European Super Football

Viktoria Plzeň 1 - 2 Manchester United Rasmus Højlund came off the bench to score twice as Manchester United overturned a deficit to secure a crucial Europa League victory against Viktoria Plzeň. Author - Olivia T Højlund, now with five goals in this season’s Europa League, sparked United’s second-half comeback with an impressive display after being introduced from the bench. The 21-year-old forward equalised following some clever link-up play between Antony and Amad Diallo. He reacted quickest to poke the ball home from close range after Diallo’s initial shot was blocked. Moments later, the Danish international struck again, latching onto Bruno Fernandes’ perfectly weighted pass before drilling a low shot into the bottom-right corner. UEFA Europa League and Conference League: 24/25 Click here for more Manchester United news and stories Højlund’s heroics spared further embarrassment for goalkeeper André Onana, who was at fault for the opening goal. For the second game running, ...

Tottenham Hotspur 2 - 2 Roma Veteran defender Mats Hummels rescued a dramatic late equaliser for Claudio Ranieri's Roma, denying Tottenham victory in a tense Europa League clash. The 35-year-old German, featuring in his first European match since July's Champions League final, endured a rollercoaster evening. He conceded an early penaltyjust five minutes in, bringing down Pape Matar Sarr after reacting slowly to a loose ball in the box. However in stoppage time, Hummels redeemed himself, slotting home Angelino's pinpoint cross to salvage a point for Roma. Author - Greg S Tottenham had been the dominant force for much of the game. Son Heung-min converted the penalty Hummels gave away, while Brennan Johnson added a superb first-time finish following Dejan Kulusevski's cutback. Earlier, defender Evan N'Dicka had drawn Roma level , and Stephan El Shaarawy thought he’d scored with a stunning volley, only for VAR to rule it out for offside. Despite their control, Spur...

Manchester United 3 - 2 Bodø/Glimt Ruben Amorim's first home match as Manchester United boss ended in a win for his new club. Author -  Liam Chadwick The Red Devils secured a winning start at Old Trafford under new manager Ruben Amorim, coming from behind to defeat Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt in the Europa League. The home side wasted no time finding the net, with a goal after just 48 seconds – even quicker than their 81-second opener in Amorim’s debut match at Ipswich. The breakthrough came from an error by goalkeeper Nikita Haikin, who hesitated on a routine clearance, allowing Rasmus Højlund to close him down and set up Alejandro Garnacho for a simple tap-in. However, rather than setting the stage for a comfortable evening, the early goal sparked a frustrating spell for the hosts. Bodø/Glimt responded with two goals in just four minutes, turning the game on its head and taking the lead with less than 25 minutes played. Thankfully for United, Højlund brought Old Trafford to i...

Galatasaray 3 - 2 Tottenham Hotspur Victor Osimhen struck twice as Galatasaray handed 10-man Tottenham their first Europa League defeat of the season in Istanbul. Author - Greg S Teenage forward Will Lankshear, who had earlier celebrated his maiden senior goal in just his second start for Spurs, was shown a second yellow card and dismissed on the hour mark. By then, Tottenham had already squandered several opportunities, leaving the final scoreline flattering them somewhat, given the hosts' dominant display. Despite the setback, Ange Postecoglou’s side remain well-positioned to progress from the group stage, sitting on nine points from four games, although Galatasaray have now overtaken them in the standings. A closer look at what happened Tottenham’s shaky attempts to play out from the back, coupled with some chaotic defending, made for a difficult evening in a notoriously intimidating atmosphere. The tone was set by Yunus Akgun's sublime sixth-minute strike, a left-foote...

Manchester United 2 - 0 PAOK Amad Diallo’s second-half brace handed Manchester United a crucial win over Greek champions PAOK, jump-starting their Europa League journey and giving incoming manager Ruben Amorim a real chance at securing a top-eight spot. Author - Olivia T Amad was United’s standout attacking threat, breaking the deadlock just five minutes into the second half with a looping header into the far corner. The Ivorian then wrapped up the win with a curling shot from the edge of the box, 13 minutes from time. PAOK’s best opportunity fell to Tarik Tissoudali, who couldn’t find the target from eight yards out with only Andre Onana to beat. Onana also pulled off an acrobatic save to deny Mady Camara, helping United through a relatively uneventful first half. This victory marks United’s second win in their last 12 European matches, and their first of this season after a run of t hree straight draws in the expanded Europa League. In three weeks, United will take on Norwegian s...

