Conference League: Ajax, Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiacos in the round of 16

Ajax, Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiacos pass, while the European adventure of Bodo Glimt, Betis and Eintracht Frankfurt ends. The Dutch and the Croatians suffered for a long time but managed to secure a ticket to the round of 16 of the Conference League: the former won 2-1 in Bodo after extra time, the latter overcame Betis and benefited from the 1-0 in the first leg. The usual El Kaabi leads the Greeks against Dejan Stankovic’s Ferencvaros, while the Germans lose 2-0 against Union Saint-Gilloise. Ok Servette, who beat Ludogorets 1-0, just like Sturm Graz who achieved a narrow success in Bratislava. Molde dominates Legia Warsaw (3-0), while Maccabi Haifa – on the pitch on Wednesday at 6pm – got a ticket to the round of 16 by drawing at Gent.

EINTRACHT FRANKFURT-UNION SAINT-GILLOISE 1-2

—

The Germans also bid farewell to Europe: convincing in the first 10 minutes of the double match against the Belgians, they then paid a high price for some carelessness in the defensive phase. Coming back from 0-2 to 2-2 in the first leg, the team led by Toppmoller also collapsed in Germany. After a balanced first half, in fact, in Frankfurt Saint-Gilloise took the lead in the 2nd minute of the second half through Puertas Castro. Eintracht comes very close to scoring but has to deal with a super Moris, the opposing goalkeeper who plays the protagonist by performing two miracles on shots from Chaibi and Nkounkou. In the best moment of the Germans, increasingly dangerous at the end, the newly substitute Ayensa (on the pitch for 4 minutes) closes the score on the development of a corner. Dina Ebimbe’s goal was of little use, closing the gap with a header in the 87th minute.

FERENCVAROS-OLYMPIACOS 0-1

—

Just like in the first leg, the Greeks won 1-0 with a goal from El Kaabi. The Moroccan attacker’s goal puts an end to the European adventure of Dejan Stankovic’s team, always attentive when not in possession but decidedly not very dangerous in the opponent’s penalty area. Olympiacos, already close to 1-0 thanks to a header from El Kaabi on the half hour, made good use of the penalty awarded in the 45th minute for a handball in the area. In the second half the Greeks managed the advantage, coming close to doubling their lead in the final with a shot from Jovetic.

LEGIA WARSAW-MOLDE 0-3

—

Double in the first leg, double in the return. In Warsaw they will hardly forget Fredrik Gulbrandsen, the 31-year-old who dragged Molde to the round of 16 of the Conference League. Already decisive in Norway (when the match ended 3-2), the 1992-born player also broke the deadlock in the return match with a goal in the 2nd minute. Hestad, scoring in the 20th minute, closed the score early in favor of Molde, before the last flash, again from Gulbrandsen, who came out behind the defenders and deflected Kaasa’s cross-shot into the net in the 67th minute.

SLOVAN BRATISLAVA-STURM GRAZ 0-1

—

Juraj Kucka’s Slovan Bratislava failed to secure an upset. Defeated 4-1 last week, the Slovaks also lost in the match in front of their fans, conceding another goal from the young striker Biereth. Born in 2003 and owned by Arsenal, the Danish striker – who moved to Sturm Graz during the winter transfer window – scores again, this time at the start of the second half, taking advantage of a throw-in badly managed by the home team. Launched towards goal thanks to a poorly calibrated pass from an opponent, the 21-year-old made no mistake and, in the 52nd minute, put an end to Slovan’s dream-remuntada.

BODO GLIMT-AJAX 1-2

—

Already in the first leg, Bodo and Ajax had put on a show: 2-0 for the Norwegians until the 91st minute, then two goals from Berghuis and his teammates in injury time. The music didn’t change in the return match, considering that anything happens in Bodo: the first shot on goal came in the 34th minute with Berghuis, who did well to turn Brobbey’s low cross into the net. From then on, Ajax collapsed: former AC Milan player Hauge ate the potential 1-1 goal before the break, Sutalo committed a foul as the last man and received a red card in the 48th minute. Two minutes pass and Berg hits the crossbar, while Sosa blocks a shot on the goal line with his arm, but the referee does not call the penalty due to an alleged previous foul by a Bodo player. The home team picked up the pace and – with ten against ten, due to Gronbaek’s dismissal – crushed Ajax in their own half, scoring in the 83rd minute thanks to a shot by Berg from the edge of the area. Saltnes made it 2-1 in the 95th minute but was caught offside, so the match continued into extra time. The decisive goal, in the end, came in the 114th minute thanks to a cross-shot by Kenneth Taylor, a 21-year-old who grew up in the club’s youth sector and took over during the match.

DINAMO ZAGREB-BETIS 1-1

—

The final draw smiled on the Croatians, who once again revealed themselves to be a solid defensive team with great personality. After the 0-1 success obtained in Spain (goal by the former Bologna player Petkovic on a penalty), in Zagreb Dinamo fell behind in the 38th minute, when Bakambu scored a splendid goal, hitting the ball with his heel. In the second half, however, everything changed, because the 32-year-old striker stopped due to injury and Fekir sensationally missed the chance to make it 0-2. Hoxha, a 25-year-old left winger, goes wild in the last half hour: first he offers Kaneko an easy ball to put into the net for the 1-1, then he gets a penalty kick which the referee cancels with the help of VAR. The final 1-1 condemns the Spaniards to elimination.

LUDOGORETS-SERVETTE 0-1

—

The first match, in Switzerland, ended in a goalless draw. In Bulgaria, however, Servette advanced thanks to a goal from Cognat and miracles from Frick. The first, a midfielder born in 1998, breaks through the middle in the 6th minute and, face to face with the opposing goalkeeper, passes the ball between his legs. The second, however, shines especially in the final minutes, saving all the shots from Ludogorets, who unbalanced themselves forward in search of an equaliser. Servette defends with teeth the advantage acquired at the start of the match and, in the end, secures a pass to the round of 16.