Righto, that’s us done for another night. Ta-ra.
And here’s our Spurs-LASK report.
Updated
Here’s our Celtic-Milan report.
Celtic, meanwhile, will feel a lot better than they did after Saturday’s subsidence to Rangers. They need to get themselves sorted quickly; Steven Gerrard will be smelling weakness.
“Read the Caro books,” says Mary Waltz. “The best US history course you will ever take. It exposes the schizophrenic nature of our country. I knew what he accomplished with the Civil Rights Bill and the great society programs but I knew nothing about the climb to the top. And what you learn about how corrupt he was and how surprising it was when he accomplished what he did. You start out feeling sorry for his rough childhood, in power in the Senate he is disgusting, amazing with the twin jewels, civil rights bill and the great society, and hate him all over again over Vietnam. Yes it’s long, but the writing is stunning. Read his New York story on Robert Moses. Caro is an amazing writer.”
Two things I enjoyed about Spurs tonight: the width they were given by Sergio Reguilon, who is a player, and the contribution of Vinicius, who looks good too. He’s got a lovely touch and a keen imagination, so will be handy not just instead of Harry Kane but as well as him when they’re chasing games.
Our Leicester-Zorya report.
Updated
All of tonight's results
Group A
CSKA Sofia 0-2 Cluj
Young Boys 1-2 Roma
Group B
Dundalk 1-2 Molde
Rapid Vienna 1-2 Arsenal
Group C
Bayer Leverkusen 6-2 Nice
Hapoel Be’er Sheva 3-1 Slavia Prague
Group D
Lech Poznan 2-4 Benfica
Standard Liege 0-2 Rangers
Group E
PAOK 1-1 Omonia Nicosia
PSV 1-2 Granada
Group F
Rijeka 0-1 Real Sociedad
Napoli 0-1 AZ Alkmaar
Group G
Leicester 3-0 Zorya Luhansk
Braga 3-0 AEK Athens
Group H
Celtic 1-3 Milan
Sparta Prague 1-4 Lille
Group I
Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-0 Qarabag
Villarreal 5-3 Sivasspor
Group J
Ludogorets 1-2 Royal Antwerp
Tottenham 3-0 Lask
Group K
Dinamo Zagreb 0-0 Feyenoord
Wolfsberger 1-1 CSKA Moscow
Group L
Slovan Liberec 1-0 Gent
Hoffenheim 2-0 Red Star Belgrade
Full-time: Spurs 3-0 LASK
Spurs played well tonight, and will be chuffed that Bale got an hour and Vinicius showed his class.
Full-time: Leicester City 3-0 Zorya Luhansk
A good start for the Foxes. Theyr’e good enough to do something in this competition.
“3-0 to Spurs with six minutes to go,” says Cian O’Mahony. “I’ve just broken out in a cold sweat.”
The aforementioned Clarke picks up the ball inside the box and absolutely leathers a curler just wide of the far post.
Full-time: Celtic 1-3 AC Milan
Celtic played much better in the second half, but left themselves too much to do.
GOAL! Celtic 1-3 AC Milan (Hauge 90+3)
Saelemaekers slides a pass infield and Hauge bursts onto it, leaving Duffy and slotting home. That kills the game, but Celtic have probably learnt something tonight; play 4-2-3-1.
Updated
Braga have scored a third against AEK.
“I didn’t say I would have liked to spend time with him,” retorts Andrew Mullan. “But as far as U.S. presidents go , he was as interesting as any of them. I read somewhere, can’t recall where, that a political commentator of the time said that he was the only president he would liken to King Lear, very complicated, driven and larger than life.”
Does he drill attacking moves or leave it to the players to work out for themselves?
Mourinho sends on Jack Clarke, a 19-year-old winger snaffled from Leeds.
What a player Son is, by the way. So clever, so fast and and absolute killer in front of goal.
GOAL! Spurs 3-0 LASK (Son 84)
Davies wins the ball and flight it out to Dohety, who cross is gloriously cushioned into the path of Son, behind the line and in front of goal. He cracks home with minimum fuss and maximum prejudice.
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“That was indeed a beautiful goal by Joe Cole,” says Matt Dony. “These days, we call that ‘Doing a Robson-Kanu’.”
