Football

Galatasaray's impressive performance in the Europa League continued on Thursday as they handed Tottenham their first defeat of the season with a 3-2 victory in Istanbul. The Turkish champions now sit atop the Group D standings with 10 points from four games, while Spurs find themselves in seventh place after losing their 100% record.Galatasaray took an early lead through Yunus Akgun's stunning long-range volley, but Tottenham responded quickly with a goal from teenage striker Will Lankshear. However, the home side regained control before halftime as Victor Osimhen scored twice in quick succession.Osimhen's first goal came just after the half-hour mark, and he doubled his tally with a clever volley from Dries Mertens' cross. The Nigerian star has now scored six goals in eight appearances for Galatasaray since joining on loan from Napoli.Galatasaray had several chances to extend their lead, but Spurs' hopes of a comeback were boosted when Lankshear was sent off for two yellow-card offenses in the second half. Dominic Solanke pulled one back for Tottenham in the 69th minute, but Galatasaray held on for a comfortable victory.In other Europa League action, Manchester United finally secured their first win in the competition with a 2-0 victory over PAOK Thessaloniki at Old Trafford. Amad Diallo scored both goals for the Red Devils, who had previously drawn their first three matches.Lazio remain the only team with a perfect record in Group F after Pedro scored an injury-time winner in a 2-1 success against Porto. Ajax sit in second place, two points behind Lazio, after thrashing Maccabi Tel Aviv 5-0.Eintracht Frankfurt clinched a 1-0 win against Slavia Prague thanks to Omar Marmoush's superb free-kick, while Athletic Bilbao came from behind to grab a 2-1 victory at Ludogorets. Roma's disappointing form continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium.

Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce held his former club Manchester United to a 1-1 draw in the Europa League on Thursday, October 24, 2024. Mourinho received a red card in the second half, but his team managed to secure a point against a superior United squad.Erik ten Hag's United took an early lead through Christian Eriksen's 15th-minute goal. However, Fenerbahce equalized in the 49th minute when Youssef En-Nesyri headed home from close range after a cross from Allan Saint-Maximin.Mourinho was sent off after his team was denied a penalty in the second half. The Portuguese manager expressed his frustration with the referee's decision, stating that his players had performed admirably despite facing a stronger opponent."My boys played an amazing match," Mourinho told TNT Sports. "We played against a team that is at a superior level to us. We finished the game with a center-back playing at right-back and a right-back at left-back. We had to do a crazy puzzle, but our performance was extraordinary, and I couldn't ask for anything more from the players."Mourinho led United to the Europa League title in 2017 during his 2½ years at Old Trafford. He took the Fenerbahce job in the past offseason.Elsewhere in the Europa League, Richarlison scored a 53rd-minute penalty for Tottenham to beat Alkmaar 1-0. Tottenham's Son Heung-min sat out the match due to a minor injury.Anderlecht and Lazio stayed perfect with 2-0 victories, with both opponents reduced to 10 men. Anderlecht beat Ludogorets at home after Caio Vidal was sent off. Lazio took home three points from Twente when goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall was sent off in the 11th minute.Porto's Samu scored his fourth goal of the campaign, and Tiago Djaló added another one for Porto to beat Hoffenheim 2-0 for the Portuguese club's first win of the campaign.Václav Černý scored two goals to lead Rangers to a 4-0 rout of FCSB, while Lyon was upset 1-0 at home by Besiktas.Roma needed a penalty to beat Dynamo Kyiv 1-0 for its first Europa League victory under new coach Ivan Jurić. Summer signing Artem Dovbyk converted from the spot in the 23rd minute to get the Italian team in the win column after a draw and a loss in the second-tier competition.Ajax beat Qarabag 3-0 in Baku after the home team was reduced to 10 men in the 15th minute when midfielder Júlio Romão received a straight red card. Kenneth Taylor scored some 20 minutes later. In the second half, Wout Weghorst converted a penalty, and substitute Chuba Akpom put the result beyond doubt in the 77th. Two minutes later, Qarabag went down to nine men when Elvin Jafarguliyev also saw a red card.Eintracht Frankfurt, the 2022 Europa League winner, got a late goal from substitute Hugo Larsson to edge Latvia's RFS 1-0. PAOK came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw with Czech side Viktoria Plzen in Thessaloniki. Real Sociedad earned its first win, 2-1 away to Maccabi Tel-Aviv in a game played in Belgrade, Serbia due to the regional conflict.In the Conference League, Chelsea routed Panathinaikos 4-1 in Athens to make it two wins from two. João Félix scored twice, with the first one set up by Mykhailo Mudryk in the 22nd minute. The visitors added three more in the first 14 minutes of the second half through Mudryk, Felix's second, and Christopher Nkunku's penalty. Facundo Pellistri netted for Panathinaikos in the 69th.Jonathan Ikoné's two goals led Fiorentina past St. Gallen 4-2 in Switzerland, and Real Betis played 1-1 with Copenhagen. Iceland's Vikingur beat Belgium's Cercle Brugge 3-1 to record its first victory in Europe.

