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The Europa League group stage concludes on Thursday, with just a handful of places up for grabs in the round of 32. Here’s a look at what happened on Matchday 6:
Early kickoffs
Group A
Despite losing 3-1 to CSKA Sofia on Thursday, Paulo Fonseca’s Roma still managed to finish atop Group A with 13 points from six matches. Young Boys finished second and advanced thanks to a 2-1 win over CFR Cluj. Tommaso Milanese, Roma’s 18-year-old midfielder, scored his first senior goal to level the score, but Ali Sowe bagged a brace to give the already-eliminated Sofia a consolation victory.
Group B
Molde are off to the Europa League round of 32 after Magnus Wolff Eikrem’s brace helped the Norwegian club secure an important 2-2 draw against Rapid Vienna. Molde finish second in Group B behind an Arsenal side that beat Dundalk 4-2 to become the 11th team to complete the opening round of the competition with a perfect record.
Group C
Leon Bailey’s two first-half finishes ensured that this group would be low on drama. Thanks to the Jamaican speedster’s brace, Bayer Leverkusen eased past Slavia Prague 4-0 to secure top spot in the group, while the Czech side finishes second. Both teams had qualified last week. In a meaningless fixture in Israel, Hapoel Beer Sheva topped lifeless Nice 1-0 to claim third place in Group C.
Group D
Rangers secured top spot in Group D with a 2-0 win over Lech Poznan on Thursday to maintain their unbeaten record in the Europa League this season. The Scottish club struggled early on in the tournament before mounting a strong push for the finish line and winning their last two matches to end the group stage two-points clear of second-place Benfica, who drew 2-2 with Standard Liege on the final matchday.
Group E
With only first place in the quartet left up for grabs on Thursday, PSV Eindhoven snatched top billing from Granada after goals from Donyell Malen and Denzel Dumfries and a late Joel Piroe double guided the Dutch delights to a 4-0 win over Omonia Nicosia. La Liga minnows and European debutants Granada will have to settle for second after seeing out a 0-0 stalemate against PAOK in picturesque Thessaloniki.
Group F
Willian Jose’s 92nd-minute equalizer in Thursday’s 1-1 draw against Napoli ensured Real Sociedad’s passage to the round of 32. Napoli still claimed first place in Group F with 12 points, but the real drama happened further down the table, with La Real snatching second from AZ Alkmaar, whose 2-1 loss to Rijeka eliminated them from contention. Alkmaar, who had already been reduced to 10 men, conceded in the 93rd minute to lose the game and finish a point behind Sociedad.
Late kickoffs
Group G
- Leicester vs. AEK Athens
- SC Braga vs. Zorya
Group H
- Celtic vs. Lille
- Sparta Prague vs. AC Milan
Group I
- Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Sivasspor
- Villarreal vs. Qarabag (postponed)
Group J
- Ludogorets Razgrad vs. LASK
- Tottenham Hotspur vs. Royal Antwerp
Group K
- Dinamo Zagreb vs. CSKA Moscow
- Wolfsberger AC vs. Feyenoord
Group L
- Hoffenheim vs. Gent
- Slovan Liberec vs. Red Star Belgrade
