Villarreal progress to Europa's KO round with victory over Rapid Vienna
The La Liga side moved level on points with its opponent at the top of Group E after a narrow victory in El Madrigal.
Bruno Soriano's second-half goal was enough to give Villarreal a 1-0 victory against Rapid Vienna as the La Liga outfit secured progression into the Europa League knockout stage. Yellow Submarine captain Bruno prodded home from close range with 12 minutes remaining to ensure that Marcelino's side heads into matchday six joint-top of Group E alongside the Austrians.
Stefan Stangl should have pulled Vienna â playing in its 250th competitive European fixture â level shortly after, but he could only poke his effort wide from six-yards out. Villarreal has now won its last four Europa League fixtures, and faces Viktoria Plzen in the final round of group matches, while Vienna will host Dinamo Minsk.
The hosts started brightly, with Dennis Suarez particularly affective down the left flank, while Cedric Bakambu would have scored if not for a brave save by Jan Novota. After Bakambu had squandered another close-range opportunity on the stroke of halftime, Roberto Soldado saw two strikes flash just wide following the restart as Villarreal began to stamp their authority on proceedings.
Soldado went even closer soon after, but he could only direct his effort against the woodwork from two-yards out after Novota had parried Samu's shot into his path. But the deadlock was finally broken when Suarez' corner fell to Bruno, who calmly slotted into the bottom-left corner.
Vienna almost snatched an equalizer late on through Stangl after he had negotiated his way through on goal, but his toe-poked effort trickled harmlessly wide as the visitors suffered their first defeat of their Europa League campaign. With the duo level on points and boasting the same head-to-head record, there is nothing between them heading into matchday six.
Celtic 1, Ajax 2
Celtic's Europa League were ended for the season as Ajax substitute Vaclav Cerny scored a late winner for the visitors at Parkhead.
Hoops returning midfielder Callum McGregor, only starting due to a midfield crisis, gave the home side the lead and some hope in the third minute with a drive. The Dutch side recovered and by the time Arkadiusz Milik levelled in the 21st minute they were bossing most of a wide open match but Celtic reasserted themselves only to be stung in the 88th minute with Cerny's breakway winner to win 2-1, although Fenerbahce's win against already-qualified Molde made the result academic.
Celtic remain bottom of Group A with two points with their final match against Fenernbahce in Istanbul next month a dead rubber. Ronny Deila had been left with something of a midfield crisis after it was revealed on Wednesday that skipper Scott Brown could be out for up to three months with a knee injury. With Kris Commons also suffering from a hamstring complaint and illness, and Nir Bitton and Stefan Johansen suspended, the Norwegian had to dig deep into his squad.
McGregor was handed a rare start with Gary Mackay-Steven also coming in and 18-year-old left-back Kieran Tierney replacing the more experienced Emilio Izaguirre. The Hoops got off to a dream start, however, when McGregor took a pass from Mackay-Steven and edged inside on to his right foot before despatching a shot from 20 yards past Ajax keeper Jasper Cillesen. The visitors were clearly rattled but they slowly composed themselves.
Viktor Fischer had the ball in the net in the 11th minute with a thunderous drive but the offside flag was already up. The Dutch side settled down further and began to move the ball around the pitch with increasing confidence and there was no surprise when their equalizer arrived, although it contained an element of luck. Fischer took advantage of a deflected strike from Lasse Schone which landed in his path inside the box and although Celtic keeper Craig Gordon beat away his close-range strike, he headed the rebound back across goal where Polish striker Milik knocked it over the line.
Celtic, trying to get their shape right, retreated to the edge of their box as revitalised Ajax probed and prodded and just over the half-hour mark winger Amin Younes curled a shot just over the bar from 16 yards. Both sides were still going at each other as the interval whistle sounded and the promise of goals at either end remained in the second-half, although both defences had tightened up.
In the 64th minute Charlie Mulgrew, back for the first time in over two months after recovering from a thigh injury, replaced Tom Rogic, just after Cillesen had made a save from James Forrest's low drive and seconds before McGregor's deflected drive from 25 yards had hit the bar and gone over for a corner which came to nothing.
As the match became increasingly fiesty - Ajax were putting in some hefty challenges - Mackay-Steven was replaced by Scott Allan, who moments later put Leigh Griffiths through only for Cillesen to block his shot for a corner from which the visitors were fortunate to escape. Izaguirre replaced Tierney in the 77th minute by which time Celtic had the bit between their teeth and Ajax looked tired. With five minutes remaining, after Cillesen had made a comfortable save from Griffiths, the impressive Younes crashed a shot against Gordon's post before Ajax broke and Cerny, on for Fischer, drove in number two to sink the home side.
Augsburg 2, Athletic Bilbao 3
A late double from Aritz Aduriz gave Athletic Bilbao a dramatic 3-2 win over Augsburg in the Europa League on Thursday.
Augsburg looked in control of the match in the early stages as the Germans confidently knocked the ball around the WWK Arena, but it was a long-ranged strike from Markel Susaeta that opened the scoring. Trying his luck from range after Augsburg failed to close him down, the Bilbao winger fired a shot into the bottom-right corner of Marwin Hitz’s net.
After the goal the Spanish side seemed content with the lead, because afterwards it was Markus Weinzierl’s side that started to command the game. Nonetheless, the Spaniards stood firm and would’ve taken a lead into halftime if it wasn’t for a deflected shot from Piotr Trochowski to allow the hosts to get back on level terms.
The second half saw the introduction of Raul Bobadilla who had a near-instant impact. After Iago Herrerin spilled the shot of Dong-Wong Ji, the Argentine seized upon his opportunity to loop a header over the goalkeeper and into the net to put Augsburg in the lead.
However, the German side was unable to keep the lead, with Aduriz heading his first of the game past Hitz after Iturraspe crossed from the flank.
With momentum in their favor, the Spaniards went in search of a late winner, with Inaki Williams the provider, finding Aduriz after marauding up the wing, and the striker peeled off his markers to convert at the back post.
Basel 2, Florentina 2
A late Mohamed El-Nenny strike helped Basel come from two down to draw 2-2 at home to Fiorentina on Thursday, securing passage to the next round of the Europa League as the Group I winner.
A couple of composed Federico Bernardeschi finishes either side of a red card for Facundo Roncaglia put the Serie A side in control, but the hosts ultimately made their numerical advantage tell.
Marek Suchy and then El-Nenny in the 74th minute did the damage, pulling things back to prevent Paulo Sousa winning on his return to Basel and thus making sure of a spot in the knockout phase.
Fiorentina was unlucky not to be given a penalty just three minutes in when Behrang Safari used his hand to tackle Josip Ilicic, but it eventually took a deserved lead minutes later 20 minutes later – Bernardeschi finishing coolly from Borja Valero's pass.
Roncaglia's decision to swing an elbow in Breel Embolo's direction a few moments later put its position in jeopardy as a red card was brandished, but Fiorentina swiftly extended its lead through Bernardeschi, who finished well again from Nikola Kalinic's lay-off.
Basel did pull one back before the break, however, as captain Suchy stabbed home from close range with nine minutes to go. The hosts continued to press with increased urgency early on in the second half, but the stop-start tempo and continuous niggling fouls made finding rhythm almost impossible.
Nevertheless, Basel's persistence paid off and El-Nenny produced a lovely finish from the edge of the area 16 minutes from time, clinching a vital point for the Swiss champion.
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