Stoke dumped out in Valencia
Ajax Amsterdam bravely fought back from a goal down to beat Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford but still went out of the Europa League, losing 3-2 on aggregate.
Javier Hernandez gave United the perfect start in the last-32 tie when he scored from an inch-perfect pass from strike-partner Dimitar Berbatov to give his side the lead after just six minutes.
But Ajax never looked like giving up and fought back in a pulsating end to end match. Aras Ozbiliz equalised just before half-time to give the Dutch side hope and the visitors maintained their momentum after the break.
Nani hit the bar for United before Ozbiliz turned provider for Ajax defender Toby Alderweireld with three minutes left to play. One more goal would have made it 3-3 on aggregate and sent the Dutch side through on away goals, but United held on.
Ajax became the first Dutch side to win at Old Trafford but United go through and will play Athletic Bilbao in the last 16.
Almost seven months after it began, Stoke‘s Europa League adventure came to an end in Valencia as Jonas’ first-half goal earned the hosts a 1-0 victory at the Mestalla and a 2-0 win on aggregate.
The Potters launched their first European campaign since the 1970s with an away win over Hajduk Split back on August 4 and came through a group containing Besiktas and Dynamo Kyiv, winning seven of their 12 games.
It was always an uphill struggle after they lost the home leg last week and, although Kenwyne Jones will look back on two glorious first-half chances, it is Valencia who deservedly go on to a last-16 meeting with PSV Eindhoven, who beat Trabzonspor 6-2 on aggregate.
A brace form Tim Matavz helped Eredivisie leaders PSV to a 4-1 second-leg win at the Philips Stadion. The
result was a formality by half-time, with the hosts 3-1 up and Turkish side Trabzonspor
reduced to ten men following the sending-off of goalkeeper Tolga Zengin.
The visitors started with hope after a narrow 2-1 loss in Turkey but a
15th-minute Dries Mertens penalty extended PSV’s advantage and Matavz and Kevin
Strootman extended PSV’s lead before Burak Yilmaz pulled one back.
Zengin was sent off one minute before the break for handling the ball outside
his area and Matavz rounded off a fine display by the Dutch team when he scored
his side’s fourth and final goal seven minutes after the break.
Udinese shrugged off the disappointment of a goalless first leg in Italy to
hammer PAOK Salonika 3-0 in Greece. Danilo opened the scoring after six minutes
and Antonio Floro Flores and Maurizio Domizzi sealed an emphatic victory.
Former Manchester United striker Mame Biram Diouf scored the only goal as
Hannover won 1-0 in Belgium to complete a 3-1 aggregate triumph over Club
Brugge.
Nacer Chadli’s 29th-minute effort earned FC Twente a 1-0 win over Steaua
Bucharest for a 2-0 aggregate victory, while a goalless draw was good enough for
Standard Liege to squeeze past Wisla Krakow 1-1 on aggregate on the away goals
rule.
Athletic Bilbao beat Lokomotiv Moscow 1-0 to also advance on away goals after a
2-2 aggregate score. Iker Muniain scored the crucial goal two minutes after
Fernando Amorebieta’s 60th-minute sending-off.
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