Manchester United's struggles under Erik ten Hag have drawn attention from former manager Jose Mourinho, who believes the club has the potential to succeed despite their recent setbacks. Mourinho, now in charge of Fenerbahce, will face his former club in the Europa League on Thursday.Mourinho expressed confidence in United's long-term prospects, stating, "They have a better team than the results are showing." He attributed their struggles to a lack of patience from the club's hierarchy during his tenure. "They kept faith with the coach, they support the coach, who is staying season after season," he said of Ten Hag's situation.Mourinho also highlighted the high quality of the Premier League, which he believes sets it apart from other European leagues. "The Premier League is a different level of quality, intensity, pace, tactical culture -- a different level of everything," he said.Despite United's recent struggles, Mourinho believes they remain one of the favorites to win the Europa League. "If I have to say now which are the two biggest candidates to win the Europa League, I think it's easy -- Manchester United and Tottenham," he said.Mourinho's comments come as United prepare to face Fenerbahce in Istanbul. The Portuguese manager expects United to field a strong team despite their recent setbacks. "One thing are the results that Manchester United are having and another thing is the potential of the team," he said. "The potential of the team is high."

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United endured a rollercoaster ride in their Europa League clash with Porto, salvaging a 3-3 draw thanks to a late Harry Maguire equalizer. The result came amidst mounting pressure on Ten Hag, whose team has struggled in the Premier League this season.Ten Hag's plea for patience until the end of the season highlights the challenges he faces. Despite winning the League Cup and FA Cup in his first two seasons, United's poor start to the current campaign has raised concerns. The Red Devils languish in 13th place in the Premier League and have drawn their opening two Europa League games.The match in Porto started brightly for United, with Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund giving them a 2-0 lead within 20 minutes. However, Porto fought back with goals from Pepe and Samu Omorodion before halftime. Omorodion put the home side ahead early in the second half, and United's woes were compounded by Bruno Fernandes' red card.Maguire's header from a corner rescued a point for Ten Hag, but the performance raised questions about United's defensive solidity. The English giants have failed to win any of their last four away European games despite scoring three times in each of them.Ten Hag acknowledged the need for improvement, stating, "We will get there, don't judge us in this moment. Judge us in the end of the season. We will improve, we have two seasons where we achieved finals. Just wait, we will develop and progress this team."Maguire, who has lost his starting spot to Matthijs de Ligt, defended his manager, saying, "When you go on a bad spell players come under pressure and also the manager does. He's experienced enough and been at this club long enough so I'm sure he knows how to deal with it."The upcoming international break could provide a crucial opportunity for Ten Hag to reassess his team's performance and prepare for the challenges ahead. United's next match is against Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.

Manchester United's struggles continued as they were held to a 3-3 draw by Porto in the Europa League on Thursday, October 3, 2024. Despite taking an early 2-0 lead, Erik ten Hag's team conceded three goals and saw Bruno Fernandes sent off for the second consecutive game.United started brightly, with Christian Eriksen setting up Marcus Rashford for the opening goal in the seventh minute. Eriksen was also involved in the second goal, finding Rashford who assisted Rasmus Højlund for a powerful strike.However, Porto responded with two goals in quick succession from Pepê and Samu to level the score before halftime. After the break, Samu scored again to give Porto the lead, but United fought back with a late equalizer from substitute Harry Maguire in the first minute of injury time.Fernandes' red card in the 81st minute for a high boot on Nehuen Perez compounded United's misery. The Portuguese midfielder had also been sent off in a 3-0 loss to Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday.Ten Hag expressed frustration with his team's performance, saying, "We started the game very good, we dominated, we scored two good goals but then we lost control. The middle part was no good and then we finished very good. ... We got the equalizer so it is good for the spirit."The draw leaves United with two draws in the Europa League group stage and without a win in their last four games in all competitions. They will face Omonia Nicosia in their next Europa League match on October 13.

