Europa League round-up: Spartak, Galatasaray and Crvena zvezda through as group winners
Thursday, December 9, 2021
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Galatasaray, Spartak Moskva and Crvena zvezda all sealed progress to the round of 16 on Matchday 6, while Napoli and Real Sociedad were among the teams who claimed a runners-up spot.
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Galatasaray, Spartak Moskva and Crvena zvezda have all reached the UEFA Europa League round of 16 as group winners, while Real Sociedad, Napoli, Lazio, Braga and Dinamo Zagreb also progressed from the group stage on Matchday 6 by securing second place in their respective sections.
UEFA.com rounds up the Thursday night action.
Who has qualified?
Through to round of 16:
Crvena zvezda (SRB)
Frankfurt (GER)
Galatasaray (TUR)
Leverkusen (GER)
Lyon (FRA)
Monaco (FRA)
Spartak Moskva (RUS)
West Ham (ENG)
Through to knockout play-offs:
Betis (ESP)
Braga (POR)
Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Lazio (ITA)
Napoli (ITA)
Olympiacos (GRE)
Rangers (SCO)
Real Sociedad (ESP)
Transferred from UEFA Champions League to knockout play-offs:
Atalanta (ITA)
Barcelona (ESP)
Dortmund (GER)
Leipzig (GER)
Porto (POR)
Sevilla (ESP)
Sheriff (MDA)
Zenit (RUS)
Napoli 3-2 Leicester
Napoli held off a spirited Leicester comeback to progress as Group C runners-up and send the third-placed Foxes into the UEFA Europa Conference League. Adam Ounas and Elif Elmas gave the home side a two-goal cushion by the 24th minute, but Leicester were level before the break through Jonny Evans and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – only for Elmas to score his second of the night, and Napoli's decisive third, eight minutes after half-time.
Key stat: Napoli have failed to score in only one of their last 13 UEFA Europa League matches.
Real Sociedad 3-0 PSV
Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice as Real Sociedad leapfrogged their opponents to claim second place in Group B. Bruma clipped the crossbar for the visitors early on, but the crucial first goal came at the other end, Oyarzabal converting from the spot after Phillipp Mwene had blocked Adnan Januzaj's shot with an arm. Oyarzabal took advantage of some PSV hesitancy to fire home the second just after the hour and, with Ibrahim Sangaré dismissed 15 minutes from time for a second yellow card – the PSV midfielder's second dismissal of the group stage – Alexander Sørloth rifled in a late third.
Key stat: Mikel Oyarzabal doubled his goals tally in UEFA club competition, having scored two in his previous 16 appearances.
Lyon 1-1 Rangers
Rangers denied Lyon a perfect record in Group A as they went ahead in France then held on in the second half to take a point. Scott Wright gave the visitors the lead and the hosts responded well, drawing level through Calvin Bassey's own goal. Peter Bosz's group winners had several chances to win it but could not find a way through against the runners-up.
Key stat: Lyon had been bidding to become the 12th club, and the first from France, to go through their UEFA Europa League group with six wins.
Fenerbahçe 1-1 Frankfurt
Already certain of qualifying, Frankfurt were confirmed as Group D winners, thanks in part to Olympiacos's 1-0 defeat at Antwerp. Djibril Sow held off two defenders to score his first ever European goal and give the visitors the lead, but Fenerbahçe responded just before the break, Mergim Berisha finishing after Makoto Hasebe had failed to cut out a cross.
Key stat: This was Eintracht's first draw in 12 UEFA Europa League group stage away fixtures; they won nine of those matches.
Lazio 0-0 Galatasaray
Galatasaray sealed first place in Group E courtesy of a serene night for both goalkeepers at the Stadio Olimpico, while the hosts progressed to the knockout round play-offs as section runners-up.
Key stat: Galatasaray are unbeaten in their last ten European matches (W5 D5).
When is the Europa League last 16 draw?