Fenerbahce 1-1 Manchester United  Fenerbahce manager José Mourinho was shown a red card as Manchester United battled to secure a 1-1 draw in their Europa League clash in Istanbul.  Author - Liam C The former United manager was dismissed midway through the second half when tensions escalated after the home side were denied a penalty following Manuel Ugarte's challenge on Bright Osayi-Samuel, with the scoreline locked at 1-1. A closer look at what happened United had gone into the break with a lead, thanks to Christian Eriksen’s fourth goal of the season. However, four minutes into the second half, the hosts drew level when Youssef En-Nesyri slipped between United's defenders to nod in Allan Saint-Maximin’s close-range cross. As the atmosphere intensified and the noise levels soared, Mourinho was sent off by French referee Clément Turpin just before the hour mark. The dismissal came after Mourinho led fervent appeals for a penalty when Bright Osayi-Samuel went down following...

Porto 3 - 3 Manchester United Harry Maguire salvaged a dramatic draw for a 10-man Manchester United side, who had thrown away a two-goal lead and seen Bruno Fernandes sent off in their Europa League clash against Porto. Maguire's injury-time header could be a lifeline for under-pressure manager Erik ten Hag, with the team just seconds from suffering their fourth defeat in ten games at the start of the season. In the first of five added minutes, Maguire leapt to meet Christian Eriksen's corner and expertly nodded the ball into the bottom corner, securing a crucial point. A closer look at what happened Marcus Rashford put United ahead in the seventh minute, cutting in from the left and skillfully beating two defenders before his low shot slipped past Porto’s goalkeeper Diogo Costa at the near post. Rasmus Hojlund, making his first start of the season, added a second after 20 minutes, finishing off a swift United counter-attack to give them firm control. Porto weren’t done yet...

Tottenham Hotspur 3 - 0 Qarabag Tottenham kicked off their Europa League campaign with an impressive win against Qarabag, despite being reduced to 10 men just seven minutes into the match. This was great preparation as Spurs will face an important few weeks in different competitions. For this match, there was a 35-minute delay to the start due to various travel disruptions across London. A closer look at what happened Spurs suffered an early setback when defender Radu Dragusin was sent off for a last-man foul on Juninho, who was through on goal. Nevertheless, five minutes later Brennan Johnson found the net, capitalising on Qarabag's sloppy attempt to play out from the back. Dominic Solanke set up the 23-year-old, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner, marking his third goal in as many games. Tottenham doubled their lead in the 52nd minute through Pape Sarr, who controlled a loose ball at the far post before firing it home. Qarabag were awarded a penalty just three...

Manchester United 1 - 1 Twente Christian Eriksen experienced both triumph and disappointment for Manchester United as Erik ten Hag’s side faltered at the beginning of their Europa League journey, drawing with Twente, the Dutch manager’s boyhood club. Eriksen put United ahead in the first half with a brilliant finish from inside the box.However, a determined Twente side capitalised on Eriksen's mistake when he was dispossessed by Sam Lammers just outside United’s penalty area. The former Rangers player wasted no time, unleashing a powerful shot that flew past Andre Onana. Ten Hag's men had chances to secure a late win, but Twente goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall was in fine form, denying Joshua Zirkzee’s left-footed attempt that seemed destined for the net. Earlier, Unnerstall had also made a spectacular reflex save to stop Mees Hilgers from scoring an own goal. Bruno Fernandes, United’s captain, came close as well, and substitute Kobbie Mainoo had a penalty shout waved away. Foll...

Viktoria Plzeň 1 - 0 Hearts After overcoming a shaky start and edging towards a commendable goalless draw in the Czech Republic, Hearts' hopes were dashed when Daniel Oyegoke accidentally turned a late cross into his own net. Plzen's Cadu delivered a dangerous ball into the box, which caught Oyegoke off guard. The Hearts defender could only watch in dismay as the ball struck his thigh and sailed into the corner of the net. It was a bitterly frustrating conclusion, especially as Hearts had grown into the match, standing toe-to-toe with their more seasoned Czech opponents , who were competing in Europe for the 15th consecutive season. Lawrence Shankland came close with two shots from the edge of the box just before half-time, and Kenneth Vargas missed two opportunities when a cooler head was needed. However, solid goalkeeping and resilient defending kept Hearts in the game and nearly secured them a vital draw. UEFA Europa League and Conference League (eurosuperfootball.blogsp...

