Home SPORTS Europa League: Milan, Nice and Zenit score freely, Arsenal shine

    Europa League: Milan, Nice and Zenit score freely, Arsenal shine

    AC Milan, Nice and Zenit served notice of their UEFA Europa League promise by all scoring five away from home on a dramatic opening night of the 2017/18 group stage while Arsenal moved to the summit of Group H following an impressive win at the Emirates.

    Looking to win the sole major UEFA trophy that still eludes them, Milan eased to a 5-1 victory at Austria Wien. André Silva, a summer signing from Porto, completed the Serie A club’s first European hat-trick since November 2006 11 minutes into the second half.

    Nice matched Milan’s result, former Rossoneri forward Mario Balotelli rounding off the scoring in an emphatic triumph at Zulte Waregem. Zenit, however, went one better, condemning Vardar, the first Macedonian side in a major group stage, to a 5-0 home defeat.

    Atalanta’s return to continental competition after a 26-year absence was a memorable one as they recorded an eye-catching 3-0 home win against Everton. Lyon, who will host the final on 16 May, were denied all three points away to Apollon Limassol by Adrián Sardinero’s added-time equaliser.

    European debutants Östersund, meanwhile, penned another chapter in their fairy-tale story with a 2-0 success at Zorya Luhansk. Arsenal came from behind to beat Köln 3-1 at home, Alexis Sánchez putting the Gunners ahead with a wonderful curling shot from outside the area.

    Matchday one results
    Group A: Villarreal 3-1 Astana, Slavia Praha 1-0 Maccabi Tel-Aviv
    Group B: Dynamo Kyiv 3-1 Skënderbeu, Young Boys 1-1 Partizan
    Group C: Hoffenheim 1-2 Braga, İstanbul Başakşehir 0-0 Ludogorets
    Group D: Austria Wien 1-5 AC Milan, Rijeka 1-2 AEK Athens
    Group E: Atalanta 3-0 Everton, Apollon Limassol 1-1 Lyon
    Group F: København 0-0 Lokomotiv Moskva, Zlín 0-0 Sheriff
    Group G: FCSB 3-0 Plzeň, Hapoel Beer-Sheva 2-1 Lugano
    Group H: Arsenal 3-1 Köln, Crvena zvezda 1-1 BATE Borisov
    Group I: Marseille 1-0 Konyaspor, Vitória SC 1-1 Salzburg
    Group J: Hertha Berlin 0-0 Athletic, Zorya Luhansk 0-2 Östersund
    Group K: Vitesse 2-3 Lazio, Zulte Waregem 1-5 Nice
    Group L: Vardar 0-5 Zenit, Real Sociedad 4-0 Rosenborg

     

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