UEFA Europa League 2014/15 – Group Stage Results, Thursday 2 October 2014

The second match week of UEFA Europa League 2015 took place on the evening of Thursday 2 October 2014, as 24 matches took place across the continent.

The reigning champions, Sevilla, survived a major upset while visiting Serbian side HNK Rijeka, after their hosts came back from 1-0 down to lead 2-1 in the second half. The crucial moment came when Sevilla’s right back, Timothée Kolodziejczak, gave away a penalty with a last-man tackle, and was shown a straight red card, leaving Sevilla 1-0 up, but with only ten men. When Andrej Kramarić slotted the spot kick into the bottom right, the clock read 53 minutes. Game on. Zoran Kvržić scored a deflected shot to take the lead for Rijeka on 68 minutes, following good work and a pull back from Andrej Kramarić. Sevilla, though, were granted a point on 90+1 when Stéphane Mbia coolly placed a right-footed volley into the bottom corner, to finish 2-2. A lucky escape for the champs, which sees them remain top of Group G.

Premier League Everton travelled to Russian top-flighters, Krasnodar, and needed an 82nd minute Samuel Eto’o strike to earn a point from a 1-1 Group H draw. With Wolfsburg and LOSC also drawing 1-1, Everton remain top of the group on 4 points.

An 89th minute Demba Ba penalty saw Beşiktaş return from Tottenham’s White Hart Lane with a hard fought Group C point following a 1-1 draw. The hosts had got off to a good start when Harry Kane scored on 27 minutes, but will be thankful that their goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris was right up to his brilliant best in a match the visitors could easily have edged.

Asteras went top of Group C after a strong 2-0 home win over Partisan Belgrade.

Dinamo Moscow went top of Group E and maintained their 100% record into the third match winning 1-0 at home to PSV. A solid performance was rewarded with a late late winner from Zhirkov coming on 90+3 minutes to give the hosts a 1-0 victory. Estoril Praia scored twice in the second half to defeat Panathinaikos 2-0 at home and get their campaign off the ground. The three points sees them move to second at this early stage.

The biggest win of the evening was in Group A, where Villareal destroyed Apollon 4-0 at home, thanks to two goals in each half from Moreno (9′, 82′) and Espinosa (44′, 51′). Apollon remain second in the group, however, after Zurich and Munchengladbach shared a point following a 1-1 draw in Switzerland.

A 6th minute Kris Commons strike was enough to give Celtic all three points at home to Dinamo Zagreb. The match ended 1-0. Celtic ended the day top of Group D on goal difference, level with Salzburg on points, after the Swiss outfit came back from a goal behind away at FC Astra Giurgiu, to win 2-1. Last season’s Europa League top goalscorer, Jonatan Soriano bagged the decisive goal on 42 minutes, before the visitors closed out the match with a goalless second half.

Full results from the evening are detailed below.

UEFA Europa League 2014/15 – Group Stage Results, Thursday 2 October 2014