Conference League, match results

It’s time for the first verdicts in the Conference League too. At the end of the matches valid for the fourth round of the group stage, four teams have secured a pass for the direct elimination stage: Viktoria Plzen is arithmetically first in group C, Paok and Eintracht (already qualified) will compete for the summit in the challenge on November 30th. Bruges also secure their qualification, while Turkey’s big teams surprisingly collapse: Besiktas loses against Bodo Glimt, Fenerbahçe at Ludogorets. Ferencvasros-Genk ends in a draw (group F, the same as Fiorentina), as does the match between Slovan Bratislava and Lille. Zaniolo’s Aston Villa – on the pitch in the last quarter of an hour – did well, beating AZ Alkmaar 2-1.

group a

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Lille in the lead, Slovan chasing. The two big names in group A face each other in Bratislava in a match that is worth first place in the rankings. After a complicated first half, the French scared Kucka and his teammates with a goal from Angel Gomes, who did well to take advantage of an assist from Yazici to beat the opposing goalkeeper. In the 69th minute the Slovaks played the Cavric card (the team’s top scorer, initially on the bench) and after ten minutes they made it 1-1. Paulo Fonseca’s men thus had to settle for a draw, but remained in first place with 8 points. Slovan is on 7 points, ahead of Klaksvik (4), defeated 2-0 by Olimpija Ljubljana. For the Slovenians, late goals from Sualehe (84′) and Nukic (88′) were decisive.

group b

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Everything was easy for Maccabi Tel Aviv against the Ukrainians Zorya Luhansk, who play their home matches in the Lublin stadium. The Israelis score three goals in the first 45 minutes: defender Luckassen scores with a backheel, Dor Peretz takes advantage of Zahavi’s holes and scores a brace with two headers. In the second half Zorya closes the gap with Alefirenko, but doesn’t have time to get back into the game. Maccabi thus climbs to second place, -4 behind Gent who beat Breidablik thanks to a hat-trick from Orban. The center forward launches the Belgians at the start with a header, then Svanthorsson invents the momentary turnaround with a brace. In the second half, Gent – or rather, Orban – lights up again and steps on the accelerator. In the 54th minute he equalized the scores with a penalty, then made it 2-3 with a touch from close range.

group c

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Viktoria Plzen can already celebrate: the Czechs win 1-0 against Dinamo Zagreb and remain at the top, with full points, +8 on second-placed Astana. Koubek’s team only needed a narrow success against the Croatians (now last, but -1 behind Astana), who conceded a goal on a penalty kick from Chory in the 35th minute and then failed to recover. The 28-year-old’s penalty decides the match, just like what happened in Zagreb in the match two weeks ago (final score 0-1). However, the match between Astana and Ballkani ended in a goalless draw: the match was balanced and both teams now have 4 points.

group d

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Almost a month after the start of his coaching adventure, Burak Yilmaz has still not managed to shake up Besiktas, who lose at home against Bodo Glimt and slip to the bottom of the group, with only one point won in four go out. The former Turkish striker still initially leaves Rebic on the bench, instead focusing on the incursions of Oxlade-Chamberlain. In the 38th minute the Norwegians took the lead with a touch from close range by Moumbagna. Upon returning from the changing rooms, Bodo had fun: Pellegrino put on a show with a no-look pass to Moumbagna, who crossed the ball one-on-one with the goalkeeper and doubled the lead. Yilmaz reopens it thanks to the substitutions (in Rebic and Bingol, respectively assister and scorer during the 1-2 draw), but suffers another defeat. The Norwegians thus move to -3 behind Bruges, victorious 2-0 against Lugano. After a first half full of chances but without goals, in the second half Buchanan won a penalty converted by Thiago. The former Barça Jutgla is not as good, as he misses a shot from eleven meters in the 85th minute: Brugge trembles, then doubles their lead with Vanaken in the 96th minute.

group e

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The usual José Pesqueira leads Legia against HSK Zrinjski Mostar. In Warsaw, at half-time, the Poles are already ahead by two goals: Augustyniak opens the ball with a shot under the crossbar following a corner, then the playmaker doubles the lead on a penalty kick. The Bosnians are unable to change pace in the second half: now, after three defeats in four games, they are last in the group, equal on points with AZ Alkmaar and -6 behind Aston Villa. In fact, the match in London between the English and the Dutch ends 2-1, on the pitch at 9pm. The Villains initially leave Zaniolo on the bench, the guests focus on the trident made up of Sadiq, Pavlidis and the son of art Van Bommel. In the first half Emery’s team wasted a couple of chances. AZ defends well and focuses on counterattacks, trying to verticalize towards striker Pavlidis. In the 52nd minute the Greek made it 1-0 on the counterattack, nine minutes later Diego Carlos equalized with a header. In the 74th minute Zaniolo and Douglas Luiz enter the field, after seven minutes the Brazilian scores the turning point: a soft stroke for Ollie Watkins, who scores the final 2-1 with a header.

group f

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Good news for Italiano’s Fiorentina, who were hoping for a draw between Ferencvaros and Genk in the other match of the group. The Hungarians and Belgians were equal for a half, but the match heated up immediately after returning from the changing rooms. In the 47th minute Stankovic’s team scores: Abu Fani attempts a shot from distance, Vandenvoordt doesn’t hold onto the ball and Pesic scores the 1-0 with a tap-in. The advantage, however, lasted for just a quarter of an hour. In the 62nd minute Munoz, a full-back with a habit of scoring goals, in turn takes advantage of a rebound from the goalkeeper and equalizes the score. His fifth center of the season is worth the final 1-1, which puts Genk at 6 points: the same as Ferencvaros, two less than Fiorentina.

group g

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Paok and Eintracht Frankfurt put an end to the dreams of Aberdeen and Helsinki, now 7 and 8 points respectively away from second place in the group. The Greeks, fresh from three successes in as many Conference matches, draw 2-2 with the Scots: Aberdeeen goes ahead with a great goal from Duk, then Taison duets with Despodov and, at the end of a good move, practically scores empty door. In the second half Samatta completed the turnaround for the Greeks with a gore, but McGrath after three minutes set the score at 2-2 directly from a free kick. In the other group G match, Eintracht won in Helsinki with a pearl from Chaibi. The class of 2002 takes center stage on the half hour mark with a right-footed shot from a tight angle, which goes under the crossbar and puts the Germans at 9 points (one less than Paok).

group h

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Nordsjaelland achieved a precious draw in terms of qualification, moving to -2 from Fenerbahçe who however will challenge Ludogorets at 9pm. The 1-1 draw against Spartak Trnava, however, leaves a bad taste in the Danes’ mouths, who until in the 60th minute they were ahead thanks to a penalty from Ingvartsen. The equalizing goal was scored by Duris, who gave the Slovaks their first useful result of the tournament. In the 9pm match, Fenerbahce, always successful up until now, surprisingly collapses at Ludogorets’ home: the Turks leave Dzeko rested again and in the 18th minute they go behind due to a long-range goalscorer by Piotrowski. After a first half devoid of opportunities, Fener raised their center of gravity in the second half. Ludogorets takes advantage of this and even celebrates Seco’s second goal, which rekindles their hopes of qualifying: the Bulgarians are now third in the group, but first place is only 3 points away.