Europa League round-up: Villarreal top Group F after five-goal thriller, Real Betis drop down after Rangers defeat
The European group stages for the 2023-24 season came to an end on Thursday. Both Villarreal and Real Betis were in Europa League action, and both sides had plenty of play for in the final fixtures against Rennes and Rangers respectively.
Rennes 2-3 Villarreal
Villarreal topped Group F, securing their place in the last 16 in the process, after a five-goal thriller in France. They took the lead after 36 minutes after Gerard Moreno scored from the penalty spot, but just sixty seconds later, the hosts equalised courtesy of Lorenz Assignon.
Ilias Akhomach made it 2-1 in the second half, but Ludovic Blas equalised against for Rennes. However, Dani Parejo won it late on for the Yellow Submarine, as the hosts had a 102nd minute goal ruled out by VAR.
Real Betis 2-3 Rangers
Real Betis will play in the Europa Conference League after a disappointing defeat to Rangers at the Benito Villamarin. They conceded twice in the first half following goals from Abdallah Sima and Cyriel Dessers, but on both occasions, Betis equalised courtesy of Juan Miranda and Ayoze Perez.
However, it mattered little as Rangers won it in the second half, courtesy of Kemar Roofe. Betis only needed a point to reach the Europa League knockout rounds, but they could not manage it.
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