European football fans witnessed thrilling matches as key teams advanced in the Europa League and Europa Conference League on Thursday.
In the Europa League, Ajax and Anderlecht made it through to the group stages with relative ease. Ajax continued their dominant performance, having already established a solid lead from their first match, by defeating Jagiellonia Bialystok 3-0. Kian Fitz-Jim, Kenneth Taylor, and Brian Brobbey all contributed to the victory, making it a smooth passage to the next phase.
Anderlecht also advanced after a 2-0 win over Dinamo Minsk, thanks to a decisive late goal from Francis Amuzu. On the other hand, Besiktas put on an impressive show, winning 5-1 against Lugano with contributions from Ciro Immobile, Gedson Fernandes, Rafa Silva, and Sali Ucan.
Europa Conference League Thrills: Dramatic Wins and Narrow Escapes
Meanwhile, in the Europa Conference League, Real Betis and Panathinaikos secured their places as well. Having already won the first leg 2-0, Real Betis secured their progression with a convincing 5-0 aggregate victory over Kryvbas. Aitor Ruibal and Abde Ezzalzouli were key in this dominant display.
Panathinaikos, facing a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, made a comeback to defeat Lens 2-0 at home. Facundo Pellistri and Tete scored the crucial goals, ensuring their advancement. Chelsea also made it through despite a tense 2-1 loss to Servette. They held onto their aggregate lead, with Christopher Nkunku’s early penalty proving vital.
A dramatic night also saw Fiorentina barely scrape through after a penalty shootout against a resilient Hungarian team. Despite playing with nine men after two red cards, they managed to advance 5-4 on penalties, with David de Gea making crucial saves.
In other matches, Cercle Brugge progressed despite a 4-1 loss to Wisla Krakow, thanks to a strong first-leg performance. Larne garnered headlines with their comeback victory against Lincoln Red Imps, whereas Trabzonspor narrowly lost to St. Gallen in a penalty shootout.
As we look forward to the draw for the league phase, the excitement for the upcoming stages of both competitions is already building.
