Basque duo notch comfortable wins in Europa League-Xinhua

Basque duo notch comfortable wins in Europa League

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2024-11-29 09:54:45

MADRID, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Athletic Club took another huge step towards assuring direct qualification for the knockout stage of the UEFA Europa League with a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Swedish side Elfsborg on Thursday.

Adama Boiro opened the scoring after just six minutes, with Benat Prados and Gorka Guruzeta also finding the net after a dominant display against a rival that rarely threatened.

Unai Simon returned in goal for Athletic for the first time this season after a wrist ligament operation following the UEFA European Championship, but didn't have to make a save as his side dominated from start to finish against a rival whose domestic competition has finished.

Other early kickoffs saw group leader Lazio held to a 0-0 draw by Bulgarian side Ludogorets.

There was drama at the end of the match between Anderlecht and Porto with each side scoring in the last 10 minutes.

Galeno's penalty and Tristan Degreef made it 1-1, but Porto then took an 83rd-minute lead through Fabio Vieira before Francis Amuzu leveled for the home side three minutes later.

Lyon strengthened its top-eight claims with a 4-1 win away to Qarabag FK, with Georges Mikautadze netting a brace, while Corentin Tolisso and Malick Fofana also scored.

Kiril Despodov and Fedor Chalov scored as PAOK Salonika won 2-0 away to Rigas FS, while AZ Alkmaar and Galatasaray drew 1-1.

Viktoria Plzen claimed an important 2-1 win away to Dynamo Kiev, and Maccabi Tel Aviv produced a surprise as it won 3-1 away to Besiktas with Gabi Kanichowsky, Dor Peretz and Weslley Patati all scoring.

In the later kickoffs, second-half goals from Ander Barrenetxea and Take Kubo gave Real Sociedad a much-needed win at home to Ajax.

The Dutch side was on top for most of the game and hit the woodwork twice, before Barrenetxea put his side ahead from close range from Kubo's cross in the 67th minute.

Manchester United came back from 2-1 down at home to Bodo/Glimt to win 3-2 to give new coach Ruben Amorim a win on his home debut.

Alejandro Garnacho put United ahead in the first minute, but after Hakon Evjen and Philip Zinckernagel put the visitor ahead, two goals from Rasmus Hojlund gave United a vital win.

Tottenham and Roma drew 2-2 with the Italian side twice coming back from behind, with goals from Evan Ndicka and Mats Hummels canceling out efforts from Son Heung-min and Brennan Johnson.

Bruma and Roger Fernandes put Sporting Braga 2-0 ahead at home to Hoffenheim after just eight minutes, and Vitor Carvalho rounded off the win deep into injury time.

Union Saint-Gilloise won 1-0 away to Twente thanks to Mohammed Fuseini's 11th-minute goal, while Romanian side FCSB held Olympiacos to a 0-0 draw.

Glasgow Rangers won 4-1 away to Nice, while Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce came from behind to win 2-1 away to Slavia Prague.