Europa Conference League round of 16 first legs: Ajax hold Villa, Fenerbahçe, Lille win big

Ajax and Aston Villa cancelled each other out in Amsterdam, but Fenerbahçe, Lille and Maccabi Tel-Aviv all took giant steps towards the UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-finals.

UEFA.com rounds up the Thursday night action.

Ajax 0-0 Aston Villa

Neither side could break the deadlock though both were reduced to ten men in the closing stages. Ajax had the better of the chances, with Kenneth Taylor forcing a diving save from Emiliano Martínez on a quiet night for both goalkeepers. Meanwhile, defender Ahmetcan Kaplan's outstretched leg prevented a powerful Leon Bailey strike from potentially giving Villa a late lead. Villa defender Ezri Konsa and Ajax counterpart Tristan Gooijer were dismissed in quick succession after receiving second bookings late in the game.

Key stat: This was only the third time Aston Villa have failed to score in their last 25 European matches.

Union SG 0-3 Fenerbahçe

Fenerbahçe defended well and scored two late goals to secure a huge first-leg lead. The opener came from the visitors' first attack on 20 minutes when Michy Batshuayi – playing his first club match in his homeland in a decade – lashed in from close range after Çağlar Söyüncü had nodded down a free-kick. With just six minutes remaining Jayden Oosterwolde raced nearly the length of the pitch to slot in Fenerbahçe's second while Dusan Tadić converted an added-time penalty following a handball to put his side on the brink of a quarter-final place.

Key stat: The hosts had scored in their previous 22 games, a run stretching back until 30 November.

Maccabi Haifa 3-4 Fiorentina

Antonín Barák struck deep into added time as the Viola took full advantage of Manuel Cafumana's late dismissal. Ahead after two minutes through M'Bala Nzola's header, last season's finalists were behind at the break as Abdoulaye Seck and Gadi Kinda struck in rainy Budapest. Lucas Beltrán made it 2-2, and Rolando Mandragora responded again for Fiorentina after 19-year-old Anan Khalaili's angled effort put Maccabi back in front again, setting the stage for late drama.

Key stat: Fiorentina have lost only one of their last 11 UEFA competition matches away from home (W8 D2).

Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 PAOK

The Croatian side hold the advantage heading into the second leg in Greece thanks to talismanic striker Bruno Petković, who took his tally in the competition this season to seven goals in six matches with one in each half. The 29-year-old beat Dominik Kotarski at the second attempt after latching on to an underhit back-pass by Jonny to put his side in front then confidently converted Martin Baturina's through ball to give Sergej Jakirović's men daylight ahead of the return.

Key stat: Dinamo ended PAOK's 13-match unbeaten run (W9 D4) in UEFA competition.

Servette 0-0 Viktoria Plzeň

The tie hangs in the balance after a gritty game of few clear-cut chances in Geneva. Both goalkeepers were untroubled in a first half dominated by defences, but substitute Miroslav Stevanović made an immediate impact for the hosts following his half-time introduction, going close with a stunning strike from distance in a flurry of early second-half attempts from the winger. His Servette team-mate Gaël Ondoua had a long-range effort soar narrowly over the bar in added time, but neither side could break the deadlock.

Key stat: The draw ended Plzeň's run of 11 consecutive wins in UEFA competition.

Olympiacos 1-4 Maccabi Tel-Aviv

Eren Zahavi struck twice as Maccabi Tel Aviv took full control in their first leg against Olympiacos. The 36-year-old former PSV Eindhoven player and team-mate Ido Shahar both delivered instinctive close-range finishes to put the visitors 2-0 up inside the opening ten minutes in Piraeus. Ayoub El Kaabi pulled one back quickly for the hosts, but Zahavi struck again before the interval and Dor Peretz's 74th-minute finish left the Yellows with one foot in the last eight.

Key stat: Maccabi have won six of their last seven matches against Greek opposition.

Molde 2-1 Club Brugge

Molde sprung to life at the end of each half in this tight first leg in Norway. Having come on for the injured Eirik Haugan after 16 minutes, Halldor Stenevik finished with real precision from Markus Kaasa's edge-of-the-box pass to conclude a good team move. Captain Martin Linnes' 83rd-minute handball gave Club Brugge the chance to level, and Maxim De Cuyper capitalised, sending Oliver Petersen the wrong way from the spot. However, Fredrik Gulbrandsen's powerful strike in added time completed a ruthless break to give Molde a useful lead to take to Belgium.

Key stat: Molde's victory ended Club Brugge's five-game winning streak away from home in the Europa Conference League.

Sturm Graz 0-3 LOSC Lille

Lille took a big step towards the quarter-finals in Austria despite an inspired performance from home goalkeeper Vítězslav Jaroš. Jonathan David swept in a pull-back from 16-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi to put the visitors ahead just before the half-hour. Jaroš then thwarted Hákon Haraldsson and David but was beaten on 51 minutes when he superbly tipped Haraldsson's long-range strike onto the bar, only for David to slam in the rebound. Otar Kiteishvili hit the bar for the hosts but Edon Zhegrova added a third with a curling effort from an unpromising angle.

Key stat: Lille have lost only one of their last eight away European games (W4 D3).