Ajax 0 - 1 Panathinaikos It finished 1-1 on aggregate with Ajax winning 13-12 on penalties Ajax beat Panathinaikos on penalties after an epic shootout featuring 34 spot-kicks to reach the Europa League qualifying play-off round. Ajax Goalkeeper Remko Pasveer saved five penalties and scored one, while defender Anton Gaaei scored the winning kick for Ajax. The Dutch side won despite Netherlands striker Brian Brobbey missing two spot-kicks, with Bertrand Traore and Youri Baas were also off target for the home side.  This was the second-highest penalty shootout score in a European competition, just behind Glentoran's 14-13 loss to Gzira United in last season's Conference League qualifiers. The match went to penalties after the Greek team secured a 1-0 win in Amsterdam, bringing the overall score to 1-1. Tete's goal in the 89th minute forced extra time. The match ultimately ended without any further goals. Best reaction William, a Liverpool fan from Bradford, watched the...

Cercle Brugge 1 - 0 Kilmarnock (Cercle Brugge won 2-1 on aggregate) Before the match, Bruges was awash in blue and white as 2,500 Kilmarnock fans flocked to the city. However, there was no European triumph for the Ayrshire men, who fell to a 1-0 defeat against Cercle Brugge, losing 2-1 on aggregate in their Europa League second qualifying round tie. The matchwinner for the hosts was Thibo Somers, who capitalised on a defensive mix-up by Liam Donnelly and Lewis Mayo to score in a scrappy affair at the Jan Breydelstadion. Despite the defeat, the travelling fans had something to cheer about early in the second half when Robby McCrorie saved a Kevin Denkey penalty. Kilmarnock, despite their efforts, couldn’t find a breakthrough and will now move to the Europa Conference League, facing Norwegian side Tromso in the third qualifying round, with the home leg at Rugby Park next Thursday. Derek McInnes made two changes to the side from the first leg, with last season's top scorer Marley ...

Kilmarnock 1 - 1 Cercle Brugge Kilmarnock will head to Belgium on level terms with Cercle Brugge after a comeback draw in the first leg of their Europa League second round qualifier. There was a fantastic atmosphere before the match started After an evenly matched first half at Rugby Park, the visitors burst into action and were rewarded with Kazeem Olaigbe’s powerful finish. However, Kilmarnock equalised when Kyle Vassell’s f licked header deflected off David Watson and into the top corner. This sets the stage for an exciting second leg at the Jan Breydel Stadium next Thursday. The hosts nearly got off to a perfect start in torrential rain when Danny Armstrong appeared to be fouled in the box. Referee Martin Dohal pointed to the spot, but it was later confirmed that the ball had already gone out of play, calming the excitement. The high intensity, possibly aided by the slick surface, persisted throughout most of the first half but didn’t result in many clear-cut chances for Kilmar...

Atalanta 3 - 0 Bayer Leverkusen Ademola Lookman delivered a stunning hat-trick as Atalanta ended their 61-year trophy drought, crushing Bayer Leverkusen’s hopes of an unbeaten season in the Europa League final at a lively Aviva Stadium. Both teams brought a massive wave of support and vibrant colours to Dublin for what was Atalanta’s first European final and only Leverkusen’s third. Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen side had remained undefeated for 51 games this season and were just two matches away from perfection. The former Charlton Athletic winger Lookman had other plans. He netted the first goal with a top-corner strike from Davide Zappacosta’s cutback. His second goal was a thing of beauty, nutmegging Granit Xhaka before curling a fantastic shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards. Lookman's third was equally brilliant, a step-over to beat Edmond Tapsoba before smashing the ball into the roof of the net. Leverkusen who have been known for their dramatic comebacks this season...

 Liverpool 0 - 3 Atalanta A few weeks ago, Liverpool fans were dreaming of 4 trophies. This time next week, there's every chance that they will only be fighting to add the Premier League to their Carabao Cup.  The Anfield side faces a huge battle to stay in the Europa League after suffering a home defeat to Atalanta in the quarter-final first leg.  Let's explore what happened.  The former West Ham United forward Gianluca Scamacca scored in each half. Ex-Chelsea player Mario Pasalic added a late third goal to ensure the Italians start strong favourites to reach the semi-finals when the sides meet in the return leg in Bergamo.  After a fairly open first 30 minutes or so, Scamacca managed to break the deadlock in the 38th minute after Caoimhin Kelleher allowed his low drive to creep under him. On a deeply frustrating night for below-par Liverpool, Darwin Nunez missed two big chances to give Liverpool a foothold in the match. Harvey Elliott's curling attempt som...

