quentinUEFA Europa League: Matchday 3 and 4 Review
November 8th 2010 01:26
It's been a big couple of matchdays and we can safely say that 5 teams have confirmed a spot in the Round of 32.
Group A:
Matchday 3
Manchester City 3 - 1 Lech
Salzburg 1 - 1 Juventus
Matchday 4
Lech 3 - 1 Manchester City
Juventus 0 - 0 Salzburg
It's been a very strange couple of matchdays and the big surprise was Lech defeating Manchester City on Matchday 4. Having said that, Juventus' chances of making the Round of 32 are still alive despite 2 ordinary draws against the group whipping boys Salzburg. Juventus need to start picking up wins to stand a chance of making the next stage.
Group B:
Matchday 3
Atletico Madrid 3 - 0 Rosenborg
Aris 0 - 0 Leverkusen
Matchday 4
Rosenborg 1 - 2 Atletico Madrid
Leverkusen 1 - 0 Aris
A couple of matchdays ago I was genuinely fearful that Atletico Madrid wouldn't make the knockout rounds as they were playing some dreadful football but they've turned it right around with 2 very impressive wins over Rosenborg. Now favourites to qualify with Leverkusen for the knockout rounds so a sigh of relief can be heard in Madrid
Group C:
Matchday 3
Sporting Lisbon 5 - 1 Gent
Lille 1 - 0 Levski
Matchday 4
Gent 3 - 1 Sporting Lisbon
Levski 2 - 2 Lille
This group is still too close to call but we can say that Sporting Lisbon will be in the knockout rounds. They're scoring the most goals and playing some really good football. Their loss to Gent though has really complicated the battle for 2nd place in the group as Gent, Levski and Lille are seperated by just 1 point (with Lille in 2nd). The battle for 2nd will be crucial but there's still a couple of matches to go.
Group D:
Matchday 3
Villarreal 1 - 0 PAOK
Dinamo Zagreb 0 - 0 Club Brugge
Matchday 4
PAOK 1 - 0 Villarreal
Club Brugge 0 - 2 Dinamo Zagreb
These 2 matchdays were known as the Group of Snooze as not a lot of action occured. The big shock occured on Matchday 4 with PAOK knocking off Villarreal and taking top spot in the group. Club Brugge are pretty well eliminated but the top 3 are seperated by just 1 point and with the low scoring nature of the group, the odd goal could be enough to send a team through to the knockout rounds
Group E:
Matchday 3
Sheriff 0 - 1 BATE
AZ 1 - 2 Dynamo Kiev
Matchday 4
BATE 3 - 1 Sheriff
Dynamo Kiev 2 - 0 AZ
This group was looking competitive but with BATE and Dynamo Kiev winning both on Matchday 3 and Matchday 4, this group is looking pretty close to being sealed. In any event, BATE are through to the knockout stages for the first time ever and barring an absolute collapse, Kiev will be joining them
Group F:
Matchday 3
Palermo 0 - 3 CSKA Moscow
Sparta Prague 3 - 3 Lausanne
Matchday 4
CSKA Moscow 3 - 1 Palermo
Lausanne 1 - 3 Sparta Prague
Two very high scoring matchdays and with Sparta Prague taking 4 points off Lausanne and CSKA Moscow doing the double over a defensively frail Palermo, this group is also looking pretty close to sealed barring an absolute collapse. CSKA Moscow are definately through and are looking very impressive thus far scoring 12 goals in 4 games and conceding just 1 goal. Sparta Prague despite looking awful in defence at times, should join them in the knockout rounds
Group G:
Matchday 3
Zenit 2 - 0 Hadjuk Split
Anderlecht 3 - 0 AEK
Matchday 4
Hadjuk Split 2 - 3 Zenit
AEK 1 - 1 Anderlecht
Zenit St Petersburg have already qualified for the Round of 32 but the second spot from this group is between the remaining teams. Anderlecht hold second spot on 4 points, AEK are third also on 4 points and Hadjuk Split are last on 3 points. This is way too close to call and really, it's hard to tell who'll do enough to get the spot. Anderlecht have the advantage in that they knocked off AEK and if they get a positive result against Hadjuk Split, they could very well be there in the knockouts.
Group H:
Matchday 3
Young Boys 4 - 2 OB
Stuttgart 1 - 0 Getafe
Matchday 4
OB 2 - 0 Young Boys
Getafe 0 - 3 Stuttgart
Stuttgart have qualified for the knockout rounds after doing the double over Getafe but second spot is still in doubt. Young Boys have the advantage in that they have a better goal difference than the other teams but in a group of no draws, goal difference and head to head could prove to be the deciding factor in the battle for 2nd place.