“I’ve read all four volumes,” says Mike Allcock of the LBJ biog. There’s a fifth coming supposedly. At ~3,200 pages it’s about 3,000 pages too long but it is a very fine, and enjoyable, piece of writing.
I’d have 36 as manager for your Tottenham President’s XI. Much like Mourinho, LBJ was a thoroughly unpleasant character who had to cheat his way to the top but once there really did a surprising amount of good for a few years in the House, then in the Senate and then as President, followed by ballsing it up in all three.”
You’ve got to laugh. But yes, I heard the great David Runciman talk about him once, saying that the significant good he did was entirely altruistic.
Lille now lead Sparta 4-1, Villarreal now lead Sivasspor 5-3, and Braga now lead AEK 2-0.
At Parkhead, Donnarumma has been booked for timewasting, which tells you how that’s going. On which point, I know sportsmen generally look older than they are, but how is he 21?
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“It’s interesting that Early compares Mourinho to Napoleon,” emails Charlie Robinson, “in that they both share parvenu status, struggling to assert themselves in the face of a snooty and dismissive aristocracy that will never accept them, no matter how successful they are. That might explain Mourinho’s striving and unabashed desire for success, to thumb his nose at the established powers. But I also remember Peter Conrad’s article for the Guardian in 2006, in which he describes how Mourinho’s well-to-do family had their property expropriated with the fall of Salazar dictatorship. That has always made me believe that Mourinho’s motivation was less to do with his parvenu status, and more to do with a desire to reassert himself as a member of an aristocracy that he sincerely believes himself to already be a member of.”
That’s interesting too, and there’s no reason both can’t be true. I don’t think it’s unfair to say he’s both indignant and entitled.
It’s all kicking off at El Madrigal. Villarreal now lead Sivasspor 4-3.
Dele Alli finds himself in front of goal and could square to Son, but he opts to shoot instead, hitting it too close to the keeper, who then does well to retrieve the ball with a sliding lunge before it crosses the line.
That Celtic goal, by the way: it wasn’t coming, exactly, but they’ve been much better this half. Milan have taken their foot off the gas, but the formation suits them much better.
“If you like political biographies the Caro books are great,” says Andrew Mullan. “LBJ was a fascinating personality.”
That sounds like a very generous way of describing him, based on what I’ve read and heard.
GOAL! Celtic 1-2 AC Milan (Elyounoussi 76)
Christie swings out a fine corner and Elyounoussi meets it beautifully, powergliding a header into the far corner. Game well and truly on!
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There’s not loads going on in the two games I’m watching, which I guess isn’t all that surprising. Hoffenheim, though now lead Crvena Zvezda, and Wolfsberger have equalised at home to CSKA.
“Not sure about bringing on Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson and James Garfield,” says Alasdair Philip. “Garfield’s very injury-prone.
Fair chance Andrew Johnson wins a penalty though.
I’m also slightly surprised Mourinho’s taken against Alli; he’s not mad about number 10s, but temperamentally, Alli looks like a lot of what he likes.
I’m slightly surprised to see Son tonight, given the low level of the the best that could happen compared to the stratospheric level of the worst that could happen.
Lille now lead Sparta 3-1, but Sivasspor have equalised against Villarreal, making it 3-3.
GOAL! Leicester City 3-0 Zoryan Luhansk (Iheanacho 67)
Iheanacho has played well, and profits from some poor passing out, picking up a pot of pickled possession to ram past Shevchenko.
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Rationale I immediately realise is nonsense, given the previous involvement of Gennaro Gattuso.
Rarely has an outfit screamed “Don’t mess” as loudly. I’m not surprised Milan are playing well these days.
And in Spurs’ group, Antwerp have equalised against Ludogorets, while Lille now lead Sparta Prague 2-1.
Out of nowhere, Spurs have ridiculous strength in depth. They bring on Sissoko, Son and Alli for Lamela, Bale and Hojbjerg.
“LASK, it’s Tottenham!” snarks Peter Oh. “At least that’s what I’d be telling the players at halftime, if I were their manager. Still plenty of time for things to go Spursy, and for the visitors to have the LASK laugh.”
