UEFA Europa League R16 First Leg Wrap: Barcelona draw at home with Galatasaray; Sevilla, Atalanta get crucial wins
The Europa League returned as sixteen teams battle it out for a place in the quarterfinals to be played next month with record champions Sevilla, Atalanta and Rangers all picking up vital wins ahead of the second legs next week.
Sevilla 1-0 West Ham
The six-time winners will take a narrow advantage to London thanks to Munir’s stunning goal on the hour. Both teams had chances early on, with Munir glancing wide and Nikola Vlašić powering a header too close to Yassine Bounou, but it was Sevilla who held sway for the majority of this opener. Their pressure finally paid from a well-worked free-kick, Munir hanging back to meet Marcos Acuña’s deep delivery with a crisp half-volley.
Key stat: Sevilla have now scored in their last 20 competitive home games
Rangers 3-0 Crvena zvezda
Rangers will take a strong lead to Belgrade after a pulsating win at Ibrox, where the tone was set early. Aleksandar Katai had already had a goal disallowed before Ryan Kent was fouled in the box, James Tavernier curling the penalty in.
Katai had another effort ruled out and the hosts rubbed salt in the wounds again as Alfredo Morelos scored the second soon after. A third moment to forget for Katai ended with Allan McGregor saving his penalty, and Leon Balogun’s header shortly after the break gave Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side a crucial third.
Key stat: Crvena zvezda have now failed to win in six trips to Scotland – including in four games with Rangers – after their first defeat in eight away Europa League fixtures
Braga 2-0 Monaco
The home side struck early and late to take control of this tie. Braga made a dream start when Abel Ruiz reacted quickest to Rodrigo Gomes’ blocked shot to fire a third-minute opener past Alexander Nübel, but the Monaco goalkeeper prevented his side falling further behind by turning a Ricardo Horta strike against the post and denying Rodrigo Gomes on the stroke of half-time.
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It was not all one-way traffic, though, with Matheus making key saves from Wissam Ben Yedder in the first half and Gelson Martins early in the second. Those stops proved telling when Vitor Oliveira headed in Fabiano’s 89th-minute cross.
Key stat: Braga have lost only one of their last nine home matches in the Europa League (W5 D3).
Atalanta 3-2 Leverkusen
Free-scoring Atalanta’s dominance only produced a slender advantage in a thriller featuring two masterful Luis Muriel finishes in Bergamo. After Ruslan Malinovskyi replied to Charles Aránguiz’s superb free-kick, the Colombian forward struck either side of half-time. Moussa Diaby then curled in clinically to give Leverkusen belief ahead of the second leg.
Key stat: Atalanta have scored in each of their last 11 Europa League matches, netting twice or more in eight of their nine European fixtures this season
Barcelona 0-0 Galatasaray
Dominant Barcelona were left frustrated as a dogged Galatasaray side kept them at bay. Memphis Depay was twice denied by Barcelona loanee Iñaki Peña in the first half, although the best chance came at the other end when Kerem Aktürkoğlu had a shot deflected over the top after a fine solo run.
Xavi Hernández made three changes at the break but to no avail, with Frenkie De Jong coming closest when he hit the post from close range. Bafétimbi Gomis had an effort ruled out for offside but in the end it was a stalemate – Galatasaray’s third 0-0 draw in this season’s competition.
Key stat: Barcelona last lost a home game in the Europa League/UEFA Cup in 1996 when they were beaten 2-1 by Bayern in a semi-final second leg
Porto 0-1 Lyon
Lucas Paquetá struck the only goal as the visitors carved out a narrow lead to take back to France. The Brazilian, his head heavily bandaged following an early collision, calmly stroked in on 59 minutes as OL finally took one of several chances – Moussa Dembélé and Karl Toko Ekambi were both profligate. Porto, on top for much of the first half, finished the second period strongly but could not break through.
Key stat: Lyon have won their last six away matches in the Europa League.
Real Betis 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht hold sway but might have been out of sight. Filip Kostić’s cross-cum-shot opened the scoring only for Nabil Fekir to restore parity with a fine finish. Daichi Kamada then turned in from close range after Jesper Lindstrøm had seized on a lax pass. Claudio Bravo kept Betis in the tie, denying Rafael Borré on three separate occasions – including from the penalty spot.
Key stat: This was only Eintracht’s second away win in the Europa League knockout stage in eight attempts (D4 L2).
