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EUROPA LEAGUE

CHERRIES TOP THE TABLE AFTER PRAGUE FIGHTBACK

Adams, Evanilson and Rayan turn it round after Singhateh's solo and Guddal's red

SPARTA PRAHA 1 (Ebrima Singhateh 35) BOURNEMOUTH 3 (Tyler Adams 57, Francisco Evanilson 81, Rayan Vitor Simplício Rocha 90). Att: 17,377

Marco Rose made eight changes for the longest away trip in Bournemouth's history and still left Prague with the top spot in the Europa League. The Cherries trailed at the epet Arena, missed a penalty, then tore ten-man Sparta apart after the break.

Ki-Jana Hoever's handball gave Lewis Cook a spot-kick on 28 minutes. He hit the post, and seven minutes later Sparta were in front. Jakub Surovčík's quick throw released Ebrima Singhateh, who surged from halfway, beat his man and finished past the keeper — a solo strike fit for the highlights reel.

“It's about winning games. To be honest, it was a good team performance. We changed eight players, we needed to be ready for this game because they are good opposition. We missed a penalty, struggled in some moments, they scored a nice goal but then to come back away here is a good sign to everyone in the team.”
Marco Rose, Bournemouth manager, speaking to TNT Sports, via BBC Sport

“It's about winning games. To be honest, it was a good team performance. We changed eight players, we needed to be ready for this game because they are good opposition. We missed a penalty, struggled in some moments, they scored a nice goal but then to come back away here is a good sign to everyone in the team.” – Marco Rose, Bournemouth manager, speaking to TNT Sports, via BBC Sport

“Just to be clinical, be good in counter pressing. We said we have to stay composed, increase the speed of the game and I think we did it really well.” – Marco Rose, Bournemouth manager, speaking to TNT Sports, via BBC Sport

Joy lasted two minutes. Tobias Guddal picked up a second yellow and left Sparta with ten men for more than half an hour.

Rose's side took their time, then struck. Tyler Adams equalised on 57 minutes from the edge of the area after Sparta's defence gave the ball away. With nine minutes left Ryan Christie robbed Santiago Eneme high up the pitch and found Evanilson, who had no right to score from that angle yet guided a composed finish into the far corner.

In the 90th minute Rayan, the third substitute on the scoresheet, exchanged a one-two with Evanilson 25 yards out and drove it into the bottom corner. Full time: 1-3, four wins from four, 12 points, and seven straight victories in all competitions.

It was not pretty before the break. After it, Rose's bench finished the job.

EUROPA LEAGUE

KAMADA RESCUES TEN-MAN EAGLES

Stoppage-time leveller spares Palace after Prass strike and Wharton red

CRYSTAL PALACE 1 (Daichi Kamada 90+1) 1899 HOFFENHEIM 1 (Alexander Prass 7). Att: 18,741

Daichi Kamada dragged a point out of the Selhurst Park gloom in stoppage time, and Crystal Palace, down to ten men and staring at another defeat, will take it gratefully.

Hoffenheim needed only seven minutes to go in front. They won the ball on the edge of their own area, broke at speed down the right and switched it early to Alexander Prass, who had sprinted clear from his own half. His low, first-time shot was hard enough that Dean Henderson could only take the sting out of it, and it rolled over the line.

“I think it could be better if we score before but I know too that Dean Henderson kept us in the game with his saves. I like the energy of the team and to never give up until the end. This goal came at a good moment. We maybe had a last chance to win the game.” – Pierre Sage, Crystal Palace manager, speaking to TNT Sports, via BBC Sport

“For sure we want to take less cards because we need all the players for all the competition. Today, with the energy and the fight, I think we were in a situation to take the risk of some cards. Now we just have to understand that we don't have to be in this situation by managing our game in a better way from the beginning.” – Pierre Sage, Crystal Palace manager, speaking to TNT Sports, via BBC Sport

“My first chance I had to score and then my goal was just a little bit lucky. We are not satisfied about the result so we need to keep working hard and we have to improve a lot.” – Daichi Kamada, Crystal Palace midfielder, speaking to TNT Sports, via BBC Sport

