News Archive

Europa League group stage, day six

A full house for La Liga teams in the Europa League, and all three will be in the round of thirty-two draw. Athletic Bilbao were already sure of their place, and a 1-1 draw at Rapid Vienna took them above KRC Genk to the top of group F pending the match between Sassuolo and Genk, which was postponed due to fog. Saborit got the only goal for the Basque side late on after Joelinton had given the Austrians the lead. Villarreal ended up second in group L after they beat Steaua Bucharest 2-1, although with all four teams separated by a point the outcome was in doubt until Trigueros got the winner with three minutes to go. Sansone had opened the scoring for the locals on the quarter hour mark, but substitute Achrim levelled it for the visitors just a minute after coming on. Celta meanwhile won 0-2 at Panathinaikos thanks to a header from Guidetti and an Orellana penalty, the result taking them up to second in group G, ahead of Standard Liège, who could only draw 1-1 against group leaders Ajax. (08.12.16)

PS Athletic ended as runners-up in their group as well after Genk beat Sassuolo in their rescheduled match. (09.12.16)

Rapid Vienna 1 - Athletic Bilbao 1

Athletic Bilbao made sure of their place in the knock-out stage three weeks ago, and a 1-1 draw at Rapid Vienna took them above KRC Genk to the top of group F pending the match between Sassuolo and Genk, which was postponed due to fog. With two much-changed line-ups, there was little action in the first forty-five minutes, but soon after the restart Eraso and Muniain both tested Kenoflach, and Lekue blocked a couple of efforts from Schrammel. With twenty minutes to go the Austrian side took the lead, Joelinton running the ball in to the empty net after Iraizoz and Yeray deflected a shot from Kvilitaia in to his path. However a few minutes later Saborit levelled the scores after Villalibre played a long Susaeta free kick back across goal, and Beñat came close to winning it with a free kick which the klocal eeper tipped over the crossbar. (08.12.16)

Villarreal 2 – Steaua Bucharest 1

Villarreal ended up second in group L after they beat Steaua Bucharest 2-1 in their last group game. The four sides came in to the final day with only one point between them, and only a win would ensure any of them a place in the next round. With a quarter of an hour on the clock Sansone gave the locals the lead, beating Nita at the second attempt after the keeper saved his first shot, and Bakambu missed a good chance to extend the lead before the break. Some ten minutes in to the second half however substitute Achrim headed the equalizer just a minute after coming on, and although Villarreal were still qualified with that scoreline by one goal difference in the general classification, a win by Zurich at Osmanlispor would have dumped them out. News came in though that the Turkish side were two up, and with six minutes to go Trigueros got a second for Fran Escribá’s side, but even so another goal by the Romanians would have changed all that once again. Luckily though Asenjo was on hand to make sure that didn’t happen. (08.12.16)

Panathinaikos 0 - Celta 2

Celta completed the full-house for Spanish teams in the Europa League, a 0-2 victory at Panathinaikos in the last round of games of the evening taking them in to Monday’s round of 32 draw as second in group G. The Galicians had to better the result of Standard Liège, who were playing against the already qualified group leaders Ajax, but with that match ending 1-1 Berizzo’s side go through. Guidetti headed the visitors in to the lead early on from a Hugo Mallo cross, and although Rinaldi had brought a good save out of Rubén Blanco before that, the Celta keeper was hardly troubled for the rest of the ninety minutes. With a quarter of an hour to go Orellana added a second from the penalty spot after a wayward kick by Moledo caught Guidetti in the throat, and after that all ears were on the radio to make sure nothing untoward happened in Belgium. (08.12.16)