Group I:
Matchday 3
Metalist 2 - 1 Sampdoria
Debrecen 1 - 2 PSV
Matchday 4
Sampdoria 0 - 0 Metalist
PSV 3 - 0 Debrecen
PSV are just about there for the knockout rounds after doing the double over whipping boys Debrecen. Metalist have taken the advantage over Sampdoria though by taking 4 points off them over the past 2 matchdays. With both Metalist and Sampdoria to face the other 2 teams, it's going to go down to what they can achieve against PSV. Somehow I'm thinking that Metalist will go through but stranger things have happened.
Group J:
Matchday 3
Borussia Dortmund 1 - 1 PSG
Karpaty 0 - 1 Sevilla
Matchday 4
PSG 0 - 0 Borussia Dortmund
Sevilla 4 - 0 Karpaty
Sevilla are just about there in this group after doing the double over Karpaty while PSG and Borussia Dortmund did themselves no favour cancelling each other out over the 2 games. PSG have the advantage, being undefeated and you'd think that they should qualify along with Sevilla for the knockout rounds but they are renowned for being flaky at times so it should be good to see what they can achieve against Sevilla.
Group K:
Matchday 3
Utrecht 1 - 1 Steaua
Napoli 0 - 0 Liverpool
Matchday 4
Steaua 3 - 1 Utrecht
Liverpool 3 - 1 Napoli
Despite their domestic woes, Liverpool have been playing very impressive in Europe and to take 4 points off Napoli including a draw at the intimidating San Paolo Stadium is mighty impressive. They can secure a spot in the knockout rounds with a win on Matchday 5. Meanwhile, the other 3 teams are fighting it out for that second spot and none of the teams have been truely convincing. That being said, Steaua's win over Utrecht could be very crucial in the battle for second.
Group L:
Matchday 3
CSKA Sofia 0 - 2 Rapid Vienna
Besiktas 1 - 3 Porto
Matchday 4
Rapid Vienna 1 - 2 CSKA Sofia
Porto 1 - 1 Besiktas
With both Rapid Vienna and CSKA Sofia securing a victory over each other, thus cancelling each others performance out, Porto and Besiktas are the favourites to qualify. Porto have in fact already qualified and a win on Matchday 5 will see Besikats join them.
So after all that, the stats are as follows
Matchday 3
Goals: 59
Average goals per match: 2.46
Matchday 4
Goals: 65
Average goals per match: 2.71
With 5 teams qualified and a host of teams potentially able to secure their spots in the knockout rounds, Matchday 5 will promise to be a thrilling time played over 2 days
So ends the review of Matchdays 3 and 4
Group A:
Matchday 3
Manchester City 3 - 1 Lech
Salzburg 1 - 1 Juventus
Matchday 4
Lech 3 - 1 Manchester City
Juventus 0 - 0 Salzburg
It's been a very strange couple of matchdays and the big surprise was Lech defeating Manchester City on Matchday 4. Having said that, Juventus' chances of making the Round of 32 are still alive despite 2 ordinary draws against the group whipping boys Salzburg. Juventus need to start picking up wins to stand a chance of making the next stage.
Group B:
Matchday 3
Atletico Madrid 3 - 0 Rosenborg
Aris 0 - 0 Leverkusen
Matchday 4
Rosenborg 1 - 2 Atletico Madrid
Leverkusen 1 - 0 Aris
A couple of matchdays ago I was genuinely fearful that Atletico Madrid wouldn't make the knockout rounds as they were playing some dreadful football but they've turned it right around with 2 very impressive wins over Rosenborg. Now favourites to qualify with Leverkusen for the knockout rounds so a sigh of relief can be heard in Madrid
Group C:
Matchday 3
Sporting Lisbon 5 - 1 Gent
Lille 1 - 0 Levski
Matchday 4
Gent 3 - 1 Sporting Lisbon
Levski 2 - 2 Lille
This group is still too close to call but we can say that Sporting Lisbon will be in the knockout rounds. They're scoring the most goals and playing some really good football. Their loss to Gent though has really complicated the battle for 2nd place in the group as Gent, Levski and Lille are seperated by just 1 point (with Lille in 2nd). The battle for 2nd will be crucial but there's still a couple of matches to go.