“Even as a Chelsea fan, I’d disagree about Joe Cole,” says Julian Menz. “Mourinho’s Chelsea was no place for a mercurial talent like him. He did what the boss told him to do, but you could almost see him dying a bit inside whenever he played. A true talent fluttered then died.”
Sure, I absolutely feel you. I wasn’t saying I agreed with sentiment, just that I appreciated the line. This, though, is one of the great goals of the Premier League era.
Villarreal now lead Sivasspor 3-2.
Sparta Prague are down to 10 but they’ve equalised at home to Lille; these are the two other teams in the Celtic/Milan group.
“In fact it’s a fairly poor Spurs team corresponding to presidential numbers,” returns Alasdair Philip.
“Taylor
John Adams
Jefferson
Truman
John Quincy Adams
Monroe
Van Buren
Harrison
Taft
Polk
Trump.”
Gosh. Talking of US presidents, has anyone read Robert Caro’s biography of 36? It’s meant to be spectacularly good, though currently runs to four volumes and counting.
“You’re right, Spurs are too good for LASK,” says Matt Dony. “Comfortable lead at half-time, playing well, they can probably just relax, take their foot off the gas, and let football happen.”
I loved that line from Mourinho. I daresay he offered a few more once he got back to the dressing room.
“Stylish corner to Scifo by Frankie Vercauteren,” says Cian O’Mahony.
Yes, I missed the best of that team - I was only three in 1982 – but I got the dog-end in 86.
Franck Kessie is playing really well for Milan. He’s always been a talent, but to borrow Mourinho’s line on Joe Cole, now he’s a player.
Braga have taken the lead against AEK Athens; they’re in Leicester’s group.
“As a Spurs supporter who lives in the US,” says Alasdair Philip,” I’m deeply disappointed that Vinicius is wearing 45. Hopefully we’ll be voting out 45 in two weeks.”
Gosh it really is that soon isn’t it. Just what we all need to cheer ourselves up.
“As a Spurs fan, I was at first sceptical of Mourinho’s appointment,” says Matthew Carpenter-Arevalo. “Then I realised that he’s always done well when he’s an underdog with limited resources. When he’s the incumbent, his style seems whiney and entitled (not unlike Conte). When he’s not at a Real Madrid, he seems better positioned to earn and maintain the loyalty of his players.”
I’m not sure I’d call what he had at Chelsea limited resources, but otherwise I agree. He plays what might be crudely termed underdog football, and maybe he needs to feel that sense of injustice – I think I recall reading a piece by Ken Early of the Irish Times, in which he posited a connection to Mourinho’s insecurity at not having played the game professionally.
We’re back underway at Parkhead. Celtic have brought Christie and Elyounoussi on for Welsh and Griffiths, changing from 3-5-1-1 to 4-2-3-1. That should sort it.
Updated
Half-time reading:
Half-time scores
Ludogorets 0-0 Antwerp
Hoffenheim 0-0 Crvena zvezda
Sparta Prague 0-1 Lille
Villarreal 2-2 Sivasspor
Braga 1-0 AEK Athnes
Wolfsberg 1-1 CSKA Moscow
Dinamo Zagreb 0-0 Feyenoord
Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-0 Qarabag
Liberec 1-0 Gent
Updated
Half-time: Spurs 2-0 LASK
Spurs are far too good for these.
Half-time: Leicester City 2-0 Zorya Luhansk
Not as comfortable as the scoreline suggests, but a decent half’s work for the home side.
Half-time: Celtic 0-2 AC Milan
Nothing that Neil Lennon can’t sort.
GOAL! Leicester City 2-0 Zorya Luhansk (Barnes)
Barnes has been playing well, apparently, and he lifts a finish over the diving keeper following Iheanacho’s backheel.
Updated
Sivasspor have equalised against Villarreal.
Talking of diving headers, here are some should anyone fancy; or, put another way, this is the achievement of my 16 days in bed with corona.
Enzo Scifo scores one of the great headers, for Belgium against Ireland. pic.twitter.com/Xc1SUhy7Jw
— Daniel Harris (@DanielHarris) February 26, 2020
Zorya are getting closer at the KP, Lunev just missing a cross with a diving header.
