Soccer-Roma held at Porto, Galatasaray thrashed 4-1 at Alkmaar (updated)

AFC Ajax NV

13/02/2025 23:21

(Adds details)
       PORTO, Portugal, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Francisco Moura's
second-half strike earned hosts Porto a 1-1 draw against 10-man
AS Roma in the first leg of their Europa League knockout round
playoff on Thursday as Turkish champions Galatasaray lost 4-1 at
AZ Alkmaar.
    Zeki Celik put Roma ahead in the dying seconds of the first
half when he tapped in a loose ball in the six yard box before
Moura equalised when his shot deflected off a defender past
goalkeeper Mile Svilar in the 67th minute.
    Claudio Ranieri's Roma were dealt a further blow five
minutes later when they were left with 10 men as Bryan Cristante
was handed a second yellow card. 
    The visitors, who had already lost forward Paulo Dybala
through injury before halftime, withstood Porto's late pressure,
as the Portuguese tried to capitalise on their man advantage but
saw Goncalo Borges and Danny Namaso missing the target.
         Two-time Europa League finalists Roma will be looking
to beat Porto for the first time in four European ties. Winners
will face either Athletic Bilbao or Roma's arch-rivals Lazio.
  
        
  
        GALATASARAY OUTCLASSED, STEAUA AND TWENTE WIN
  
    Ten-man Galatasaray suffered a 4-1 defeat at Dutch side
Alkmaar, who are playing their first European knockout tie in
five years. 
    Alkmaar opened the scoring after 12 minutes as Sven Mijnans
netted a stunning free kick into the left top corner before
Galatasaray equalised eight minutes later through Roland
Sallai's rocket from the edge of the box.
        Troy Parrott restored the hosts' lead from the spot in
the 37th minute before the visitors were reduced to 10 men
shortly after the break when Kaan Ayhan saw a second yellow
card.
  
         Jordy Clasie made it 3-1 in the 57th minute, while
David Moller Wolfe sealed the rout in the 66th, as the Dutch
outfit look on course to face either Manchester United or
Tottenham Hotspur in the last 16.
  
    Netherlands' Twente Enschede earned a last-gasp 2-1 home win
over Bodo/Glimt as skipper Ricky van Wolfswinkel did not miss
his 95th-minute penalty effort. 
    Patrick Berg had equalised for the visitors in the 85th
minute after Sayfallah Ltaief's opener just five minutes into
the game.
    Romania's Steaua Bucharest fought back to beat Greek
champions PAOK 2-1, as Taison's late first-half red card proved
costly for the hosts.
   Steaua substitute Andrei Gheorghita struck in the 50th minute
to cancel out Mbwana Samatta's 21st-minute opener for PAOK, and
Joyskim Dawa sealed the comeback win in the 60th minute.
    Earlier in the day, Turkey's Fenerbahce claimed a resounding
3-0 home win over Belgian side Anderlecht, while Ajax Amsterdam,
Real Sociedad and Ferencvaros also secured first-leg leads. 

 (Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City, editing by Ed
Osmond and Pritha Sarkar)
 ((Janina.Nuno@thomsonreuters.com;))