Group D:
Matchday 3
Villarreal 1 - 0 PAOK
Dinamo Zagreb 0 - 0 Club Brugge
Matchday 4
PAOK 1 - 0 Villarreal
Club Brugge 0 - 2 Dinamo Zagreb
These 2 matchdays were known as the Group of Snooze as not a lot of action occured. The big shock occured on Matchday 4 with PAOK knocking off Villarreal and taking top spot in the group. Club Brugge are pretty well eliminated but the top 3 are seperated by just 1 point and with the low scoring nature of the group, the odd goal could be enough to send a team through to the knockout rounds
Group E:
Matchday 3
Sheriff 0 - 1 BATE
AZ 1 - 2 Dynamo Kiev
Matchday 4
BATE 3 - 1 Sheriff
Dynamo Kiev 2 - 0 AZ
This group was looking competitive but with BATE and Dynamo Kiev winning both on Matchday 3 and Matchday 4, this group is looking pretty close to being sealed. In any event, BATE are through to the knockout stages for the first time ever and barring an absolute collapse, Kiev will be joining them
Group F:
Matchday 3
Palermo 0 - 3 CSKA Moscow
Sparta Prague 3 - 3 Lausanne
Matchday 4
CSKA Moscow 3 - 1 Palermo
Lausanne 1 - 3 Sparta Prague
Two very high scoring matchdays and with Sparta Prague taking 4 points off Lausanne and CSKA Moscow doing the double over a defensively frail Palermo, this group is also looking pretty close to sealed barring an absolute collapse. CSKA Moscow are definately through and are looking very impressive thus far scoring 12 goals in 4 games and conceding just 1 goal. Sparta Prague despite looking awful in defence at times, should join them in the knockout rounds
Group G:
Matchday 3
Zenit 2 - 0 Hadjuk Split
Anderlecht 3 - 0 AEK
Matchday 4
Hadjuk Split 2 - 3 Zenit
AEK 1 - 1 Anderlecht
Zenit St Petersburg have already qualified for the Round of 32 but the second spot from this group is between the remaining teams. Anderlecht hold second spot on 4 points, AEK are third also on 4 points and Hadjuk Split are last on 3 points. This is way too close to call and really, it's hard to tell who'll do enough to get the spot. Anderlecht have the advantage in that they knocked off AEK and if they get a positive result against Hadjuk Split, they could very well be there in the knockouts.
Group H:
Matchday 3
Young Boys 4 - 2 OB
Stuttgart 1 - 0 Getafe
Matchday 4
OB 2 - 0 Young Boys
Getafe 0 - 3 Stuttgart
Stuttgart have qualified for the knockout rounds after doing the double over Getafe but second spot is still in doubt. Young Boys have the advantage in that they have a better goal difference than the other teams but in a group of no draws, goal difference and head to head could prove to be the deciding factor in the battle for 2nd place.
Group I:
Matchday 3
Metalist 2 - 1 Sampdoria
Debrecen 1 - 2 PSV
Matchday 4
Sampdoria 0 - 0 Metalist
PSV 3 - 0 Debrecen
PSV are just about there for the knockout rounds after doing the double over whipping boys Debrecen. Metalist have taken the advantage over Sampdoria though by taking 4 points off them over the past 2 matchdays. With both Metalist and Sampdoria to face the other 2 teams, it's going to go down to what they can achieve against PSV. Somehow I'm thinking that Metalist will go through but stranger things have happened.
Group J:
Matchday 3
Borussia Dortmund 1 - 1 PSG
Karpaty 0 - 1 Sevilla
Matchday 4
PSG 0 - 0 Borussia Dortmund
Sevilla 4 - 0 Karpaty
Sevilla are just about there in this group after doing the double over Karpaty while PSG and Borussia Dortmund did themselves no favour cancelling each other out over the 2 games. PSG have the advantage, being undefeated and you'd think that they should qualify along with Sevilla for the knockout rounds but they are renowned for being flaky at times so it should be good to see what they can achieve against Sevilla.
Group K:
Matchday 3
Utrecht 1 - 1 Steaua
Napoli 0 - 0 Liverpool
Matchday 4
Steaua 3 - 1 Utrecht
Liverpool 3 - 1 Napoli
Despite their domestic woes, Liverpool have been playing very impressive in Europe and to take 4 points off Napoli including a draw at the intimidating San Paolo Stadium is mighty impressive. They can secure a spot in the knockout rounds with a win on Matchday 5. Meanwhile, the other 3 teams are fighting it out for that second spot and none of the teams have been truely convincing. That being said, Steaua's win over Utrecht could be very crucial in the battle for second.
Group L:
Matchday 3
CSKA Sofia 0 - 2 Rapid Vienna
Besiktas 1 - 3 Porto
Matchday 4
Rapid Vienna 1 - 2 CSKA Sofia
Porto 1 - 1 Besiktas
With both Rapid Vienna and CSKA Sofia securing a victory over each other, thus cancelling each others performance out, Porto and Besiktas are the favourites to qualify. Porto have in fact already qualified and a win on Matchday 5 will see Besikats join them.
So after all that, the stats are as follows
Matchday 3
Goals: 59
Average goals per match: 2.46
Matchday 4
Goals: 65
Average goals per match: 2.71
With 5 teams qualified and a host of teams potentially able to secure their spots in the knockout rounds, Matchday 5 will promise to be a thrilling time played over 2 days
So ends the review of Matchdays 3 and 4
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