Tottenham Hotspur kicked off their Europa League campaign with a resounding 3-0 victory over Qarabag FK, despite playing with 10 men for the majority of the match. However, the triumph was marred by an injury scare involving star forward Son Heung-min.Radu Dragusin's early dismissal for a reckless challenge on Juninho left Tottenham shorthanded, but Ange Postecoglou's side remained unfazed. Brennan Johnson opened the scoring in the 12th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by Qarabag.Pape Sarr doubled Tottenham's lead in the 52nd minute with a clinical volley, and Dominic Solanke sealed the victory in the 68th minute. Qarabag had a chance to pull one back from the penalty spot, but Toral Bayramov's effort sailed over the bar.Despite the comfortable win, Postecoglou expressed concern over Son's injury, which forced the South Korean off in the 70th minute. "He said he was a bit tired, but I haven't spoken to him or the medical staff yet," Postecoglou said.The Europa League could provide Tottenham with a path to silverware this season, as Postecoglou aims to end the club's trophy drought dating back to 2008. However, sterner tests await the north Londoners, who will need to maintain their composure and resilience in the face of adversity.Meanwhile, Roma's Europa League campaign got off to a disappointing start with a 1-1 draw against Athletic Bilbao. Artem Dovbyk gave Roma the lead in the first half, but Aitor Paredes' late equalizer denied the Italian side a victory.Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce enjoyed a 2-1 win over Union Saint-Gilloise, with Caglar Soyuncu and Christian Burgess scoring the goals. Ajax thrashed Besiktas 4-0, while Olympiakos suffered a 2-0 defeat at Lyon. Rangers secured a 2-0 victory at Malmo.

Manchester United's struggles continued as they were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by their former manager Erik ten Hag's old club FC Twente in the Europa League. The result leaves United with just three wins from seven games in all competitions this season.Ten Hag, who spent two years at Twente as a player and manager, was visibly frustrated after the match. He criticized his team's lack of killer instinct, saying, "You have to kill the game. You have to finish it off."United took the lead in the first half through a stunning strike from Christian Eriksen. However, Twente equalized in the second half through Sam Lammers, who capitalized on a mistake by Eriksen.Ten Hag admitted that his team was not at their best. "We didn't fight for every yard," he said. "99% is not enough. You have to give 100%."The draw was a setback for United, who are looking to improve on their disappointing sixth-place finish in the Premier League last season. Ten Hag has made several changes to the squad, but the team has yet to find its rhythm.United's next match is a Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday. Ten Hag will be hoping for a much-improved performance from his team.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur embark on their Europa League campaigns this week, seeking solace from disappointing Premier League starts.Erik ten Hag's United have struggled to improve upon last season's dismal performance, languishing outside the top 10 with just seven points from five matches. Despite heavy spending in the transfer market, the expected resurgence has yet to materialize.United's Europa League opener against Twente on Wednesday is crucial, as anything less than a victory would intensify pressure on Ten Hag. The Dutch club, returning to the competition for the first time since 2012, poses a significant challenge.Tottenham, under Ange Postecoglou, have also faced growing discontent among fans. After a blistering start to the season, successive Premier League defeats have dampened spirits. The Europa League, now without teams dropping down from the Champions League, presents a golden opportunity for Spurs to end their trophy drought.They host Qarabag on Thursday, hoping to build on their recent 3-1 victory over Brentford. Postecoglou remains optimistic, emphasizing the importance of perseverance in achieving success.Elsewhere, crisis-hit Roma welcome Athletic Bilbao to the Stadio Olimpico. The Serie A club has enjoyed recent success in Europe, reaching the Europa League semi-finals three times in the past four seasons. However, the sacking of coach Daniele De Rossi has sparked fury among supporters, who have expressed their anger towards management and players.Other notable Europa League fixtures include 2022 winners Eintracht Frankfurt hosting Viktoria Plzen, while four-time European champions Ajax take on Besiktas in Amsterdam.

Ajax and Panathinaikos engaged in an epic penalty shootout that set a UEFA competition record, with the Dutch giants emerging victorious after 34 attempts. The Europa League third qualifying round tie ended 1-1 over two legs and extra time, leading to the marathon shootout.Ajax, who had won 1-0 in the first leg in Greece, conceded a late equalizer in the 89th minute in Amsterdam, forcing the shootout. The previous record for the longest shootout in a UEFA competition was 32 attempts, set in the 2007 European U-21 Championship semi-final between Netherlands and England.The world record for the longest shootout was set in May when Israeli third-tier clubs SC Dimona and Shimshon Tel Aviv took 56 penalties to resolve their semi-final promotion playoff tie.Ajax goalkeeper Remko Pasveer was the hero for the hosts, saving five penalties. However, Dutch international Brian Brobbey missed two penalties for Ajax, keeping the shootout alive."Five is quite a lot, yes. I save a penalty every now and then, but I don't think you often experience something as crazy as this," Pasveer said. "Every time I thought we would do it. Brobbey behind the ball, we will do it. But he missed, while he always scores during training."Defender Anton Gaaei ultimately delivered the winning penalty for Ajax, sending the Eredivisie club into the playoff round later this month, where they will face Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok.