The second-leg fixtures of the Europa League playoffs yesterday provided a night of intense drama as the final eight spots in the Round of 16 were decided. While several heavyweights successfully protected their first-leg advantages, others were forced to endure nerve-wracking penalty shootouts or extra-time battles to keep their European dreams alive. The evening was a testament to the unpredictable nature of continental knockout football, with clinical finishing and defensive resilience ultimately separating those advancing from those bowing out.
1. VfB Stuttgart 0-1 Celtic (Agg 4-2)
Despite suffering their first home defeat of the campaign, Stuttgart advanced to the Round of 16 on the strength of their dominant first-leg performance. Celtic took a shocking lead after just 28 seconds when Luke McCowan produced a wonderful finish into the bottom corner, marking the fastest goal in the competition in a decade. The Scottish side dominated possession and registered 24 shots, but Stuttgart’s defense held firm, even having a potential equalizer from Deniz Undav ruled out by VAR, to secure their aggregate victory.
2. Nottingham Forest 1-2 Fenerbahçe (Agg 4-2)
Nottingham Forest survived a significant scare at the City Ground to eliminate Fenerbahçe and advance to the next round. Kerem Aktürkoğlu fueled the visitors’ hopes with two goals, including a penalty shortly after halftime, putting Forest’s 3-0 first-leg lead in serious jeopardy. However, substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi eased the home crowd’s anxiety by scoring in the 68th minute, ensuring Vitor Pereira’s side moved forward despite the loss on the night.
3. FK Crvena Zvezda 0-2 Lille (Agg 1-2)
Lille staged a dramatic comeback in Belgrade, overturning their first-leg home defeat with a clinical performance that required extra time. Benjamin André gave the French side hope with an early 4th-minute strike, and after a tense battle, Nathan Ngoy settled the tie in the 98th minute with a right-footed shot following a fast break. Crvena Zvezda’s frustration boiled over in the closing moments of extra time, with Adem Avdic receiving a late yellow card as they failed to find a response.
4. Viktoria Plzeň 1-1 Panathinaikos (Agg 3-3, Panathinaikos win 4-3 on penalties)
In the night’s most dramatic encounter, Panathinaikos emerged victorious after a grueling 120 minutes and a high-stakes penalty shootout. Andreas Tetteh continued his fine form by putting the visitors ahead in the 9th minute, but Karel Spáčil leveled the score in the 62nd minute to send the game to extra time. Despite Javi Hernández being sent off in the 105th minute, Panathinaikos held on and triumphed in the shootout, with Miloš Pantović converting the decisive spot-kick.
5. K.R.C. Genk 3-3 GNK Dinamo Zagreb (Agg 6-4)
Genk progressed after a high-scoring draw in Belgium that saw both teams trade blows throughout the evening. Holding a 3-1 lead from the first leg, Genk relied on their early cushion as Dinamo Zagreb fought back repeatedly to keep the tie alive. The match concluded with a frantic finish in stoppage time, but the Belgian side’s superior aggregate total from the previous week proved too much for the Croatian visitors to overcome.
6. Ferencvárosi TC 2-0 PFC Ludogorets Razgrad (Agg 3-2)
Ferencváros overturned a first-leg deficit with a disciplined and efficient performance in Budapest. Gabi Kanichowsky opened the scoring in the 13th minute, and Kristoffer Zachariassen doubled the lead on the half-hour mark to put the Hungarian side in control of the tie. Despite Ludogorets pushing forward in the final minutes and taking defensive risks, Ferencváros remained resilient to secure their place in the next round.
7. RC Celta de Vigo 1-0 PAOK FC (Agg 3-1)
Celta Vigo professionally managed their home leg to eliminate PAOK and comfortably progress to the Round of 16. Building on their 2-1 away victory from the first leg, the Spanish side controlled much of the game and found the breakthrough via Hugo Álvarez. Celta’s defense, led by goalkeeper Ionuț Andrei Radu, effectively stifled the Greek side’s attack to ensure a smooth passage into Friday’s draw.
8. Bologna FC 1-0 SK Brann (Agg 2-0)
Bologna continued their historic unbeaten home knockout record with a clinical victory over Norwegian side Brann. After a scoreless first half, João Mário scored the only goal of the match to effectively end the contest and confirm the Italian side’s qualification. Bologna dictated the pace for most of the game, utilizing their 1-0 advantage from the first leg to force Brann into difficult positions that they ultimately could not escape.
The results of these ties have finalized the lineup for the Round of 16, with the draw set to take place today to determine the next phase of the journey toward the final. The eight unseeded winners will now be paired against the top eight finishers from the league phase, setting the stage for even more elite European competition in the weeks to come.
