Europa League Review: Napoli and Dortmund ease into last 32
The last 32 of the Europa League will feature Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, Molde and Rapid Vienna after they qualified with victories on Thursday.
Dortmund knew a win over Qabala coupled with success for Krasnodar over PAOK would ensure them a place in the knockout stages and Thomas Tuchel’s men did their bit with a resounding 4-0 success at Signal Iduna Park.
Armenian Henrikh Mkhitaryan – who missed the reverse fixture due to security concerns – was on the scoresheet, while goals from Ari and Joaozinho ensure Krasnodar a 2-1 win over PAOK in Russia.
Maurizio Sarri’s Napoli also wasted little time sealing their progression, maintaining a 100 per cent record with a 5-1 hammering of Midtjylland – Manolo Gabbiadini scoring twice. The Danish side remain second in Group D thanks to Club Brugge’s 1-0 victory over Legia Warsaw.
Like Napoli, Rapid Vienna boast a 100 per cent record in Group E as Philipp Schobesberger’s brace helped the leaders to a 2-1 win over Viktoria Plzen, Villarreal seeing off Dinamo Minsk by the same scoreline elsewhere in the group.
Molde remain unbeaten in Group A as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side downed 10-man Celtic 2-1 in Glasgow, the Scottish champions retaining a slim chance of qualification thanks to Fenerbahce’s 0-0 draw with Ajax.
Aritz Aduriz moved to 100 goals in all competitions for Athletic Bilbao and Inaki Williams weighed in with a brace in their 5-1 rout of Partizan.
Augsburg joined Partizan on six points in joint second in Group L as they made it back-to-back wins in the competition courtesy of a 4-1 success against AZ – Raul Bobadilla scoring a hat-trick with Ji Dong-won also on target.
Ji’s former coach Jurgen Klopp remains unbeaten as Liverpool manager thanks to Jordon Ibe’s goal against Rubin Kazan.
The youngster was handed a chance to impress and took full advantage with a winner seven minutes into the second half, Liverpool two points behind Group B leaders Sion, who needed a late Clement Chantome own-goal to draw 1-1 with Bordeaux.
Tottenham moved top of Group J as Mousa Dembele earned a 2-1 win over Anderlecht after Monaco had drawn 1-1 with Qarabag. Filip Djordjevic’s brace put 10-man Lazio on the verge of qualification from Group G after a 2-0 win over Rosenborg.
Dnipro can still have a say in the group despite a 3-0 defeat to Saint-Etienne, while Schalke and Sparta Prague remain in pole position in Group K despite drawing 1-1 in the Czech capital. Asteras Tripolis moved off the bottom with a 2-0 win over APOEL.
Group I’s pacesetters Basel and Fiorentina bolstered their chances with 2-0 wins over Belenenses and Lech Poznan respectively, with Skenderbeu Korce the only winners in Group H after leaders Lokomotiv Moscow were held 1-1 by second-place Besiktas.
Skenderbeu beat Sporting CP 3-0 in Albania as the visitors had goalkeeper Rui Patricio dismissed 17 minutes in.
