After a exceptional evening of drama within the Champions League on Wednesday, it is truthful to say Thursday evening was a extra low-key affair within the Europa League so far as qualification for the play-off spherical was involved.
Of the 16 groups that occupied positions 9 to 24 earlier than a ball was kicked, 14 of them sealed a spot within the play-offs when the full-time whistles sounded out throughout the continent.
The 2 exceptions to that pattern had been Porto and Younger Boys.
Within the case of the Portuguese giants, it was in joyful circumstances as a 3-1 dwelling win towards Rangers was sufficient to fireside them as much as fifth and safe direct qualification to the last-16 stage.
But it surely was contrasting feelings for Younger Boys
The Swiss facet began the evening in twenty third place and appeared on track for a spot within the play-offs till they suffered a merciless 3-2 defeat within the final minute towards Stuttgart.
The loss – which got here after Gerardo Seoane’s facet fought from 2-0 down – noticed them end the eight-game league part in twenty fifth place.
Elsewhere, Celtic ensured they’d be one of many 16 golf equipment within the hat for Friday’s draw as they held off a second-half fightback from Utrecht to say a 4-2 win at Parkhead.
The win moved Celtic up three positions to twenty first – and sees them be part of fellow British facet Nottingham Forest within the play-off spherical.
Two-time European champions Forest recorded an emphatic 4-0 win over Ferencvaros to climb to thirteenth within the desk.
Regardless of the win, not sufficient outcomes went of their favour for them to have the ability to sneak automated qualification to the knockout spherical.
The 2 British golf equipment will likely be joined by Genk, Bologna, Stuttgart, Ferencvaros, Viktoria Plzen, FK Crvena Zvezda, Celta Vigo, PAOK, Lille, Fenerbahce, Panathinaikos, Ludogorets, Dinamo Zagreb and Brann.
The draw for the Europa League play-off spherical takes place in Switzerland on Friday.
