UEFA Europa League and Conference League round-up: Shamrock Rovers boost qualification hopes with big win, Ajax lose
Updated 19/12/2024 at 18:57 GMT
Shamrock Rovers were in fine form in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday as they dispatched Bosnian outfit Borac Banja Luka 3-0 to surge up to sixth position with one match to play. Johnny Kenny starred at Tallaght Stadium as the Irish side edged towards a place in the round of 16. Elsewhere, Lazio stayed at the top of the UEFA Europa League table with a win over Ajax.
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Shamrock Rovers enjoyed a jubilant night in the UEFA Conference League as they overcame Bosnian side Borac Banja Luka 3-0 to boost their chances of an automatic route to the round of 16.
The Irish outfit needed three points if they were to realistically challenge for a top-eight finish, and they got off to a dream start when Johnny Kenny headed home from close range in the early stages for his fourth goal of the European campaign.
In the second half, Rovers struck twice in 10 minutes to give themselves a healthy three-goal buffer and take a strong grip on maximum points.
Goalscorer Kenny turned creator when he set up Neil Farrugia to stab home from close range to double the hosts' lead.
And then Kenny added his second of the night just after an hour, racing through on goal before chipping the goalkeeper excellently.
Rovers are in sixth place with one match to play and are currently a point clear of the positions that would require a play-off to reach the knockout stages.
Lazio stay top as Ajax suffer top-eight blow
Lazio protected their position at the summit of the UEFA Europa League table with a convincing 3-1 victory on the road against Ajax.
Lazio, chasing their fifth win, headed into the week leading the standings and continued their good form in the competition when took the lead in the early stages.
England international Jordan Henderson lost possession in midfield, which left Pedro to thread a pass through for Loum Tchaouna, who blasted Lazio ahead with a first-time effort.
Ajax struck back immediately in the second half when Bertrand Traore thumped a rocket into the roof of the net following a half-cleared free-kick.
But the hosts could not hold onto their lead for more than five minutes, as goalkeeper Remko Pasveer failed to keep out Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s strike, which goal-line technology confirmed had crossed the line despite Pasveer’s efforts.
Pedro, 37, added gloss to the scoreline to score Lazio's third, with a wonderful bending effort from the outside of the box.
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The New Saints head for exit
It was a big night for Welsh club The New Saints, who entertained 20-time Greek Super League champions Panathinaikos at The Croud Meadow in Shrewsbury, but ultimately came out second best.
The Welsh Premier League side were beaten 2-0, following a first-half goal from Filip Djuricic and Fotis Ioannidis' second-half penalty.
For the opener, Djuricic forced a good save out of Welsh goalkeeper Connor Roberts, but the rebound fell kindly for the forward to tap home from close range as Panathinaikos took control within a quarter of an hour.
The visitors doubled their lead when they were awarded a controversial penalty for a foul om the edge of the box, which Ioannidis tucked away for a two-goal lead before holing on for three points.
Panathinaikos are competing for a round of 16 play-off place in mid-table, while The New Saints - in 32nd - are all but eliminated from the competition.
Porto back on track with win over Midtjylland
FC Porto handed FC Midtjylland a third successive defeat in Europe for the first time in nine years, as they sealed a 2-0 win.
Danny Namaso scored his first European goal to put the hosts ahead when his header took a cruel deflection off defender Mads Bech, which wrong-footed the goalkeeper before creeping in at the near post.
Their second goal came just before the hour mark. Arsenal loanee Fabio Vieira played a brilliant pass into the penalty box, which Pepe latched on to before crossing for Samuel Aghehowa to poke home for his fifth Europa League goal of the season.
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Hearts defeated in Denmark
Hearts suffered a blow to their chances of progression in the UEFA Conference League as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to FC Copenhagen.
Amin Chiakha and Kevin Diks were on target for the hosts, who sealed their second win of the campaign to boost their chances of a route to the round of 16.
The Scottish Premiership side kept Copenhagen out for the opening 45 minutes, but less than three minutes into the second half, the hosts took the lead.
Teenager Chiakha tapped home from close range following a brilliant, weaving run into the box from right-back Diks.
As Hearts looked to salvage something from the match and avoid a third successive defeat in the competition, goalkeeper Craig Gordon took out forward Chiakha and after a VAR check, referee Andrea Colombo awarded a spot kick.
Diks calmly converted from 12 yards to cap off an impressive performance as the Danish side collected all three points.
Galatasaray held to dramatic draw at Malmo
In the first meeting between the two sides, Galatasaray were held to a 2-2 draw against FF Malmo in the UEFA Europa League.
Malmo had lost their last six home matches in the Europa League without scoring a goal, but that long wait to watch the net bulge came to an end when Erik Botheim headed the hosts in front on 24 minutes - taking the roof off Eleda Stadion.
But the away side pulled level on the stroke of half-time when Elias Jelert guided Kerem Demirbay's excellent cross into the bottom corner with a neat, first-time strike.
Galatasaray completed the turnaround 10 minutes into the second half when Yunus Akgun's fierce strike squeezed in under 17-year-old goalkeeper Joakim Persson for his fifth goal of the Europa League campaign.
But with seconds to play, Sergio Pena equalised for Malmo to grab a dramatic draw.
Galatasaray remain unbeaten in the league phase and now have 12 points from their opening six games, having won and drawn three times each.
Roma make light work of Braga
AS Roma recovered from back-to-back draws as they breezed past 10-man SC Braga 3-0 at Stade Olimpico.
Roma took the lead inside the opening 10 minutes when captain Lorenzo Pellegrini rolled the ball into the bottom right corner from the edge of the box in a well-executed finish for his first goal of the season.
Claudio Ranieiri's side were dominant and eventually doubled their lead when Saud Abdulhamid struck for the first time in European football, slamming the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
With the match already looking beyond the visitors, things became even tougher for Braga when goalkeeper Matheus was sent off for a handball after racing outside his penalty area.
Mario Hermoso added a third for Roma in added time, as the Italians held on to win back-to-back games for the first time this season with a much-needed three points. The Serie A side are in mid-table with two games to play.
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Elsewhere in the Europa League, Lyon overcame Frankfurt 3-2 in a five-goal thriller, as Real Sociedad cruised past Dinamo Kyiv with a 3-0 victory.
Franjo Ivanovic struck a late winner for his second of the game as Union Saint-Gilloise beat OGC Nice 2-1, as Ludogorets drew 2-2 with AZ Alkmaar and Olympiacos and FC Twente played out a goalless draw.
Dejan Kulusevski scored for Tottenham Hotspur, who earned a draw against Rangers at Ibrox Stadium, while Manchester United fought from behind to beat Viktoria Plzen.
Among the games in the Conference League, there were six different goalscorers as Fiorentina smashed LASK 7-0, while Real Betis defeated CS Petrocub 1-0.
Chelsea were also in early action as Marc Guiu scored two quickfire goals in a 3-1 win over Astana in freezing Kazakhstan conditions.
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