Thursday’s UEFA Europa League action delivered drama and upsets, with surprise away victories and late goals shaking up the league stage standings across Europe.
Match Results
| Home Team | Score | Away Team |
|---|---|---|
 AC Milan | 0 - 2 |  Ferencvárosi TC |
 AC Sparta Praha | 1 - 3 |  AFC Bournemouth |
 Crystal Palace | 1 - 1 |  TSG 1899 Hoffenheim |
 Lillestrøm SK | 0 - 1 |  FC Viktoria Plzeň |
 NEC | 3 - 1 |  Omonia Nicosia |
 PFK Levski Sofia | 1 - 0 |  Jagiellonia Białystok |
 RSC Anderlecht | 2 - 0 |  FC Red Bull Salzburg |
 Real Sociedad de Fútbol | 1 - 1 |  Olympique Lyonnais |
 AZ | 1 - 2 |  Juventus |
 Bayer 04 Leverkusen | 0 - 1 |  Olympique de Marseille |
 Celtic | 3 - 2 |  Beşiktaş JK |
 Hapoel Be'er Sheva | 0 - 2 |  OFI Crete F.C. |
 RC Celta de Vigo | 1 - 2 |  Royale Union Saint-Gilloise |
 SC União Torreense | 3 - 2 |  FC Ararat-Armenia |
 SK Sturm Graz | 2 - 3 |  NK Celje |
 Sport Lisboa e Benfica | 3 - 1 |  KKS Lech Poznań |
 Sunderland | 0 - 2 |  GNK Dinamo Zagreb |
The biggest shock of the night came at San Siro, where Ferencvárosi TC stunned AC Milan with a clinical 2-0 win. The Hungarian side capitalized on defensive lapses, with Lenny Joseph punishing two costly Milan errors to secure the points and send the Italian giants tumbling to their third defeat in four European matches. The fallout was immediate and scathing—legend Alessandro Costacurta and manager Ruben Amorim both criticized Milan’s lack of focus and ambition, highlighting the inconsistency that now threatens their knockout-round hopes.
Elsewhere, Olympique de Marseille handed Bayer 04 Leverkusen their first loss of the group stage with a resolute 1-0 victory at the BayArena. Amine Gouiri was the difference-maker, scoring in the 77th minute to cap a disciplined defensive performance orchestrated by coach Bruno Genesio. The result dents Leverkusen’s perfect record and breathes new life into Marseille’s campaign, while group rivals Sport Lisboa e Benfica asserted their dominance with a 3-1 win over KKS Lech Poznań to remain top of the standings.
There was no shortage of late drama elsewhere. Crystal Palace FC, reduced to ten men after Adam Wharton’s red card, salvaged a 1-1 draw thanks to a stoppage-time equalizer from Daichi Kamada, easing pressure on manager Pierre Sage. Royale Union Saint-Gilloise continued their impressive run with a comeback 2-1 win at RC Celta de Vigo, propelled by a Besfort Zeneli brace and a standout performance from goalkeeper Hervé Koffi. AFC Bournemouth strengthened their qualification hopes with a commanding 3-1 away victory over AC Sparta Praha, while SC União Torreense edged a five-goal thriller against FC Ararat-Armenia, overcoming adversity after an early red card.
Individual brilliance was on display across the continent. Prince Kwabena Adu’s early goal delivered FC Viktoria Plzeň their first group win, while substitute Stiyan Stoyanchov’s late header earned PFK Levski Sofia a vital three points. For OFI Crete F.C., set-piece expertise produced both goals in a 2-0 away triumph over Hapoel Be'er Sheva FC, and Juventus FC kept their knockout ambitions on track with a 2-1 victory at AZ.
With shocks, comebacks, and pivotal wins, the Europa League league stage remains wide open. As the group phase nears its midpoint, both favorites and dark horses are jostling for position, setting the stage for even more intrigue in the weeks ahead.