Europa League holders Atletico Madrid failed to secure the point required to qualify for the knockout stages after a 2-0 defeat at Portugal’s Academica ended their 16-match unbeaten run in the continent’s second-tier competition yesterday.
Wilson Eduardo netted twice for Academica to keep alive their slim hopes of reaching the last 32, having volleyed the hosts ahead after an inviting cross by Joas Dias before he steered in a second-half penalty.
Czech side Viktoria Plzen took advantage of Atletico’s slip-up and joined them at the top of Group B after easing to a 4-0 home win against Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Plzen and Atletico have nine points each while Academica are on four with two rounds of matches remaining in the 48-team group stage of the competition.
Rodrigo Palacio bagged a brace to help Inter qualify for the last 32 with a comfortable 3-1 win at Partizan Belgrade.
Rubin Kazan’s victory over Neftchi earlier in the evening meant the Italian side needed just a point in the Serbian capital to reach the knockout rounds although they were indebted to keeper Samir Handanovic for two world-class saves from Ivan Ivanov in the first half.
And Inter rewarded their keeper as Palacio netted twice and Fredy Guarin completed the triumph before Nemanja Tomic grabbed an injury-time goal for Partizan.
The only thing left to determine in Group H will be who finishes top – which will almost certainly be decided when Kazan welcome Inter in two weeks’ time.
Bayer Leverkusen also booked their place in the knockout stages with an emphatic 3-0 win over rock-bottom Rapid Vienna in Group K.
The Germans led after just three minutes, through Jens Hegeler, but had to withstand a valiant Rapid before making the game safe in the space of eight second-half minutes.
Andre Schurrle volleyed home his side’s second on 58 minutes before Manuel Friedrich got on the scoresheet moments later.
Victory, coupled with Metalist Kharkiv’s success over Rosenborg, ensured both teams had sealed their place in the last 32 with two games to spare.
Last season’s finalists Athletic Bilbao were all but eliminated as Lyon kept up their 100% record in Group I and a place in the next round with a 3-2 win at San Mames.
First-half goals from Baftimbi Gomis and Yoann Gourcuff put the French side in a commanding position but Athletic roared back after the break and were level within nine minutes of the restart thanks to Ander Herrera’s finish from close range and an Aritz Aduriz penalty.
However, rather than building on that momentum the hosts conceded the winner eight minutes later as Alexandre Lacazette fired in a wonderful effort from the edge of the area.
Treble UEFA Cup winners Liverpool suffered a setback in Moscow after they were beaten by Anzhi Makhachkala, who went top of Group A when Ivorian Lacina Traore scored a superb winner on the stroke of half-time.
With one eye on Sunday’s Premier League clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers fielded a makeshift side who were undone by the lanky 22-year old striker.
The result left Liverpool second in Group A, a point behind Anzhi who have seven, but level with Young Boys who were surprise 3-2 winners at Udinese.
Newcastle United held Club Bruges to a 2-2 draw in Group D after they fought back from a two-goal deficit, with Macedonian midfielder Ivan Trickovski and Dane Jesper Jorgensen firing the home side ahead before Dutchman Vurnon Anita and Shola Ameobi replied.
Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani scored all four goals – including two in the dying moments – to lead Napoli to a memorable 4-2 win over Group F leaders Dnipro.
Cavani opened the scoring after just seven minutes, and when his side slipped behind following strikes from Artem Fedetskiy and Roman Zozulya, he hauled them back with goals after 77, 88 and 93 minutes.
Jermaine Defoe helped himself to three clinically-struck goals and moved Tottenham a step closer to the next round with a 3-1 win over Maribor.
With Group J leaders Lazio beating Panathanaikos 3-0 in Rome, Spurs are now two points clear of Maribor in the race for the second qualifying spot.
Europa League results
GROUP A: Anzhi vs Liverpool 1-0; Udinese vs Young Boys 2-3.
Standings: Anzhi 7; Liverpool, Young Boys 6; Udinese 4.
GROUP B: A. Coimbra vs A. Madrid 2-0; V. Plzen vs H. Tel-Aviv 4-0.
Standings: Atl. Madrid, V. Plzen 9; Coimbra 4; H. Tel-Aviv 1.
GROUP C: Fenerbahce vs Limassol 2-0; Marseille vs B. M’gladbach 2-2.
Standings: Fenerbahce 10; B. M’gladbach, Marseille 5; Limassol 1.
GROUP D: Bordeaux vs Maritimo 1-0; Bruges vs Newcastle 2-2.
Standings: Newcastle 8; Bordeaux 7; Bruges 4; Maritimo 2.
GROUP E: Copenhagen vs Stuttgart 0-2; Molde vs S. Bucharest 1-2.
Standings: S. Bucharest 10; Stuttgart 5; Copenhagen 4; Molde 3.
GROUP F: AIK Solna vs PSV Eindhoven 1-0; Napoli vs Dnipro 4-2.
Standings: Dnipro 9; Napoli 6; AIK Solna, PSV Eindhoven 4.
GROUP G: Basel vs Videoton 1-0; S. Lisbon vs Genk 1-1.
Standings: Genk 8; Videoton 6; Basel 5; S. Lisbon 2.
GROUP H: Neftci vs Rubin Kazan 0-1; Partizan vs Inter 1-3.
Standings: Inter (Q), Rubin (Q) 10; Neftci, Partizan 1.
GROUP I: A. Bilbao vs Lyon 2-3; Hapoel KS vs S. Prague 1-1.
Standings: Lyon (Q) 12; S. Prague 7; Hapoel KS 2; A. Bilbao 1.
GROUP J: Lazio vs Panathinaikos 3-0; Tottenham vs Maribor 3-1.
Standings: Lazio 8; Tottenham 6; Maribor 4; Panathinaikos 2.
GROUP K: B. Leverkusen vs R. Vienna 3-0; M. Kharkiv vs Rosenborg 3-1.
Standings: B. Leverkusen (Q), Metalist (Q) 10; Rosenborg 3; R. Vienna 0.
GROUP L: Twente vs Levante 0-0; Hannover vs Helsingborgs 3-2.
Standings: Hannover (Q) 10; Levante 7; Twente 3; Helsingborgs 1.