The UEFA Europa League round of 16 draw will be streamed live on UEFA.tv at 13:00 CET on Friday 25 February 2022 at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
Marseille 1-0 Lokomotiv Moskva
Marseille booked their place in the knockout stage of the UEFA Europa Conference League after pipping Lokomotiv to third place in Group E. Arkadiusz Milik scored the only goal with a well-placed header from a superb Cengiz Ünder corner in the 35th minute, the home side holding on despite losing Valentin Rongier to a second booking ten minutes from time.
Key stat: Milik scored four of Marseille's six Group E goals.
Braga 1-1 Crvena zvezda
Both sides progressed from Group F after their draw in Portugal, Crvena zvezda holding on for the point that took them into the round of 16 as section winners. Both goals came from the penalty spot, Marko Gobeljić's handball giving Galeno the chance to give the home side the advantage in the 52nd minute, before Aleksandar Katai struck back after Radovan Pankov had been fouled by Diogo Leite.
Key stat: Both sides also reached the knockout rounds in 2020/21, each losing in the round of 32.
West Ham 0-1 Dinamo Zagreb
A stunning early strike from Mislav Oršić secured Dinamo Zagreb second place in Group H. Oršić blasted in an audacious effort just four minutes in, giving Alphonse Areola in the West Ham goal no chance. With the home side already through as group winners, chances were at a premium, and Dinamo held out in comfort to make sure of joining the London club in the knockout stage.
Key stat: Dinamo Zagreb won for the first time in England at the ninth attempt (D1 L7).
Genk 0-1 Rapid Wien
Not only did Genk miss out on the chance to snatch second place in Group H, they found themselves out of Europe altogether as Rapid snatched the UEFA Europa Conference League spot with victory in Belgium. The visitors began brighter and had already tested Maarten Vandevoordt more than once by the time Robert Ljubicic rounded off a superb counterattack by firing into the top corner on 29 minutes. Genk pushed for a leveller in the second half, but substitute Paul Onuachu was unable to convert an added-time header.
Key stat: Rapid had lost 12 of their previous 16 away fixtures in the UEFA Europa League.
When is the Europa League knockout round play-off draw?
The UEFA Europa League knockout round play-off draw will be streamed live on UEFA.tv at 13:00 CET on Monday 13 December at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
How does qualifying for the knockouts work?
The eight group winners progress automatically to the round of 16. The eight group runners-up play the eight third-ranked teams from the UEFA Champions League groups in the additional knockout round play-offs prior to the round of 16.
Best of the rest
- Zelimkhan Bakaev's 17th-minute winner gave Spartak Moskva three points at Legia Warszawa as the Russian club secured first place in Group C, leaving their hosts bottom of the section.
- Group B winners Monaco finished with a 1-1 draw at bottom side Sturm Graz, Kevin Volland's 30th-minute equaliser cancelling out Jakob Jantscher's early penalty as the French side joined Lyon, Frankfurt and Galatasaray in progressing unbeaten.
- Sparta Praha made sure of third place in Group A with a 2-0 win at home to Brøndby thanks to goals either side of half-time from Dávid Hancko and Adam Hložek in a game both sides finished with ten men.
- Midtjylland were forced to settle for third place in Group F as they failed to break down bottom side Ludogorets, the game in Razgrad ending goalless.
- The top two in Group G both concluded their campaigns with away defeats, section winners Bayer Leverkusen going down 1-0 at Ferencváros – the Hungarian side's first points – and Real Betis losing 3-2 at Celtic, for whom substitute David Turnbull converted the penalty winner 12 minutes from time.
All the Matchday 6 results
Group A: Sparta 2-0 Brøndby, Lyon 1-1 Rangers
Group B: Sturm 1-1 Monaco, Real Sociedad 3-0 PSV
Group C: Legia 0-1 Spartak Moskva, Napoli 3-2 Leicester
Group D: Antwerp 1-0 Olympiacos, Fenerbahçe 1-1 Frankfurt
Group E: Marseille 1-0 Lokomotiv Moskva, Lazio 0-0 Galatasaray
Group F: Braga 1-1 Crvena zvezda, Ludogorets 0-0 Midtjylland
Group G: Ferencváros 1-0 Leverkusen, Celtic 3-2 Betis
Group H: West Ham 0-1 Dinamo Zagreb, Genk 0-1 Rapid Wien