Aston Villa on Thursday secured their place in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League with a 1-0 win at Fenerbahce, while Nottingham Forest slid to a costly defeat away to SC Braga.
Celtic blew a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Bologna and leave their qualification hopes hinging on next week’s final round of games as archrivals Rangers bowed out despite a first win of the competition.
Jadon Sancho’s header midway through the first half in Istanbul earned Villa a sixth victory in seven European games, clinching a spot in the top eight and allowing Unai Emery’s team to bypass the playoffs.
Photo: Reuters
Matty Cash struck the post in the second half and Villa held on as goalkeeper Marco Bizot produced a string of key saves with Fenerbahce pushing for an equalizer.
“I’m just happy to get my first goal for Aston Villa and to top it off with that, it’s a win,” said Sancho, who joined on loan from Manchester United in September last year. “Honestly, I know I can do a lot more. I’m very hard on myself in that aspect. It’s nice to have a manager that backs you and obviously believes in you. Again, every opportunity I get I’m going to try and do 100 percent and hopefully I can deliver goals more.”
Aston Villa are second in the standings on 18 points and only trail Olympique Lyonnais on goal-difference. Lyon won 1-0 at Swiss side BSC Young Boys with a goal from former Arsenal player Ainsley Maitland-Niles to ensure their spot in the last 16.
Forest face the prospect of going into the playoffs after a limp display in a 1-0 loss to Braga, who climbed up to fifth.
Morgan Gibbs-White had a penalty saved early in the second half, and Braga went straight down the other end and scored as Forest captain Ryan Yates bundled into his own net.
Forest’s woes were compounded when Elliot Anderson was sent off for dissent in stoppage-time.
“Very frustrating. One minute of madness. A game we never looked in trouble,” Forest head coach Sean Dyche told TNT Sports, with Braga not even managing a single shot on target.
“You might come away with a draw, but you shouldn’t really lose that game,” he said. “I don’t think they hardly had a real chance, then we had a goalmouth scramble and even that can’t go in.”
Celtic had to settle for a point at Bologna and sit 24th in the 36-team table, occupying the final playoff berth. The Scottish champions host winless Utrecht in their final game on Thursday next week.
Martin O’Neill’s side led through Reo Hatate’s early strike in Italy, but the Japan international was sent off for a second booking on 34 minutes.
Defender Auston Trusty doubled Celtic’s advantage before halftime, but Bologna fought their way back with goals from Thijs Dallings and Jonathan Rowe.
“We’ve given ourselves a chance — that’s all, a chance — of qualifying, and from that viewpoint, I’m delighted,” O’Neill said.
“My own view is that if we had stayed with 11 men, I think we would have won the game,” he said.
Rangers were eliminated despite their 1-0 victory over Ludogorets Razgrad at Ibrox, where Mohamed Diomande grabbed the only goal.
SC Freiburg and Midtjylland are both on the cusp of a last-16 spot, with AS Roma well placed to join them after a 2-0 victory over VfB Stuttgart — their fourth in a row in the Europa League.
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