Europa League: ok Arsenal, Fenerbache and Betis

First day of the Europa League, the first surprises of what will be a competition that will give emotions and results very little taken for granted until – and well beyond – the 90 ‘. At their European debut Arsenal did not stick, winning on the field of Zurich, while Fenerbahce passed with thrill in the recovery. Excellent match for Betis, good for Braga, Bodo-Glimt never ceases to amaze. At 21, Real Sociedad wins three points at Old Trafford, beating CR7’s United (0-1). Sheriff returns from Nicosia with a goleada (0-3), Trabzonspor surrenders against Ferencvaros (3-2) who trims three goals to the Turks in the first 35 ‘. Monaco and Friborg also win (with Grifo), respectively engaged against Red Star and Qarabag. Sturm Graz, inserted together with Lazio in group F, won 1-0 against Midtjylland, while Guessand dragged Nantes against Olympiacos: the 2-1 goal, arrived in the 93th minute, was signed by the 21-year-old Frenchman.

AEK LARNACA-RENNES 1-2

–

The guests got off to a good start, unlocking the score just before the half hour with an old (but not too old) acquaintance of our league: at 29 ‘it is the former Bologna Athur Theate – sold last transfer market session for about 20 million – to unlock the score with a great shot from distance that exceeds the goalkeeper Piric. The French advantage, however, did not last long, because 4 ‘later it was the Spaniard Oier who restored the balance with a header on which the goalkeeper Mandanda did not respond perfectly. The second fraction does not offer particular opportunities, with both teams in a more defensive than offensive version, but at 95 ‘there is room for the last, decisive emotion: Sulemana runs away on the outside and puts the ball in the middle, arrives Assignon who, on the heel, finds a meaningless goal and closes the score.

FENERBAHCE-DYNAMO KIEV 2-1

–

At the last breath, Fenerbahce passes. At 92 ‘the last arrived Batshuayi decides: cross inside, no one touches and the ball ends up on the feet of the former Chelsea who shoots at the goal and gives the victory to the hosts. At the start, the protagonist is the former Cagliari Joao Pedro, who, however, does not take advantage of a great opportunity at half an hour. A little later the goal arrives anyway: corner kick by Rossi and header by Gustavo Henrique who signs the 1-0. The equal guest arrives in the 64th minute with a magnificent left from Tsygankov, but Batshuayi thinks to frustrate him.

HELSINKI-REAL BETIS 0-2

–

High rhythms, scoring, enjoyable game: in Helsinki the Betis of coach Pellegrini wins by convincing and playing excellent football. After William Carvalho’s crossbar, Boujellab’s home 10 stains his game by granting a penalty to the Spaniards: Willian Jose goes on the spot, good at displacing the goalkeeper Hazard for 0-1. Swirl of changes at the beginning of the second half in Betis but the same result: Willian Jose in goal again (after a sensational pinball inside the Finnish penalty area) and white-green doubling. Helsinki tries, and actually shortens 3 ‘later with a goal from Aboubakari, but the VAR detects an offside position and cancels. Here begins the Spanish management, which leads up to 90 ‘.

MALMOE-BRAGA 0-2

–

In Sweden it is a Portuguese monologue. Wrong chances, excellent storylines, crosses hit, canceled goals (two) and regular goals (two more), give Sporting Braga the victory. The first chance for the guests came in the 24th minute, with a sensational crossbar hit by Vitinha on a header. A little later, however, Bruno Rodrigues unlocks: a corner in the Malmoe area, a heel shot by the Portuguese defender and a goal. The second half opens with the same script of the first fraction: 47 ‘and a doubling of Vitinha, who is canceled by the VAR for offside. To close the accounts is a penalty converted by Horta in the 70th minute.

PSV-BODO GLIMT 1-1

–

Bodo continues to surprise, after the last-minute elimination in the Champions League preliminaries at the hands of Dinamo Zagreb. At their debut in the Europa League, the Norwegians do not look bad at all, quite the contrary. In a difficult field like that of PSV they unlock the score at the end of the first half, with a goal from Gronbaek: he leads the ball, enters the area, prepares for the shot and with a right turn he sends it behind Benitez. The PSV, however, returns to the field in the second half with a different attitude, and in the 63rd minute finds the same with Gakpo. 1-1 the final.

UNION BERLIN-ROYALE UNION SG 0-1

–

Mild rhythms, few scoring chances, few ideas. In Berlin, the game does not give any particular emotions, before the surprise. At 39 ‘the Belgian team – on the widely disadvantaged card – finds the advantage after a lightning restart, which Union is unable to oppose: Boniface recovers the ball, leads and serves Lynch who, finding himself completely alone in front of Ronnow, cannot err. The race, then, does not offer other emotions and the guests are the guests to conquer the first three European points.

