Spurs eye Europa League progress

Football | Europa League

 

Goals from Jan Vertonghen and Jermain Defoe left Tottenham Hotspur on the cusp of reaching the Europa League knockout stages while twice Uefa Cup winners Sevilla needed a late goal to take a point at Slovan Liberec on Thursday.
Defoe, with his sixth Europa League goal in four games, equalled Martin Chivers' club European record of 22 for Spurs with the second goal in a 2-0 win in Moldova over Sheriff Tiraspol that gave the Premier League side three wins from three.
Spurs could have qualified for the last 32 with three group games still to play but needed Anzhi Makhachkala and Tromso to draw in the other Group K game. Anzhi won 1-0, though, to leave Spurs waiting a bit longer.
Vertonghen headed home Christian Eriksen's 12th-minute cross and Defoe struck from 25 metres with 15 minutes remaining.


Substitute Victor Machin equalised two minutes from time as Sevilla salvaged a 1-1 draw against Slovan Liberec in the Czech Republic to stay top of Group H with seven points.
The hosts led through Michael Rabusic's first-half goal but had goalkeeper Premysl Kovar dismissed on 78 minutes and Machin rounded his replacement Lukas Hrosso to level late on.
Lazio relinquished top spot in Group J to Trabzonspor after the Italian side could only draw 0-0 away at Apollon Limassol. Trabzonspor, who eased to a 2-0 win at home over Legia Warsaw, have seven points to Lazio's five.
A second-half goal from Clement Grenier handed Olympique Lyon their first Group I win after two draws, the French side edging Rijeka 1-0 to move on to five points, along with Real Betis who beat Vitoria Guimares by the same scoreline.

An extraordinary match in Salonika saw hosts PAOK concede twice in the first 21 minutes, miss two penalties with Miroslav Stoch wasting both and still run out 3-2 winners to take control of Group L.
Haifa were 2-0 up through Dino Ndlovu and Eyal Golasa before Miguel Vitor pulled one back.
Stoch had his first spot-kick saved by Bojan Saranov before atoning by setting up Sotiris Ninis to level.
Slovakian international Stoch then had another penalty saved by Saranov just before halftime but his blushes were spared when Dimitros Salpingidis volleyed in the winner at the near post on 66 minutes.
In later kickoffs, Swansea, Ludogorets, Salzburg, Rubin Kazan, Fiorentina and Eintracht Frankfurt seek to maintain perfect starts.