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.
Twice ahead, Liverpool's perfect start ends as substitute Muriqi heads Fenerbahce home
By Our Special Correspondent
Istanbul, a city of two halves: Liverpool came from 3-0 down to win there in 2005, and went 2-1 up to lose 3-2 at Fenerbahçe last night.
FENERBAHÇE 3 (Mason Greenwood 29, Archie Brown 73, Vedat Muriqi 79) LIVERPOOL 2 (Treymaurice Nyoni 25, Alexander Isak 69)
Liverpool arrived in Istanbul with a perfect Champions League record and left it in pieces. Twice in front at the Chobani Stadium, Andoni Iraola's side let Fenerbahce back in both times, and Vedat Muriqi's header 11 minutes from time completed a 3-2 turnaround that ends the Reds' 100% start.
A quiet opening burst into life after 25 minutes. Fenerbahce were still protesting a penalty shout when the ball broke loose at the edge of the area and Trey Nyoni fired Liverpool ahead. The lead lasted four minutes.
Europa League: the top eight
P
GD
Pts
1
Benfica
4
+10
12
2
Bournemouth
4
+9
12
3
Ferencvarosi TC
4
+8
12
4
Union St. Gilloise
4
+8
10
5
Juventus
4
+7
10
6
Olympiakos Piraeus
4
+3
10
7
Bayer Leverkusen
4
+7
9
8
Beşiktaş
4
+3
7
Table: Football Pink standings feed (API-Football), updated 14:39 UK.
Dinamo Zagreb lead 2-0 by the break and hold firm as Sunderland's first Europa defeat of the season lands amid boos
By Our Special Correspondent
SUNDERLAND 0DINAMO 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.
Como put nine past Lens. That equals Bayern Munich's tally against Dinamo Zagreb in 2024, the most scored by a team in a Champions League game, and it is the biggest away win in the competition's history.
Greece forward Tasos Douvikas started it in the seventh minute from close range and scored again before Nico Paz smashed in the third five minutes before half-time. Paz showed a T-shirt in tribute to Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel, who died after a serious injury in an on-pitch collision.
Captain Lucas da Cunha made it four less than two minutes into the second half. Marc-Oliver Kempf headed the fifth, Paz put Douvikas through to complete his hat-trick, and substitute Mattia Liberali ran clear for the seventh after 62 minutes.
Ruben Aguilar's volley from a corner pulled one back for Lens, but Martin Baturina made it 8-1.
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.
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.
Today's transfer whispers, and who is whispering them
VILLA WHISPERS
Aston Villa are in advanced talks with manager Unai Emery over a new contract following recent links with Manchester United, says the Telegraph.
NYONI WHISPERS
Liverpool midfielder Trey Nyoni, 19, is expected to sign a new contract with the club after a £30m offer for the Englishman from Nottingham Forest was turned down in the summer, says the Athletic.
UNITED WHISPERS
Leeds United could sign Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott, 23, on a permanent deal in January as Valencia prepare to terminate the Englishman's loan spell, says Football Insider.
ROQUE WHISPERS
Everton are eyeing Palmeiras' Brazilian striker Vitor Roque, 21, who is expected to have a price tag of around £42m, says Sport.
UNITED WHISPERS
Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea are all scouting Galatasaray's Russian midfielder Aleksey Batrakov, 21, says Teamtalk.
JACOBO RAMON TO UNITED
Como defender Jacobo Ramon, 21, is also on Manchester United's radar, but they could face competition for the Spaniard from Chelsea, says Teamtalk.
Rumours as reported by the outlets named, collected by BBC Sport's gossip column. The Pink has not confirmed them.
A mockup of the printed edition. Every word set here comes from the night's reports, results and tables.
