The Europa League knockout phase play-offs delivered plenty of drama on Thursday night, with Porto and Roma playing out a tense 1-1 draw, while AZ Alkmaar thrashed Galatasaray 4-1 to take a commanding lead into the second leg.
Porto 1-1 Roma: Moura Rescues Draw for Hosts
Francisco Moura scored a second-half equalizer to cancel out Zeki Çelik’s opener, leaving Porto and Roma level heading into the second leg.
Match Recap
Roma suffered an early blow as Paulo Dybala was forced off with an injury in the first half at Estádio do Dragão. However, they took the lead before halftime when Alexis Saelemaekers’ cross deflected into Çelik’s path, and the Turkish full-back made no mistake with a powerful finish.
Despite controlling much of the game, Roma were caught out on a counterattack in the second half, allowing Moura to slam home a well-taken equalizer.
The Italian side’s night went from bad to worse when Bryan Cristante picked up a second yellow card for pulling down Fábio Vieira, leaving Roma with 10 men for the final minutes.
The tie remains wide open ahead of the return leg in Rome next week.
AZ Alkmaar 4-1 Galatasaray: Dutch Side Dominate in Play-off Rout
AZ Alkmaar took a huge step towards qualification with a resounding 4-1 victory over Galatasaray, leaving the Turkish giants with an uphill battle in the second leg.
Match Recap
The hosts took the lead through a spectacular free-kick from Sven Mijnans, but Roland Sallai hit back for Galatasaray with an equally stunning long-range effort.
Just before halftime, Troy Parrott converted a penalty to put AZ back in front. The game turned decisively in AZ’s favor when Kaan Ayhan was sent off for a second yellow card, reducing Galatasaray to 10 men.
AZ took full advantage, with Jordy Clasie and David Wolfe adding two late goals, giving the Dutch side a dominant first-leg advantage.
Other Europa League Play-off Results
FC Twente 2-1 Bodø/Glimt
A last-minute penalty from Ricky van Wolfswinkel secured a 2-1 win for Twente over Bodø/Glimt. Patrick Berg had earlier equalized for the Norwegian side after Sayfallah Ltaief’s solo opener, but Twente snatched victory at the death.
FCSB 2-1 PAOK
FCSB came from behind to beat PAOK 2-1 in Thessaloniki, after the hosts were reduced to 10 men when Taison was sent off just before halftime. Mbwana Samatta had put PAOK ahead, but substitutes Andrei Gheorghiță and Joyskim Dawa struck late to complete the comeback.
Looking Ahead
With Roma and Porto finely balanced, AZ in complete control, and tight battles elsewhere, the second legs next week promise even more drama as teams fight for a place in the Europa League Round of 16.
