Europa League knockout play-off: AC Milan cling on to last 16 place; Qarabag make history
AC Milan have a 3-0 first leg win to thank for their place in this season's Europa League last 16 draw, having fallen to a 3-2 defeat in the return game with Rennes in France.
Benjamin Bourigeuad struck a hat-trick for the home side, including two second half penalties that restored some pride but will only be consolation in reality. The midfielder put Rennes ahead twice, cancelled out first by Luka Jovic and later Rafael Leao, before his third won in on the night.
Qarabag have been flying the flag for Azerbaijani football for years and made more history by becoming the first club from the country to reach the last 16 of a UEFA competition.
They were actually beaten by Braga on the night in Baku after being reduced to ten players shortly before the hour mark when Elvin Cafarguliyev was sent off. At that stage, Qarabag still led 4-2 on aggregate, but Roger Fernandes and Alvaro Djalo erased that cushion to force extra-time. Yet Qarabag rallied to retake the lead through Matheus Silva, before Simon Banza’s penalty for Braga looked like it might force a shootout. Incredibly, teenage talent Nariman Akhunzade won it for the ten men in the 122nd minute of the game.
Roma kept their hopes of avenging last season's final defeat and winning a second European trophy in the space of three years continued after going the distance with Feyenoord. A 1-1 draw over 90 minutes followed on from a 1-1 tie in the first leg, with the teams not able to be separated by a further half hour in extra-time. A shootout followed, with Romelu Lukaku missing for Roma, but David Hancko and Alireza Jahanbaksh also failing to score for Feyenoord. By the time, Nicola Zalewski converted Roma's fifth to make it 4-2, the deficit was too large for Feyenoord to
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