Europa League: Napoli, Lazio, Sociedad reach knockouts; Leicester, PSV ousted

Paris, Dec. 10 (IANS): Italian sides Napolio and Lazio along with Spanish club Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, Spartak Moscow. Crvena Zvezda, Braga, and Dinamo Zagreb all advanced from the Group stage of the UEFA Europa League, completing the line-up for the next stage in the second-tier competition in European club football.

On Thursday, Napoli held off a spirited comeback bid by English club Leicester City to win 3-2 and progress as Group C runners-up, sending the third-placed Foxes into the UEFA Europa Conference League.

saxzMeanwhile, Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice as Real Sociedad beat PSV Eindhoven 3-0 and leapfrogged their opponents to claim second place in Group B.

In another match, Scotland’s Rangers denied French side Lyon a perfect record in Group A as they held them 1-1. Rangers went ahead in France then held on in the second half to take a point. Scott Wright gave the visitors the lead and the hosts responded well, drawing level through Calvin Bassey’s own goal. Peter Bosz’s group winners had several chances to win it but could not find a way through against the runners-up.

Already certain of qualifying, Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt, held 1-1 by Fenerbahce of Turkey, were confirmed as Group D winners, thanks in part to Olympiacos’s 1-0 defeat at Antwerp. The Djibril Sow held off two defenders to score his first-ever European goal and give the visitors the lead, but Fenerbahçe responded just before the break, Mergim Berisha finishing after Makoto Hasebe had failed to cut out a cross.

Marseille booked their place in the knockout stage of the UEFA Europa Conference League after pipping Lokomotiv Moscow to third place in Group E with a 1-0 win. Arkadiusz Milik scored the only goal with a well-placed header from a superb Cengiz Under corner in the 35th minute, the home side holding on despite losing Valentin Rongier to a second booking ten minutes from time.

Both Braga and Crvena Zvezda progressed from Group F after their 1-1 draw in Portugal, Crvena Zvezda holding on for the point that took them into the round of 16 as section winners. Both goals came from the penalty spot, Marko Gobeljic’s handball giving Galeno the chance to give the home side the advantage in the 52nd minute before Aleksandar Katai struck back after Radovan Pankov had been fouled by Diogo Leite.

English club West Ham, already assured of the top spot in the group, went down 0-1 to Dinamo Zagreb.

A stunning early strike from Mislav Oršic secured Zagreb second place in Group H. Oršic blasted in an audacious effort just four minutes in, giving Alphonse Areola in the West Ham goal no chance. With the home side already through as group winners, chances were at a premium, and Dinamo held out in comfort to make sure of joining the London club in the knockout stage.

Belgian club Genk lost 0-1 to Rapid Vienna of Austria on Thursday night.