GOAL! Celtic 0-2 Milan (Diaz 42)
And there it is. Ibrahimovic is bossing this, coming deep to find Theo down the left; he slides across to Diaz, of Man City not quite fame, who shifts it to make an angle before drilling low and hard into the far corner. Men and foetuses, I’m afraid.
Updated
And here Milan come, Diaz looking for Zlatan inside the box, but he can’t quite resolve his feet to get a shot away.
At Parkhead, Milan are starting to dominate. I daresay Celtic have had their chance.
“Dalot may be ‘quick, strong and brave,’ says Colum Farrelly, “but is he any good at football?”
A fair question. I thought so, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is less convinced and he knows more about football than I do.
Winning this Europa League would be the absolute height of Mourinho, though it’s not the open goal he was served when at Man United, when the standard was low and the better teams all drew each other. Looking at the teams currently in it, Arsenal, Napili and Milan look the pick, but you can never be sure until the Champions League sends in some losers - there’ll one of United, Leipzig and PSG, one of Gladbach, Inter, Shakhtar and Real, and one of Atalanta, Liverpool and Ajax.
Liberec lead Gent 1-0, while Sivasspor have pulled one back against Villarreal.
“I was very sceptical,” flirts Cian O’Mahony, “when you started making a joke about the goalscoring ability of Vinicius all of ten minutes into his Tottenham career.”
You’re right, I should’ve gone earlier. My apologies for this inexcusable oversight.
GOAL! Leicester City 1-0 Zorya Luhansk (Maddison 29)
I didn’t see this one because my daughter spilt water over my laptop and BT won’t let me open more than one window on one machine, but it exists nevertheless.
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“‘He’s quick, strong and brave’” says Andrew Champney, quoting me back to myself. “Ae you trying to say he’s got Dalot?”
I wouldn’t diogo that far.
GOAL! Spurs 2-0 LASK (Andrade og 27)
Lovely play from Reguilon, who screeches infield and past a pair of challenges before finding Lamela, who looks not to have noticed Bale, unmarked outside him, before sweeping him the pass. Bale should cross with his right foot but obviously uses the outside of his left, and in the middle, Vinicius is probably offside, but it doesn’t matter because Andrade can’t help himself, sliding the ball home in a panic. If Spurs can be bothered, this will get messy.
Updated
Diogo Dalot is playing for Milan, and I’m interested to see how he does. He’s got some talent – he’s quick, strong and brave – and I’m not really sure what happened to him at United.
Nice play down the right between Doherty and Bale, the latter finding the former with a fine return ball, but his cross is poor. Though, in his defence, Vinicius didn’t really moveferim.
Villarreal lead Sivasspor 2-0, goals from Kubo and Bacca.
Celtic’s Frimpong gets himself into a decent crossing position, then makes a mess of things.
Updated
I was extremely sceptical when he got the Spurs job, but now I’m wondering whether it’s good for him and he’s good for it. First of all, Harry Kane can cover a multitude of sins, but more than that, most of his success has come with teams not used to winning. Maybe he needs that inferiority complex, and if he does, he couldn’t hope for better than what he’s git.
Back to Mourinho, I should make clear that I was joking. His style isn’t out of date – his Chelsea team would be brilliant in any area – his problem has been his refusal to adapt to circumstance, trying to impose it on players suited to something different, technically, mentally and physically.
GOAL! Spurs 1-0 LASK (Moura 18)
Vinicius makes amends, running the channel to make an angle for Davies who lofts a fine pass over the top. He sweeps it into stride with an excellent first touch, then squares with ideal eight for Moura, who has a cup of tea then slides home.
Updated
“Joe Hart and Gareth Bale playing!” says Joshua Reynolds. “It’s like a time machine.”
Something Mourinho’s style of football something.
One way British clubs beat better continental ones is by flying at them from the off, but the absence of a crowd hinders that tactic. Still Celtic did their best, then conceded a goal from Milan’s first attack. It’ll be a struggle from here.
GOAL! Celtic 0-1 AC Milan (Krunic 14)
That’s what you get for your good start. Castillejo is allowed inside to cross on his left foot and Welsh marks space in the box, so Krunic leaps and plants a header beyond Barkas.
Updated
Zorya have come to have a go at Leicester – should be a decent game this.
