Everton, Spurs on cusp of last 32
Print Edition
EVERTON, Tottenham Hotspur and Celtic all moved to the brink of the Europa League last 32 on Thursday while Dinamo Moscow, Legia Warsaw, Salzburg and Fiorentina ensured their passage to the knockout rounds.
Everton eased past Lille 3-0 at Goodison Park to stay top of Group H with eight points after goals from Leon Osman, Phil Jagielka and Steven Naismith.
Rival VfL Wolfsburg also stayed in contention in the pool with a 5-1 thumping of Kuban Krasnador with former Arsenal misfit Nicklas Bendtner scoring twice in the last two minutes.
“One of our biggest assets is that everyone works hard for each other and when we lose the ball we work hard to get it back,” said Everton’s Scottish international Naismith. “That was very evident in the first half and I think that was where we won the game.”
After a taxing week for some of their Premier League rivals in the Champions League, Spurs survived a poor second-half display to run out 2-1 winners at Greek side Asteras Tripolis.
Andros Townsend’s penalty and Harry Kane’s quick second goal set the north Londoners up nicely. However, Asteras pulled one back via a last-minute penalty after Federico Fazio’s red card.
There may have been no repeat of Spurs’ 5-1 rout in which Kane got a hat-trick and Erik Lamela produced his ‘rabona’ goal against the Greeks in London last month. But in the end it was job done to stretch Tottenham’s unbeaten run in the competition to four.
Spurs are level with Besiktas on eight points in Group C and on their way to the knockout stages with two games left.
“We came to get the three points, the result is good and I am happy,” said Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Celtic’s Group D 1-1 draw against Astra Giurgui in Romania was played out in thick fog.
The Scottish champion was fired into the lead by Stefan Johansen only for Brazilian substitute William Amorim to level with a brilliant curling shot to beat Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
While a win would have seen it safely through to the next round, the draw left it second on eight points, two adrift of Salzburg, a 5-2 winner at Dinamo Zagreb.
Jonatan Soriano scored a hat-trick for the Austrians who advanced.
Dinamo Moscow went through from Group E thanks to a 1-0 win at Estoril Praia with Kevin Kuranyi scoring.
Legia Warsaw beat Metalist Kharkiv 2-1 in the Polish capital to also make the last 32 with a fourth win in Group L.
Manuel Pasqual scored two minutes from time as Fiorentina drew 1-1 with Greece’s PAOK in Florence to secure qualification in Group K.
Fellow Italian Inter Milan was held 1-1 at Saint-Etienne but still leads Group F.
Napoli is level on points in Group I with Sparta Prague after a 3-0 win over Young Boys with Dutch international Jonathan De Guzman scoring a hat-trick.
Defending champion Sevilla tops Group G after a 3-1 home win over Belgium’s Standard Liege.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
