIagenfurt, Austria:


Dejan Joveljic scored the only goal of the match in the 31st minute as Wolfsberger AC locked up a knockout-stage berth after upending visiting Feyenoord Rotterdam 1-0.


Final Group K Standings:


1. Dinamo Zagreb (GP: 6; GD: +8; PTS: 14)

2. Wolfsberger AC (GP: 6; GD: +1; PTS: 10)

3. Feyenoord Rotterdam (GP: 6; GD: -4; PTS: 5)

4. CSKA Moscow (GP: 6; GD: -5; PTS: 3)


Dinamo Zagreb and Wolfsberger AC advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.




GROUP H:


At Sinsheim, Germany:


Maximilian Beier scored twice (21', 49') as 1899 Hoffenheim dominated visiting Gent KAA 4-1.


At Liberec, Czech Republic:


Slovan Liberec and visiting Red Star Belgrade played out to a 0-0 stalemate.


Final Group H Standings:


1. 1899 Hoffenheim (GP: 6; GD: +15; PTS: 16)

2. Red Star Belgrade (GP: 6; GD: +5; PTS: 11)

3. Slovan Liberec (GP: 6; GD: -9; PTS: 7)

4. Gent KAA (GP: 6; GD: -11; PTS: 0)


1899 Hoffenheim and Red Star Belgrade advanced to the Europa League's knockout stage.






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