Europa League: tonight's results

AZ Alkmaar1-2Juventus
Bayer Leverkusen0-1Marseille
Benfica3-1Lech Poznan
Celta Vigo1-2Union St. Gilloise
Celtic3-2Beşiktaş
Hapoel Beer Sheva0-2OFI
Sturm Graz2-3Celje
Sunderland0-2Dinamo Zagreb
Torreense3-2Ararat-Armenia
AC Milan0-2Ferencvarosi TC
Anderlecht2-0Red Bull Salzburg
Crystal Palace1-11899 Hoffenheim
Levski Sofia1-0Jagiellonia
Lillestrom0-1Plzen
NEC Nijmegen3-1Omonia Nicosia
Real Sociedad1-1Lyon
Sparta Praha1-3Bournemouth

EUROPA LEAGUE

STOJKOVIC AND BELJO SILENCE THE LIGHT

Dinamo Zagreb lead 2-0 by the break and hold firm as Sunderland's first Europa defeat of the season lands amid boos

SUNDERLAND 0 DINAMO ZAGREB 2 (Luka Stojkovic 22, Dion Drena Beljo 39). Att: 44,269

The Stadium of Light wanted a European night. What it got was a first-half lesson and another round of boos. Dinamo Zagreb were 2-0 up by the break, and though Sunderland were better after the restart they never found a way through.

Luka Stojković struck first on 22 minutes. Mislav Oršić's corner was cleared only as far as the Croatian midfielder, who took it on his chest and volleyed past Robin Roefs. Within a minute Oršić almost made it two, going round the keeper before Thomas Meunier cleared off the line.

“Tough. I think we had two different halves and the first one was difficult. Many young players played and it's not easy to manage. It's not easy to change the dynamic, I appreciated the change in the second half, with more experienced players. More quality, more experience on the pitch, we are unlucky because we created many chances but it wasn't enough but sometimes it's like this. Sometimes you go on a poor run, but we are still competitive, the players tried until the end.” – Régis Le Bris, Sunderland manager, speaking to TNT Sports, via BBC Sport

Seventeen minutes later it was two anyway. Stojković slipped Dion Beljo in behind the home defence, and Beljo finished delicately past Roefs. Granit Xhaka and Kevin Danso had already been booked. Half-time brought boos around the ground, and Régis Le Bris answered with four changes — Reinildo, Noah Sadiki, Trai Hume and Enzo Le Fée on for the restart.

The reply almost came straight away. Wilson Isidor headed in from a superb Granit Xhaka delivery and celebrated, only for VAR to rule about four Black Cats offside. Hume thought he had levelled later, his shot from inside the box blocked on the line.

Europa League: the top eight

PGDPts
1Benfica4+1012
2Bournemouth4+912
3Ferencvarosi TC4+812
4Union St. Gilloise4+810
5Juventus4+710
6Olympiakos Piraeus4+310
7Bayer Leverkusen4+79
8Beşiktaş4+37

Table: Football Pink standings feed (API-Football), updated 10:17 UK.

European Nights: Europa League · page 5

DURÁN DOUBLE LIFTS CELTIC OFF THE MARK

Celtic 3, Beşiktaş 2

Celtic finally have a Europa League win on the board after a frantic second half at Parkhead ended 3-2 against Beşiktaş and snapped a run of three straight European defeats.

A goalless first half left the home crowd restless. Beşiktaş had more of the ball and more shots overall, and after the break they made it count. Júnior Olaïtan won a penalty on 54 minutes; Sam Johnstone saved it, then the Benin midfielder stabbed in the rebound. Martin O'Neill answered from the bench: Callum Osmand, Camilo Durán and Colby Donovan all arrived around the hour, and within a minute Osmand had drilled an equaliser into the bottom corner from the edge of the box, Callum McGregor's assist completing the move.

“A really good performance. Hearts and soul into the game. Just when I thought we were going to drop two points, we came back again. So much spirit.

Full report, page 5

European Nights: Conference League · page 8

AJAX PUT SIX PAST TEN-MAN MIDTJYLLAND

FC Midtjylland 1, Ajax 6

Ajax thrashed Midtjylland 6-1 at the MCH Arena. Tolu Arokodare headed Oscar Gloukh's corner on nine minutes. Friday Etim equalised on 28 before Kjell Wätjen's second yellow left the hosts with ten just before half-time.

After the break Arokodare restored the lead from Abdellah Ouazane's pass, then set up Owen Wijndal. Davy Klaassen, Gloukh and Marcos Leonardo completed the rout. Ajax have six points from three; Midtjylland remain near the foot of the table.

Full report, page 8

A mockup of the printed edition. Every word set here comes from the night's reports, results and tables.