EUROPA League
Man United earn first win, Spurs suffer first loss, Lazio top
Manchester United earned their first Europa League win with a 2-0 victory over PAOK, Tottenham Hotspur’s perfect start ended with a 3-2 loss at Galatasaray and Lazio top the standings after a 2-1 victory over Porto on Thursday.
Ajax strolled to a 5-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv, Athletic Bilbao came from behind to beat Ludogorets 2-1 and Anderlecht were denied joining Lazio on top as a late own goal left them with a draw in Latvia at RFS.
A brace from Amad Diallo gave United their first success in this season’s competition, coming under interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy after they had drawn the previous three games with Erik ten Hag was in charge.
Amad’s first came five minutes after the break when he met a Bruno Fernandes cross with a looping header which found the far corner, and he added a solo second 13 minutes from time.
United have six points in the standings, three behind Spurs who despite going down to 10 men almost made a dramatic comeback in Istanbul where Victor Osimhen scored twice for the hosts and Will Lankshear grabbed his first goal for Spurs before being sent off.
Yunus Akgun gave Galatasaray an early lead with a stunning half-volley but Spurs levelled when Brennan Johnson’s layoff across the goal left Lankshear with a simple tap-in.
Radu Dragusin was caught napping at the back in the 31st minute and was dispossessed by Mauro Icardi. The ball fell to Dries Mertens who slipped a pass to Osimhen and the Nigerian striker found the bottom corner.
Osimhen struck again six minutes from the break and Lankshear received his second booking on the hour mark, but 10-man Tottenham pulled a goal back when substitute Dominic Solanke back-heeled Pedro Porro’s cross into the net.
LAZIO TOP
Lazio made it four wins from four to take control at the top of the standings thanks to an added-time goal from Pedro.
The Italian side went ahead at the end of the first half through Alessio Romagnoli’s header but Porto drew level through Stephen Eustaquio.
It looked like Lazio would have to settle for a draw but with time running out Pedro turned a cross from Gustav Isaksen into the net.
Anderlecht could have joined them on 12 points, with Mario Stroeykens putting them ahead five minutes from time but RFS snatched a draw deep into added time when Moussa N’diaye put the ball into his own net.
Bilbao moved on to 10 points with their comeback win in Bulgaria against Ludogorets after Inaki Williams and Nicolas Serrano scored second-half goals in quick succession.
Ajax are also on 10 after cruising to victory over Maccabi with goals from Bertrand Traore, Kenneth Taylor, Mika Godts, Brian Brobbey and Kian Fitz-Jim.
Eintracht Frankfurt overcame Slavia Prague 1-0 thanks to Omar Marmoush’s goal direct from a free kick and they remain two points behind Lazio.
AS Roma were held to a 1-1 draw at Union Saint-Gilloise where Gianluca Mancini put the Italians ahead before Kevin MacAllister equalised for the Belgian side, which leaves the Italians down in 20th on five points
-Reuters
Chelsea demolished Armenian side FC Noah as they showed little mercy by handing out an 8-0 thrashing at Stamford Bridge on Thursday to remain top of the Conference League standings, with Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku both scoring twice.
The home crowd only had to wait until the 12th minute for the opening goal when Tosin Adarabioyo headed in a corner kick before the second came a minute later with Marc Guiu intercepting a poor defensive pass before slotting home.
Another headed goal from a corner came through Alex Disasi after 18 minutes and in the 21st Portuguese Felix gathered a pass from Enzo Fernandez and slipped his shot under the keeper.
Mykhailo Mudryk curled a beautiful shot into the top corner six minutes before the break to make it five, and Felix netted his second two minutes later.
After six goals in the opening half, Chelsea took their foot off the gas but Frenchman Nkunku did manage a brace, knocking in a rebound after his initial shot was saved in the 69th minute and then converting a penalty seven minutes later.
Chelsea have nine points after three games and lead the table thanks to their superior goal difference over a chasing pack of five other teams who also have a perfect record.
-Reuters
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag called on his players to use the frustration from their humbling defeat by Tottenham Hotspur as motivation to beat Porto in the Europa League on Thursday.
Following the 3-0 home loss to Spurs on Sunday, Ten Hag admitted his team’s mood could have been more positive.
“We are mad, mad with ourselves, especially when you lose a game like Sunday… but you have to deal with it. We are mad, and from the madness we have to get motivation,” Ten Hag told reporters on Wednesday.
“Always, when we are not winning we are disappointed and we are also mad with ourselves.”
United are 13th in the Premier League table and following a 1-1 draw with Dutch side Twente Enschede in the first Europa League match, Ten Hag said speculation about his job was inevitable.
“This club wants to be back on top and it’s a long-term target. We talk every day. Every day we evaluate and review the process and where necessary we make our decisions,” he said
“Everyone has to take responsibility and that starts with me as the manager. But on the pitch we have leadership skills and they have to stand up.
“Every game for us is important and every opponent is 100% motivated. We have to be ready to compete and fight with them.”
The Dutchman said midfielder Mason Mount, who was not part of the squad that travelled to Porto, was dealing with two injury issues and that defender Luke Shaw should return to action following the October international break.
-Reuters
Manchester United began their Europa League campaign with a 1-1 draw after they were held by FC Twente at a rainy Old Trafford on Wednesday, with a goal from Christian Eriksen being cancelled out by Dutch striker Sam Lammers.
The first half was a lively affair, with Twente’s Lammers making an early attempt that trickled past the post.
Eriksen put United ahead 10 minutes before the break, delivering a powerful curling shot into the top corner from inside the box.
Twente equalised in the 68th minute when Lammers produced a powerful finish past United keeper Andre Onana at the near post.
Joshua Zirkzee tried to get United in front again minutes later with a shot from an acute angle but were denied by a save from Twente keeper Lars Unnerstall.
Bruno Fernandes came close to scoring for United in the final minutes with a curling shot toward the top corner, but the hosts struggled to break through Twente’s deep-lying defence, which seemed content to secure the away draw.
DIA DOUBLE FOR LAZIO
Boulaye Dia scored a double and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru added another in the first half to hand Lazio a comprehensive 3-0 win against Dynamo Kyiv in Hamburg.
Nice and Real Sociedad played out a 1-1 draw. Ander Barrenetxea put the Basque side ahead before Pablo Rosario scored the equaliser for Nice.
Elsewhere, Turkish champions Galatasaray claimed a 3-1 home win over Greece’s PAOK thanks to Abdul Rahman Baba’s own goal and strikes from Yunus Akgun and Mauro Icardi. Giannis Konstantelias scored for the visitors.
In an early match, Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt secured a 3-2 home victory against FC Porto thanks to a brace from Jens Petter Hauge, despite going down to 10 men in the 51st minute.
-Reuters
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