Roundup of the Knockout Play-Offs action in 2023-24 UEFA Europa League.
With West Ham, Brighton and Liverpool already assured of spots in the Round of 16 after topping their groups alongside five other teams, attention turned to the remaining eight spots with Roma and Marseille amongst top names who featured in the knockout play-offs.
Sporting Braga vs Qarabag
Abdellah Zoubir’s brace plus goals from Marko Jankovic and Juninho saw Qarabag win the first leg way by a 4-2 result, despite goals from Simon Banza and Joao Moutinho for Braga.
Extra-time goals from Matheus Silva and Nariman Akhundzade saw Qarabag ultimately prevail 6-5 on aggregate despite losing 3-2 in the second leg, after Roger Fernandes and Alvaro Djalo struck to level the tie for Braga before Banza netted an eventual consolatory penalty in 115th minute.
AC Milan vs Rennes
Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s brace and Rafael Leao’s strike saw AC Milan claim a 3-0 victory over Rennes at home in the first leg.
Luka Jovic and Leao then struck for the Italian side in a 3-2 second leg defeat as Benjamin Bourigeaud’s hat-trick gave Rennes a home win, although AC Milan ultimately progressed 5-3 on aggregate.
Lens vs Freiburg
After a goalless first leg draw in Lens, Roland Sallai’s brace plus Michael Gregoritsch’s extra-time winner saw Freiburg come from behind to win the second leg and tie 3-2 on aggregate, after David Pereira da Costa and Sepe Wahi had initially put Lens 2-0 up at half-time.
Benfica vs Toulouse
Angel Di Maria’s brace proved enough for Benfica to beat Toulouse 2-1 at home despite Mikkel Desler’s brief equaliser, and in-turn ultimately on aggregate after a goalless second leg away in Toulouse.
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Marseille
Eguinaldo rescued Shakhtar Donetsk a late 2-2 draw at home to Marseille in the first leg after Iliman Ndiaye restored the French team’s lead following Mykola Matviyenko’s initial equaliser – which cancelled out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s opening goal.
Aubameyang, Ismaila Sarr and Geoffrey Kongdogbia however netted in a comeback 3-1 home win for Marseille to prevail 5-3 on aggregate, after Heorhiy Sudakov had put Shakhtar ahead with a 12th minute penalty.
Feyenoord vs Roma
Romelu Lukaku cancelled out Igor Paixao’s header as Roma fought back to draw 1-1 in the first leg at Feyenoord.
Santiago Gimenez restored Feyenoord’s aggregate lead in the fifth minute of the second leg only for Lorenzo Pellegrini to this time rescue Roma another 1-1 draw ten minutes later, which ultimately saw the tie finish 2-2 on aggregate and Roma prevailed 4-2 on penalties.
Galatasaray vs Sparta Prague
Mauro Icardi scored a injury-time winner as Galatasaray won the first leg 3-2 at home after Kerem Demirbay and Dries Mertens put the hosts ahead twice, either side of equalisers from Angelo Preciado and Jan Kuchta for Sparta Prague.
Preciado opened the scoring in the second leg but Abdulkerim Bardakci looked set to had snatched the tie for Galatasaray, until Indrit Tuci, Lukas Haraslin and Kuchta netted late on to win the tie for Sparta 6-4 on aggregate with a 4-1 second leg victory.
Young Boys vs Sporting Lisbon
Aurele Amenda’s own-goal plus goals from Viktor Gyokeres and Goncalo Inacio saw Sporting Lisbon win the first leg 3-1 in Bern, Switzerland, despite Filip Ugrinic offering Young Boys a faint lifeline for the second leg.
Gyokeres’ 13th minute strike however secured a 4-2 aggregate win for Sporting Lisbon, although they were held to a 1-1 draw in their home leg after Silvere Ganvoula netted a late penalty for the Swiss visitors.
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