“How do you think the Spurs team will line up with only on recognised centre-back?” asks Brian Richardson. “Also I’m looking forward to seeing Vicinius more than Bale.”
Happily we don’t have to choose. I think Davies is playing next to Sanchez.
Two goals!
Maccabi Tel Aviv lead Qarabag and CSKA are ahead in Wolfsburg.
Doherty hits the line and dinks a cross into the middle for Vinicius, alone in the six-yard box. He leaps like he knows what he’s doing, but heads down and wide. That was a very good chance that I’d have backed Roberto Soldado and Vincent Janssen to gobble up.
Celtic have started well against in-form Milan, dominating possession. They’ve yet to create chance, but given how they’ve been playing, I’d guess they need to do this early.
“Good play from Doherty again.” Still very odd.
Updated
Let’s quickly peruse the teams in the games featuring British clubs.
Tottenham Hotspur: Hart, Doherty, Sanchez, Davies, Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Winks, Lamela, Bale, Moura, Vinicius. Subs: Lloris, Austin, Aurier, Alderweireld, Sissoko, Ndombele, Lo Celso, Alli, Bergwijn, Son, Kane.
LASK: Schlager, Wiesinger, Trauner, Andrade, Ranftl, Holland, Michorl, Renner, Gruber, Raguz, Balic. Subs: Lawal, Gebauer, Filipovic, Eggestein, Ramsebner, Potzmann, Madsen, Cheberko, Goiginger, Grgic.
**
Leicester City: Schmeichel, Castagne, Fofana, Evans, Fuchs, Mendy, Tielemans, Praet, Barnes, Maddison, Iheanacho. Subs: Ward, Jakupovic, Justin, Morgan, Albrighton, Perez, Under, Choudhury.
Zorya: Shevchenko, Khomchenovskiy, Cvek, Vernydub, Favorov, Kochergin, Ivanisenia, Nazaryna, Kabayev, Yurchenko, Lunov. Subs: Vasilj, Matsapura, Rufati, Perovic, Gladkiy, Abu Hanna, Gryn, Ciganiks.
**
Celtic: Barkas, Welsh, Duffy, Ajer, Frimpong, Ntcham, Brown, McGregor, Laxalt, Ajeti, Griffiths.
AC Milan: Donnarumma, Dalot, Kjaer, Romagnoli, Hernandez, Krunic, Tonali, Kessie, Castillejo, Ibrahimovic, Diaz.
“Doherty rampaging down the right-hand side” says Peter Drury, a strange line to hear given Spurs’ history with the name. Here’s the Ginger Pele in face-scoring FA Cup semi-final action.
Off we go at Spurs and off we go in Glesga.
Good news: my BT is now working.
They’re ready to go at Paradise; goodness me this would be a night. But still, it should be phat so let’s be having youse.
Final score: Dundalk 1-2 Molde
My days, what a group of away trips this is for Arsenal fans not to enjoy.
Evening all, Daniel Harris taking over. Feel free to email me at daniel.harris.casual@theguardian.com, or tweet @DanielHarris.
Final score! Rapid Vienna 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal stumbled to victory but Partey was fantastic in his first start for the Gunners and Aubameyang and Bellerín changed the game after they came on.
Final score! Standard Liege 0-2 Rangers
Rangers start in style.
Updated
Goal! Standard Liege 0-2 Rangers (Roofe 90+2)
Roofe scores from his own half to seal victory. That’s stunning.
Updated
90 min There will be four extra minutes in Vienna. And three in Liege.
Updated
89 min Arsenal and Partey are in control here.
87 min: It’s Bayer Leverkusen 6-1 Nice. That’s a rout.
Updated
84 min: Another couple of changes for Arsenal. Lacazette is withdrawn in place of Willock and Saka comes off to be replaced by Tierney.
83 min: The minutes are ticking down. It has been a bumpy ride for Arsenal in Vienna but they look set to get the job done. Elsewhere, Rangers still lead in Liege and Dundalk trail Molde. Goals aplenty in the Europa League.
77 min: Kitagawa replaces Kara. Elsewhere, Roma lead Young Boys in Switzerland and Bellarabi has added a fourth for Leverkusen against Nice. Moments before Arsenal’s second, Leno almost gifted Rapid a route back in after dropping another clanger when he hit a clearance against David Luiz. Fortunately for Leno, that time Fountas was unable to capitalise but this has been a game to forget for the usually dependable keeper.
