Enzo Maresca's penalty two minutes from the end salvaged a 2-2 draw for defending UEFA Cup champion Sevilla against Shakhtar Donetsk in a game with three successful spot kicks on Thursday.
Top of the Spanish league, Sevilla seemed to be moving confidently toward a place in the last eight when Jose Luis Marti scored with an eighth-minute penalty at Stadio Pizjuan. But the Ukrainian side hit back with Tomas Hubschman's 19th-minute equalizer and a 60th-minute penalty by Brazilian midfielder Matuzalem.
Maresca, who started his pro career with West Bromwich Albion in England and then moved to Italian soccer powerhouse Juventus, made it 2-2 from the spot two minutes from the end after he was fouled by Olexiy Gay. But Shakhtar have the advantage of two away goals when the teams meet again in Donetsk next Thursday.
PHOTO: AP
"I don't like the result but that's what we've got," Sevilla coach Juande Ramos said. "It's not positive because it obliges us to win or draw with a lot of goals. I'm not surprised because our opponent is Champions League level."
On a poor night for the four Spanish clubs trying to reach the last eight, Osasuna conceded an injury time-equalizer to finish 1-1 at Rangers and Celta Vigo lost 1-0 at home to Werder Bremen.
Espanyol earned a 0-0 draw at Maccabi Haifa, the home side's substitute Shlomi Arbaitman having a goal disallowed for offside 10 minutes from the end.
PHOTO: AFP
Hugo Almeida scored for Bremen with six minutes remaining, leaving Celta to deal with a home defeat and a tough ask to reach the last eight.
Osasuna led at Ibrox through Raul Garcia after 16 minutes but Rangers hit back through French midfielder Brahim Hemdani in injury time.
Robbie Keane's second goal was an injury-time winner as Tottenham won 3-2 at Sporting Braga. He beat the Braga offside trap to net the winner after Braga had come back from 2-0 down and appeared to have snatched a draw.
Aaron Lennon's improvised, flicked-up lob set up Keane on the volley from 18m in the 57th minute. In the 72nd, Lennon ended a dribble with a shot that goalkeeper Paulo Santos couldn't hold, and Steed Malbranque netted the rebound for Spurs' second.
Paulo Jorge replied for Braga in the 75th by scoring from the rebound after Spurs' England goalkeeper Paul Robinson blocked his penalty. Ze Carlos Silva made it 2-2 with a long-range, near-post header in the 81st.
Newcastle beat Louis van Gaal's AZ Alkmaar 4-2 in a thrilling end-to-end game in which five goals were scored in the first half with Obafemi Martins scoring twice.
An own goal by Gretar Steinsson and two goals in a minute by Kieron Dyer and Martins gave the Magpies a 3-0 lead inside the first 23 minutes. Shota Arveladze hit back with a powerful diving header for the Dutch club in the 31st but Martins made it 4-1 in the 37th.
Danny Koevermans scored a second for AZ in the 72nd from the rebound after Moussa Dembele's poorly taken free kick was blocked by goalkeeper Shay Given.
Paris Saint-Germain rallied from a goal down to edge Benfica 2-1.
After Simao Sabrosa gave the visitors a ninth-minute lead, Portugal international striker Pauleta equalized in the 36th minute and then began the move that led to Alain Frau scoring the second in the 41st.
Lens edged Bayer Leverkusen 2-1.
Olivier Monterrubio gave Lens the lead in the 17th with a lob over goalkeeper Rene Adler, and was fouled which led to Daniel Cousin sealing the win with a penalty in the 70th. Karim Haggui, who fouled Monterrubio and was sent off, scored for the visitor in the 51st.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
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