Francisco Moura’s goal in the second half helped Porto secure a 1-1 tie against a 10-player AS Roma in the first leg of their Europa League knockout stage playoff on Thursday, while Turkish champions Galatasaray fell 4-1 to AZ Alkmaar.
Zeki Celik scored for Roma just before halftime by tapping a loose ball from the six-yard box. Moura then equalised the score in the 67th minute with a shot that deflected off a defender and went past goalkeeper Mile Svilar.
Claudio Ranieri’s Roma faced an additional setback five minutes later when they found themselves down to 10 players after Bryan Cristante received a second yellow card.
The guests, having already lost forward Paulo Dybala to injury before halftime, endured Porto’s late push as the Portuguese team attempted to take advantage of their numerical superiority but watched as Goncalo Borges and Danny Namaso failed to find the goal.
Roma, who have reached the Europa League finals twice, aim to secure their first victory over Porto in four encounters in European competitions. The victor will take on either Athletic Bilbao or Roma’s longstanding rivals, Lazio.
AZ Alkmaar 4-1 Galatasaray: Dutch Side Dominates Turkish Champions
Galatasaray, playing with ten men, endured a 4-1 loss against the Dutch team Alkmaar, who are competing in their first European knockout match in five years.
Alkmaar took the lead after 12 minutes when Sven Mijnans delivered a remarkable free-kick into the top left corner. Just eight minutes later, Galatasaray equalised the match with a powerful strike from Roland Sallai just outside the box.
Troy Parrott regained the lead for the home team by converting a penalty in the 37th minute, and shortly after halftime, the away side went down to 10 players when Kaan Ayhan received a second yellow card.
Jordy Clasie scored to make it 3-1 in the 57th minute, and David Moller Wolfe completed the victory with a goal in the 66th minute, as the Dutch team appears ready to meet either Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur in the round of 16.
Europa League Drama: Twente Secures Late Win Over Bodo/Glimt
Twente Enschede from the Netherlands secured a dramatic 2-1 victory at home against Bodo/Glimt as captain Ricky van Wolfswinkel successfully converted a penalty in the 95th minute.
Patrick Berg equalised the score for the away team in the 85th minute following Sayfallah Ltaief’s goal, which came just five minutes into the match.
Steaua Bucharest Stages Comeback to Defeat PAOK 2-1
Romania’s Steaua Bucharest came from behind to defeat the Greek champions PAOK 2-1, with Taison’s red card just before halftime proving detrimental for the home side.
Steaua’s substitute Andrei Gheorghita equalized in the 50th minute after Mbwana Samatta’s opener for PAOK in the 21st minute, and Joyskim Dawa secured the comeback victory in the 60th minute.
Fenerbahce, Ajax, and Real Sociedad Take Commanding First-Leg Leads
Earlier in the day, Turkey’s Fenerbahce achieved a commanding 3-0 victory at home against Belgian team Anderlecht, while Ajax Amsterdam, Real Sociedad, and Ferencvaros also established leads in their first-leg matches.
Europa League Knockout Stage: Key Highlights and Results
The Europa League knockout stage delivered thrilling matches, with AZ Alkmaar and Porto emerging as standout performers. Roma and Galatasaray face uphill battles in their second-leg ties, while teams like Twente and Steaua Bucharest showcased resilience to secure crucial victories.
Holabet News is your trusted online betting site in Singapore. Your winning journey starts here!
