Europa League: Milan Survive Big Scare, Surprise Loss For Sevilla

Sevilla’s Ever Banega (left) gestures during the Europa League Group J match against Standard Liege on Thursday while AC Milan’s Fabio Borini (right) celebrates with teammate Gonzalo Higuain on Thursday.

(Photo: The Quint)

AC Milan were given a helping hand by two own goals as they survived a big scare before beating Dudelange of Luxembourg 5-2 in the Europa League on Thursday.

The seven-time European Cup winner trailed 2-1 midway through the second half, but came storming back with four goals in the last 24 minutes of the Group F tie.

Sevilla, which has eclipsed Barcelona and Real Madrid so far this season to lead the way in the Spanish league, suffered a surprise 1-0 loss at Standard Liege in Group J after a 62nd-minute strike from Moussa Djenepo. To make matters worse for the visitors, they had Pablo Sarabia sent off six minutes later.

Krasnodar is top of the group with 12 points from five matches after beating Akhisar 2-1. Sevilla and Standard are three behind.

Chelsea’s Oliver Giroud (right) is congratulated by teammate Ross Barkley (left) after scoring his second goal during the Europa League Group L match between against PAOK at Stamford Bridge in London on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018.

Seven clubs, including Arsenal and Chelsea, had already qualified for the knockout stage.

Chelsea made it five straight wins in Group L with a 4-0 rout of 10-man PAOK. Olivier Giroud scored twice and there was also one goal for Alvaro Morata, but the star of the show was Callum Hudson-Odoi. The young winger, who turned 18 earlier this month, grabbed his first goal for the club, provided an assist for Morata and hit the crossbar with a long-range drive.

Arsenal secured top spot in Group E with a 3-0 victory at Vorskla on Thursday, a game that was switched from Poltava to Kiev because of political tension between Ukraine and Russia.

Organiser UEFA ordered the game to be moved to the capital city after Ukraine imposed martial law in some regions of the country.

Arsenal’s Joe Willock (centre) celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side’s third goal during the Europa League group E match against Vorskla Poltava at the Olympiyskiy stadium in Kiev in Ukraine on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018.

Sporting thrashed Qarabag 6-1 to finish second behind Arsenal in the group.

Salzburg clinched a place in the knockout stage with a 1-0 win over Leipzig in Group B, while Zenit defeated Copenhagen by the same score to go through from Group C.

Real Betis also progressed in Group F after a 1-0 home victory over Olympiacos. Dynamo Kiev went through with a 1-0 triumph at Astana in Group K, and was joined in the last 32 by Fenerbahce after it drew 0-0 with Dinamo Zagreb in Group D.