ZURICH-ARSENAL 1-2

–

At the first absolute presence with the Gunners shirt, the 2003 class Marquinhos immediately becomes decisive. It was the Brazilian ex San Paolo who gave the English the advantage, on 16 ‘, at the end of a perfect counterattack led by Arteta’s men. Arsenal, after taking the lead, try to manage possession of the ball but at the end of the first fraction they suffer the same penalty from a penalty kick: it is the central defender Kryeziu who takes charge of kicking, displacing Turner (also in his debut). Upon hearing the news of Queen Elizabeth’s death in the locker room, the second half opens with a minute of silence in the middle of the pitch for the two teams. Then the protagonist Marquinhos returns, who gives Nketiah the assist for the 1-2. And the three points to Arsenal.

MANCHESTER UNITED-REAL SOCIEDAD 0-1

–

The Red Devils focus on Ronaldo from 1 ‘, deployed in attack with Antony and Elanga. On the other hand, Sadiq Umar, former Roma striker, is the owner. In the first half the hosts are more dangerous, but at the interval the result is still 0-0. CR7 is unleashed at the beginning of the second half, first with a shot that ends at the side and then with a shot from distance that touches the crossbar. At 59 ‘, Real Sociedad unlocks the match: Brais Mendez is decisive, coldly transforming the penalty awarded for a foul by Lisandro Martinez. United are forced to chase, but the entries of Sancho and Garnacho are not enough to avoid defeat.

HOMONY-SHERIFF 0-3

–

In Nicosia the Sheriff has a strong start, who after 2 ‘is ahead thanks to a goal by Akanbi on an assist from Koval. The doubling of the guests arrives in the second half: the referee gives a penalty for Lang’s handball, Atiemwen shows up on the spot, making no mistake and making the 2-0. The exultation of the Sheriff’s players is not appreciated by the home crowd, which reacts in the worst way: a glass thrown from the stands ends up on the linesman’s face, the referee interrupts the match and sends the teams back to the locker room. Less than five minutes to stop, then we start again. The Sheriff continues to dominate, in the final Sen scores 0-3 on Akanbi’s assist.

STURM GRAZ-MIDTJYLLAND 1-0

–

The Austrians enter the field on the right foot and in the 8th minute they are already in the lead: the stamp on the 1-0 is by the 19-year-old Emegha, who is again dangerous in the 23rd minute with a shot that hits the crossbar. Shortly before the break, Sturm Graz have the chance to double with Horvat: the Slovenian misses from 11 meters, keeping Midtjylland in the game. At 73 ‘the hosts remain in 10, for a foul by captain Hierlander, who had already been booked: the Austrians hold up until the 90’, and manage to win the first victory in the group stage.

FREIBURG-QARABAG 2-1

–

The hosts immediately took the lead, with an 11-meter shot by the Italian Grifo. At 15 ‘the race starts downhill for the Germans, who double with a conclusion from Ritsu Doan. Shortly before the break, Qarabag shortens the gap: the goal that keeps the Azerbaijani hopes alive was signed by Vesovic, who scored on an assist from Owusu. In the second half the Germans administer the advantage, the Qarabag seeks a draw but without success.

FERENCVAROS-TRABZONSPOR 3-2

–

Stryger Larsen, Vitor Hugo and Denswil: in the defense of the Turks there are many former “Italians”, who cannot resist Ferencvaros ‘offensives and suffer three goals in the first 45’. Nguen (brace) and Adama Traore score, Trabzonspor stops at Maxi Gomez’s goal. The guests seek redemption in the second half and in the 71st minute they shorten the distance with an offensive maneuver worthy of applause. The ball ends up in the parts of Maxi Gomez: Uruguayan rewards the inclusion of Umut Bozok, who crosses and signs the 3-2. At 87 ‘the 3-3 goal also arrives, canceled by the referee on signaling from the Var.

NANTES-OLYMPIACOS 2-1

–

The defense of the Greeks is rich… Serie A: together with Manolas there is the former Verona Retsos, while Sokratis starts from the bench together with Valbuena. No debut, however, for the newly arrived Marcelo. The French took the lead in the 32nd minute with Mostafa Mohamed, Olympiacos equalized in the 50th minute thanks to an own goal by Moutoussamy: the defender is betrayed by a rebound, but above all by an empty exit from the former Fiorentina goalkeeper Lafont . At 83 ‘Guessand scores 2-1, but the 21-year-old’s goal is spoiled by an offside. The attacker did not give up and, ten minutes later, found the winning shot after a cross from Blas.