Europa League round-up: Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce cruise past Anderlecht, Ajax take crucial win, 10-man Roma hold Porto
Updated 13/02/2025 at 22:31 GMT
It was the perfect night for Jose Mourinho as his Fenerbahce strolled to a 3-0 win against Anderlecht on Thursday. The Turkish side are one step closer to clinching a place in the UEFA Europa League last 16 after a comfortable first-leg result. Elsewhere, Ajax and Real Sociedad claimed crucial away wins in their first-leg ties, and Roma held Porto to a 1-1 draw despite being reduced to 10 men.
Dzeko shows 'sharp instincts' to put Fenerbahce in cruise control
Video credit: TNT Sports
Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce have one foot in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League after they swept past Anderlecht 3-0.
The Turkish side were in full control at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, with Dusan Tadic, Edin Dzeko, and Youssef En-Nesyri all scoring to brush their Belgian opponents aside.
Tadic, the former Southampton midfielder, nodded home on 11 minutes to open the scoring after a delicious Filip Kostic delivery, before Edin Dzeko doubled the lead three minutes shy of half-time as he sidefooted home a rebound after his initial shot was blocked.
En-Nesyri made sure of the victory with 57 minutes played, powering home a header from Sebastian Szymanski's cross, giving Colin Coosemans no chance in the visiting net.
Mourinho's men are now one step closer to meeting Olympiacos or Rangers in the last 16.
Ajax, Ferencvaros and Real Sociedad take first-leg advantage
In Belgium, Ajax avoided the banana skin at Union Saint-Gilloise, recording a 2-0 victory at the Stade Roi Baudouin in Brussels.
Christian Rasmussen and 16-year-old Jorthy Mokio got the goals in that one, leaving the injury-ravaged Dutch side in a strong position to qualify for the last 16.
Robbie Keane's Ferencvaros side overcame Viktoria Plzen 1-0 thanks to Mohammad Abu Fani's 23rd-minute strike.
Real Sociedad, meanwhile, battled to a 2-1 win over Midtylland, with Brais Mendez's eighth-minute penalty and Takefusa Kubo's wonderstrike enough to see off the Danish side, who hit back before the interval through Adam Buksa.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2025/02/13/4097448-83086608-2560-1440.jpg)
‘Sensational solo goal’ – Kubo doubles Real Sociedad lead with stunning strike
Video credit: TNT Sports
10-man Roma hold off Porto
In the late kick-offs, Porto and Roma will head back to the Italian capital level after a 1-1 draw at the Estadio do Dragao.
Zeki Celik opened the scoring for Claudio Ranieri's visitors five minutes into first-half stoppage time, but that was cancelled out by Francisco Moura's deflected effort on 67 minutes.
Bryan Cristante received a second yellow as the Giallorossi went down to ten men, the Italian cautioned for a tug on Stephen Eustaquio.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2025/02/13/4097557-83088788-2560-1440.jpg)
Rainieri ‘will be fuming’ after Moura draws Porto level against Roma
Video credit: TNT Sports
AZ Alkmaar trounce Galatasaray
Elsewhere, AZ Alkmaar hit four past Galatasaray at the AFAS Stadion, with former Tottenham Hotspur striker Troy Parrott amongst the goalscorers in the 4-1 trouncing.
Sven Mijnans fired the hosts into a 12th-minute advantage, but they were pegged back when Roland Sallai flashed home a wicked drive at the near post eight minutes later.
Parrott dispatched a spot-kick after Seiya Maikuma had been felled by Baris Yilmaz, and the Dutch side went in at the break 2-1 to the good.
Things only worsened for Gala in the second half, as they were reduced to ten after Kaan Ayhan was sent off for a second yellow card, as he fouled Mayckel Lahdo, who had cut inside to craft a shooting chance.
AZ's third goal followed just six minutes later, with former Southampton midfielder Jordy Clasie sweeping home after he was fed by Ernest Poku.
David Moller Wolfe put the result on the night beyond all doubt with 66 minutes played, as Lahdo caused issues again down the AZ left, delivering a dangerous delivery that Mijnans connected with, forcing an initial save from Fernando Muslera, who could only parry into the path of the full-back, who buried the rebound emphatically.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2025/02/13/4097504-83087728-2560-1440.jpg)
‘Stunning strike’ – Mijnans opens scoring for Alkmaar with ‘brilliant free-kick’
Video credit: TNT Sports
FCSB fight back to down 10-man PAOK
At Thessaloniki's Toumba Stadium, PAOK were eked out 2-1 by FCSB, despite going ahead through ex-Aston Villa forward Mbwana Samatta inside 21 minutes.
However, things unravelled for the Greek side, with left-winger Taison dismissed for two yellow cards, and the pendulum swung in the visitors' favour.
Andrei Gheorghita made an instant impact off the bench, netting the equaliser just four minutes after his introduction as he swept home from Florin Tanase's cross.
Joyskim Dawa completed the comeback on the hour with a close-range header that leaves Ilias Charalampous' side in the driving seat as they head back to Romania.
- How to watch Leicester City v Arsenal on TNT Sports and discovery+
- Why Slot was sent off against Everton and how many games he is banned for
Last-gasp drama as Twente edge Bodo/Glimt
There was last-minute drama as FC Twente snuck past Bodo/Glimt 2-1 at the De Grolsch Veste.
Sayfallah Ltaief got the hosts off to a flyer inside five minutes, and they were on course for victory until the 85th minute, when Patrick Berg popped up to equalise for the Norwegians.
That was until the fifth minute of stoppage time, when Jostein Gundersen was adjudged to have handled in the area, and it was Ricky van Wolfswinkel, once of Norwich City, who slotted home the decisive penalty to give Joseph Ooting's Twente the slenderest of advantages to take to the Aspmyra Stadion.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2025/02/13/4097555-83088748-2560-1440.jpg)
Clasie contributes ‘classy’ finish as AZ streak away from Gala
Video credit: TNT Sports
Stream the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and much more live on TNT Sports and discovery+
Related Topics
Thoughts?
Advertisement
Advertisement