Updated
75 min: What was Arteta worried about? Leno has endured a difficult evening but Arsenal have been transformed since the arrival of the cavalry.
GOAL! Rapid Vienna 1-2 Arsenal (Aubameyang, 74)
Two substitutes combine as Arsenal come from behind to take the lead! Elneny threads a pass through for the overlapping Héctor Bellerín, who slides the ball across the six-yard box for Aubameyang to tap in. He was never going to miss.
Updated
GOAL! Rapid Vienna 1-1 Arsenal (David Luiz, 70)
A mad couple of minutes, but Arsenal level in Austria. Nicolas Pepe, who had drawn a foul from Ritzmaier after the midfielder crudely blocked the winger, whips in a free-kick and David Luiz jumps highest to plant a header beyond Strebinger.
Updated
GOAL! Dundalk 1-2 Molde (Omoijuanfo, 72 pen)
Oli Omoijuanfo helps Molde into the lead in Ireland.
Updated
65 min: Roma level in Switzerland! Bruno Peres with the equaliser.
Updated
GOAL! Dundalk 1-1 Molde (Hussain, 62)
The Norwegian side level through Etzaz Hussain. He arrows a fine cross from Marcus Pedersen into the corner of goal. Meanwhile, a fifth goal in Poznan, with Benfica re-taking the lead through Darwin Gabriel Nuñez.
Updated
60 min: A double change for Arsenal and Arteta, then: Héctor Bellerín is on in place of Cédric Soares.
59 min: Leno almost gets caught out again after Vienna hunt down the backpass! Another hairy moment for the Arsenal goalkeeper, who is consoled by Gabriel. Can Aubameyang stir Arsenal? He is on in place of Nketiah, who had been booked.
57 min: A penny for the thoughts of Özil, who has presumably just put the kettle on at home in north London. Arteta cuts a deeply frustrated figure and is readying Aubameyang.
Celtic v Milan, 8pm (BST)
Celtic: Barkas; Frimpong, Welsh, Duffy, Ajer, Laxalt; Ntcham, Brown, McGregor; Ajeti, Griffiths
Subs: Bain, Hazard, Taylor, Klimala, Soro, Turnbull, Christie, Rogic, Elyounoussi, Henderson, Dembele
Milan: G Donnarumma; Dalot, Romagnoli, Kjaer, Hernandez; Krunic, Tonali, Kessie; Castillejo, Ibrahimovic, Diaz
Subs: Tatarusanu, A Donnarumma, Calabria, Bennacer, Conti, Hauge, Leao, Kalulu, Maldini, Colombo, Saelemaekers
Updated
GOAL! Rapid Vienna 1-0 Arsenal (Fountas, 51)
It had been coming ... Taxiarchis Fountas seizes on a dreadful cock-up by Bernd Leno. The Arsenal goalkeeper tries to be too cute playing out the back after David Luiz passed the ball back to him. Leno, on the edge of his own six-yard box, ends up undercooking a pass, which deflects off Kara and straight to Fountas, who drills home emphatically. Big error but cool finish.
Updated
49 min: Now Bukayo Saka is fortunate after the ball strikes his forearm in the box. The Arsenal winger looked on a little sheepishly and the Rapid forward looked bemused. Saka appeared to move his arm towards the ball. Arsenal are yet to get going in this second half.
Updated
47 min: Nketiah incenses Dietmar Kühbauer, the Rapid Vienna manager after appearing to strike Filip Stojkovic with a flailing arm. It appeared accidental but it didn’t look great. Poznan are level against Benfica in Group D!
Updated
46 min: We’re back under way across Europe.
Gareth Bale starts for Tottenham: the Welshman is in from the off for Tottenham against Lask. Joe Hart, meanwhile, gets the nod in goal. A little later, Daniel Harris will guide you through the 8pm kick-offs, including Celtic v Milan and Leicester v Zorya.
