🇪🇺 Liverpool & Leverkusen let goals fly; Roma win; Brighton down Ajax | OneFootball

Following the UEFA Champions League drama, Thursday had plenty of Europa League fixtures scheduled.

Here is what went down.

Liverpool stay calm to down Toulouse

Scorers: Jota 8′, Endo 30′, Nunez 34′, Gravenberch 65′, Salah 90+3′; Dallinga 15′

Liverpool maintained their perfect run after a dominant showing in front of home fans.

Diogo Jota scored his eighth competition goal in seven games after a strong solo run beat three defenders.

The lead didn’t last for long, though, as a miscue from 19-year-old Luke Chambers saw Toulouse hit on the break. Thijs Dallinga then rolled home for 1-1.

Liverpool remained calm, cool, and collected after the equaliser and pulled out all the stops to win the match.

Trent Alexander-Arnold assisted Wataru Endo for his first club goal before Darwin Nunez scored a third from a tight angle in the blink of an eye.

After the break, Toulouse threatened to make things a one-goal game again and Alexander-Arnold needed to make a big goal-line clearance to deny them.

However, Ryan Gravenberch erased any fears by scoring one of his own after Nunez hit the post of an open goal before Mo Salah grabbed a fifth off the bench with seconds remaining.

Liverpool sit top of Group E with three wins from three, five points above second place Toulouse.

First Brighton win humiliates struggling Ajax

Scorer: Pedro 40′, Fati 52′

Heaps of pressure were on both these sides heading into the match, but the Seagulls were able to bounce back.

It took almost 45 minutes for Brighton to open the scoring when a shot from Kaoru Mitoma was pushed into Joao Pedro’s path by goalkeeper Diant Ramaj. He now has four competition goals in three games.

Another team move after the break allowed Ansu Fati to double the lead thanks to his close control skills.

Meanwhile, Ajax will be scratching their heads once again with only one shot on target. The Amsterdam giants recorded a staggering 34% possession of the ball after 90 minutes.

Alongside being in the Eredivisie relegation zone, Ajax are bottom of Group B while Brighton are level with AEK Athens in the middle of the pack after their first European win.

Early Roma double does just enough

Scorers: Bove 1′, Lukaku 17′

Roma also maintained their perfect record in Europe this season as an electric first half did just enough to win.

It took Jose Mourinho’s men less than one minute to grab the lead as unlikely goalscorer Eduardo Bove struck a curler into the top corner and home fans erupted. It was the fastest-ever goal by the club in competition history.

Go-to striker Romelu Lukaku joined in on the action with a thunderbolt of a strike from a tight angle. But we’re not surprised, given his incredible competition record of scoring in 14 consecutive matches (18 goals).

Slavia Praha managed to take control of the ball over the remainder of the match but couldn’t find a way to turn things around.

Looking at Group G, Roma lead with three wins from three while Slavia Praha sit second after suffering their first loss of the campaign.

Leverkusen shine once again via Wirtz

Scorer: Wirtz 4′, Grimaldo 29′, 54′ Boniface 35′; Bayramov 16′ (P)

One of Europe’s best sides at the moment put on a five-star display at home.

Florian Wirtz scored with the game’s first shot but the lead didn’t last for long as a mistake allowed Toral Bayramov to equalise from the penalty spot.

Leverkusen’s wonder-kid then teed up Alex Grimaldo to retake the lead before the Spaniard secured a brace after the break with a long-range effort again assisted by Wirtz.

Victor Boniface also found the net between those goals (which saw Wirtz secure a hat-trick of assists) while Edmond Tapsoba scored a fifth for the hosts.

The result means Leverkusen kept their perfect winning run alive and sit top of Group H while Qarabag are second three points back.

From earlier…

Hammers record ends in Greece

Scorers: Fortounis 33′, Ogbonna 45+1′ (OG); Paqueta 87′

West Ham’s English record of 17 matches unbeaten in Europe was ended by an unlikely opponent in Greece.

Olympiacos immediately looked the more determined side from kick-off as David Moyes’ men almost willingly let the hosts cut them apart.

That flaw led to the opener as Kostas Fortounis picked up the ball, breezed past three or four stagnant Hammers defenders and struck from range.

Olympiacos then deservedly doubled the lead when Rodinei’s long-rage effort was directed into the net by captain Angelo Ogbonna.

Big guns Jarrod Bowen, Michail Antonio and Lucas Paqueta came off the bench, with the Brazilian pulling one back late, but it was too short in the end.

It is a monumental result for Olympiacos, who won their first Europa League game after a run of not winning 11 in a row.

Looking at the table, West Ham are tied with Freiburg at the top while Olympiacos are third two points back.

Grifo propels Freiburg to comeback

Scorers: Petrovic 13′; Grifo 49′ (P), 59′, 73′

Freiburg capitalised on West Ham’s slip-up thanks to an impressive comeback win inspired by one man.

Things initially didn’t go to plan as an unmarked Nemanja Petrovic volleyed home a belter to open the scoring with the first shot of the match from the hosts.

Yet Freiburg came out in the second half a new look side with Vincenzo Grifo firing on all fronts.

A mistake immediately after the restart allowed the 30-year-old to equalise from the penalty spot, and then he turned on the flare.

A long-range free-kick (which stunned Grifo and even his team-mates) grabbed the lead before being in the right place at the right time in the box for a hat-trick.

Freiburg sit level on points at the top with West Ham while Backa Topola are bottom.

Marseille capitalise on AEK’s implosion

Scorers: Vitinha 27′, Harit 60′ (P), Veretout 69′ (P); Pineda 53′

Marseille finally picked up their first win of the campaign after beating group leaders AEK Athens.

The hosts took control in the first half and Vitinha poked home from close range for the opener. The goal stood even while he appeared to foul his defender in the process.

The visitors rallied after the break as Orbelin Pineda equalised with their first shot on target around the hour mark. But it wouldn’t last for long as drama ensued.

AEK Athens goalkeeper Cican Stankovic was sent off with a straight red after taking out Vitinha and Amine Harit scored the subsequent penalty.

A further mistake less than 10 minutes later allowed Marseille to put the game to bed as Jordan Veretout netted a penalty of his own and Ismaila Sarr netted a late fourth.

Marseille now sit top of Group C one point above AEK Athens with Ajax and Brighton below.

Rangers don’t turn up in Prague

Rangers failed to bounce back in Europe with a disappointing draw in Prague.

Under new manager Philippe Clement, the hope was that the Scottish club would finally find their form.

However, the first half was an abysmal showing from the visitors, which played a big role in the result.

Sparta Prague dominated with 60% possession of the ball and 12 shots. Rangers had none by the break.

Yet even while the visitors found their spirit in the second half, nothing was enough to crack the hosts.

The one positive will be Rangers’ defensive performance after successfully stifling Sparta Prague for 90 minutes.

Looking at Group C, the two sides are level on points (two off the lead) and sit in the middle of the pack.

Other matches…

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