The draw has been made for the last 16 of the Champions League.  🚨🏆 Thoughts on Champions League draw? pic.twitter.com/NjTTJ2uzWA — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 18, 2023 Manchester City will play Copenhagen in the last 16 of the competition.  The Danish champions Copenhagen finished above Manchester United in their group, as they reached the knockout stage for the first time since 2011. This included a 4-3 memorable victory over the Red Devils. The 14-time winners Real Madrid while RB Leipzig. Inter Milan - who finished runners-up last season will face Atletico Madrid. Bayern Munich (led by Harry Kane) will face Lazio. This is the draw in full Porto v Arsenal Napoli v Barcelona Paris St-Germain v Real Sociedad Inter Milan v Atletico Madrid PSV Eindhoven v Borussia Dortmund Lazio v Bayern Munich Copenhagen v Manchester City RB Leipzig v Real Madrid European Super Football contributor Josh gave some thoughts on the draw The luck of the draw has smiled upo...

 Sevilla 1 - 1 Roma (Sevilla won 4-1 on penalties) Sevilla claimed a record-extending seventh Europa League title as they beat Roma on penalties at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. Gonzalo Montiel scored the winning penalty for the Spanish side following a 1-1 draw. You can watch the highlights of the match in the video below. Footage from BT Sport.  Sevilla v Roma (1-1) (Sevilla win 4-1 on penalties) | Mourinho Heartbreak | Europa League Highlights - YouTube   The Spanish side have now won all seven of the finals they have played in the competition since 2006. This most recent success sees them qualify for next season's Champions League despite finishing outside the top four in La Liga. There will be a feeling that it could have been so different for Roma and their manager Jose Mourinho, who had won all five of the previous European finals he had been involved in and guided the club to inaugural Europa Conference League success last term. 🗣️ Mendilibar: "I thank the ...

 Let's explore all the key moments from a dramatic night in the Europa League Bayer 04 Leverkusen 0 - 1 Roma (Roma won 1-0 on aggregate) Jose Mourinho's Roma reached the Europa League final after holding Bayer Leverkusen to a goalless draw in the second leg of the semi-final. Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen side could not find the breakthrough as Jose Mourinho delivered a tactical masterclass.  You can hear what Mourinho had to say in the video below. Footage:  JOSÉ MOURINHO | POST MATCH INTERVIEW | BAYER-ROMA - YouTube Is he still the Special One? Click here to read the latest Mourinho news stories. Can the iconic manager win yet another European trophy? His side can look forward to a second European final in as many years having not reached one for 31 years before last season. Who would they be facing though? They would have to wait another 30 minutes before finding out. UECL: Roma win Europa Conference League (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Sevilla 2 - 1 Juventus (Sevi...

 Sevilla 3 - 0 Manchester United (5-2 on aggregate) For 80 minutes at Old Trafford last week, it was all going so well for Manchester United. Then it all fell apart. They were put out of their misery and dumped out of the Europa League quarter-finals following a dreadful second-leg performance in defeat by Sevilla. United were well below their best as they exited Europe with a whimper. The Spanish side were gifted the lead after eight minutes when Youssef En-Nesyri finished following an awful error from Harry Maguire, and Sevilla doubled their advantage shortly after half-time with a looping header from defender Loic Bade. Sevilla's win was complete nine minutes from time when En-Nesyri again capitalised on a shocking mistake, this time from goalkeeper David de Gea, to complete the win. United missed Bruno Manchester United's midfield suffered without Bruno Fernandes in Sevilla. After receiving a yellow card in the first leg at Old Trafford, Fernandes was suspended and miss...

 Real Betis 0 - 1 Manchester United (Aggregate 1 - 5) After this clinical win, United will face another trip to Seville in the next round.  They cruised into the quarter-finals of the Europa League with a 5-1 aggregate win at Real Betis. After an open first half, Rashford put United ahead in the 55th minute with a thunderous long-range effort dipping into the bottom corner. The hosts had created plenty of chances before United opened the scoring as Betis' Joaquin saw his early curled effort hit the outside of the post. Erik ten Hag's side had done the hard work in Manchester last week and advanced as 5-1 winners on aggregate. UCL and UEL (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Rashford shines again when it mattered Rashford's impressive form continues. Since he returned from the World Cup, he has scored 19 goals in 24 appearances. He is already in his most productive season in front of goal and remains the highest scorer in the Europa League with six goals from eight matches. ...