PARIS: Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce might have only just squeezed into the Europa League knockout playoff round but are already on the brink of the round of 16.
Fenerbahce dominated to beat Anderlecht 3-0 on Thursday and take a comprehensive lead to Belgium for the second leg next week.
Francisco Moura’s second-half strike earned hosts Porto a 1-1 draw against 10-man AS Roma in a clash between two of Mourinho’s former clubs.
Turkish champions Galatasaray lost 4-1 at AZ Alkmaar as Ajax Amsterdam and Real Sociedad also secured victories.
Fenerbahce, unbeaten across all competitions since mid-December, only just reached the playoffs by placing 24th in the new 36-standings format — the last qualification place, and on a tiebreaker of goal difference. Anderlecht had finished 10th, only missing out on automatic progression to the last-16 by goal difference.
Fenerbahce took the lead in the 11th minute through a close-range header from forward Dusan Tadic following a corner.
The hosts survived a scare when the referee consulted VAR about a potential penalty for handball, but it was not given and Edin Dzeko doubled their advantage before the break.
His initial strike was blocked by the Anderlecht defence before the Bosnian striker latched on to the rebound and struck a low shot into the corner of the net.
Morocco forward Youssef En-Nesyri sealed the win in the 57th minute with a fine header and Fenerbahce missed several chances to extend their advantage.
Mourinho won the competition with Porto in 2003 and again with Manchester United in 2017, also reaching the final when he was in charge of Roma two years ago.
“We played very well, but I can’t say ‘a good result’. We need to advance to the next round for this to be a good result,” said Mourinho. “Normally, of course, when you are leading 3-0, you are happy, but there is a second leg. Therefore, everything is still out there.”
Zeki Celik put Roma ahead with practically the last kick of the first half in Portugal when he tapped in a loose ball in the six yard box before Moura equalised when his shot deflected off a defender past goalkeeper Mile Svilar in the 67th minute.
Claudio Ranieri’s Roma were dealt a further blow five minutes later when they were left with 10 men as Bryan Cristante was handed a second yellow card.
The visitors, who had already lost forward Paulo Dybala through injury before halftime, withstood Porto’s late pressure, as the Portuguese tried to capitalise on their man advantage but saw Goncalo Borges and Danny Namaso missing the target.
Two-time Europa League finalists Roma will be looking to beat Porto for the first time in four European ties. Winners will face either Athletic Bilbao or Roma’s arch-rivals Lazio.
GALATASARAY THRASHED AT ALKMAAR
Dutch side Alkmaar, who are playing their first European knockout tie in five years, battered Galatasaray with Sven Mijnans, Troy Parrott, Jordy Clasie and David Moller Wolfe all on target for the hosts.
Alkmaar opened the scoring after 12 minutes as Mijnans netted a stunning free kick into the left top corner before Galatasaray equalised eight minutes later through Roland Sallai’s rocket from the edge of the box.
Parrott restored the hosts’ lead from the spot in the 37th minute before the visitors were reduced to 10 men shortly after the break when Kaan Ayhan saw a second yellow card.
Clasie made it 3-1 in the 57th minute, while Moller Wolfe sealed the rout in the 66th, as the Dutch outfit look on course to face either Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur in the last 16.
Sociedad, who reached the last 16 of the Champions League last season, earned a 2-1 win at Danish side Midtjylland.
Midfielder Brais Mendez put the LaLiga side ahead from the penalty spot before Japan forward Takefusa Kubo added a second with a terrific shot from outside the area into the top corner.
The Danish hosts, who return to domestic action this weekend after more than a two-month winter break, pulled a goal back before the break through Poland striker Adam Buksa from close range.
Ajax took charge of their play-off against Belgian outfit Union Saint-Gilloise with a 2-0 victory in Brussels.
Christian Rasmussen steered the Dutch club ahead just before the hour, with 16-year-old Jorthy Mokio volleying in a second from 20 yards.
Belgium Under-21 Mokio, aged 16 years and 350 days, became the youngest player to score in a knockout stage match in the Europa League.
Netherlands’ Twente Enschede earned a last-gasp 2-1 home win over Bodo/Glimt as skipper Ricky van Wolfswinkel did not miss his 95th-minute penalty effort.
Patrick Berg had equalised for the visitors in the 85th minute after Sayfallah Ltaief’s opener just five minutes into the game.
Israel’s Mohammad Abu Fani struck the only goal in Budapest as record 35-time Hungarian champions Ferencvaros, winners of the last six domestic league titles, beat Czech visitors Viktoria Plzen 1-0.
Romania’s Steaua Bucharest fought back to beat Greek champions PAOK 2-1, as Taison’s late first-half red card proved costly for the hosts.
Steaua substitute Andrei Gheorghita struck in the 50th minute to cancel out Mbwana Samatta’s 21st-minute opener for PAOK, and Joyskim Dawa sealed the comeback win in the 60th minute.
SHAMROCK’S TEENAGE HERO
In the UEFA Conference League, Irish side Shamrock Rovers secured a 1-0 win away to Norwegians Molde.
Molde defender Valdemar Lund was sent off before half-time for a challenge on Michael Noonan, who netted the winner in the second half to become the competition’s youngest scorer at 16 years and 197 days old.
Antony scored for the second time in three games since joining Real Betis on loan from United as the Spanish team cruised to a 3-0 victory at Gent.
Víkingur Reykjavik became the first-ever Icelandic club to win a European knockout match by upsetting Panathinaikos 2-1. The match was held in Helsinki as no stadium in Iceland met the requirements to host the game.
Armandas Kucys scored twice but also missed a late penalty as Celje of Slovenia drew 2-2 against 10-man APOEL Nicosia, while Omonia Nicosia and Pafos drew 1-1 in an all-Cypriot encounter.
European newcomers Heidenheim fought back to win 2-1 at Copenhagen, while Jagiellonia Bialystok captain Jesus Imaz scored twice in a 3-1 win away to Serbia’s TSC Backa Topola.
Bosnia’s Borac Banja Luka had a late penalty saved, but scored even later, to beat Olimpija Ljubljana 1-0.
Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2025