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Essential half-time reading:
Half-time scores
Group A
CSKA Sofia 0-0 Cluj
Young Boys 1-0 Roma
Group B
Dundalk 1-0 Molde
Rapid Vienna 0-0 Arsenal
Group C
Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Nice
Hapoel Be’er Sheva 1-0 Slavia Prague
Group D
Lech Poznan 1-2 Benfica
Standard Liege 0-1 Rangers
Group E
PAOK 0-1 Omonia Nicosia
PSV 1-0 Granada
Group F
Rijeka 0-0 Real Sociedad
Napoli 0-0 AZ Alkmaar
45 min: Ullman wellies the ball over Leno’s goal after a sustained period of pressure. Arsenal will be keen to regroup at the interval. We are into three minutes added time in Vienna. Elsewhere, PSV have taken the lead against Granada!
42 min: Ercan Kara goes close for Vienna! The bustling striker swivels away from David Luiz and gets a shot away. He drags it wide but it had Leno worried.
Updated
38 min: Arsenal are getting agitated as Rapid Vienna attempt to up the ante, with the hosts threatening on the break. Nketiah is the latest player to be booked, after kicking the ball away. Elsewhere, Nice have pulled a goal back in Leverkusen.
GOAL! Dundalk 1-0 Molde (Murray, 35)
Sean Murray does open the scoring for Dundalk. A superb cross from John Mountney finds the head of former Watford midfielder Murray and he glances it in.
Updated
34 min: Partey is booked after catching Taxiarchis Fountas in the face while shielding the ball from the Rapid striker. It was plainly unintentional, so seems harsh. Moments earlier, Partey did brilliantly to nick the ball away from Fountas, who has been heavily involved, just as the forward bore down on goal.
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32 min: Arsenal seem to be building up some steam. Elsewhere, Dundalk have had a goal disallowed against Molde. Patrick Hoban found the net but the referee adjudged there to be a foul in the buildup. It looked harsh on first look.
30 min: Partey has been busy but is yet to do anything of note. He is the first Ghanaian to start a competitive game for Arsenal since Emmanuel Frimpong in a 7-5 victory at Reading in October 2012. What a game that was.
27 min: Lacazette is booked for clipping Grahovac. Arsenal are not having it all their own way in Vienna. Rangers, meanwhile, are looking good, with Ianis Hagi – a specialist in the spectacular – having a pop from distance.
GOAL! Standard Liege 0-1 Rangers (Tavernier, 19 pen)
James Tavernier strikes after Noe Dussenne was penalised for handball. The Liege defender is booked despite his protests. The right-back – Rangers’ captain – now has nine goals in 10 games, including five penalties. Not bad going.
Updated
19 min: Bernd Leno saves! Fountas gets the better of Kolasinac and David Luiz, backheels the ball and then Ritzmaier latches on to a loose ball after Arase piled forward. The on-loan Barnsley striker’s shot deflects off Gabriel, who puts up the long barrier, and awkwardly bobbles into the hands of the Arsenal goalkeeper.
Updated
18 min: The goals are flying in now. Lech Poznan have equalised at home to Benfica, Leverkusen have doubled their advantage over Nice and Omonia have taken the lead at PAOK. Meanwhile, Rangers have made a decent start in Liege.
15 min: Arsenal go close through David Luiz! They win a free-kick wide on the right flank after Grahovac is booked for a clumsy challenge on Pepe. Soares swings it in and David Luiz heads at goal. The Brazilian made good contact with it and Strebinger does well to palm the ball away from the lurking Saka. Elsewhere, Young Boys have opened the scoring against Roma from the penalty spot.
12 min: Arsenal are enjoying plenty of possession. Elsewhere, a couple of goals: in Group C Bayer Leverkusen lead Nice courtesy of Nadiem Amiri and in Group D Benfica are a goal to the good in Poznan, thanks to a Pizzi strike.
9 min: The lively Nketiah slides in Saka but the winger loses his footing at the key moment. A decent, if unspectacular, start for Arsenal in Austria. Moments later Gabriel is grateful for the referee’s whistle after being clipped by Kara on the edge of the 18-yard box. The Rapid striker steals possession but drags wide.
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7 min: Partey cannons a poor ball into Saka and it pinballs off his chest. The referee wrongly penalises the Arsenal winger for handball. Talking of fans, there are about 4,000 inside the Stade Maurice Dufrasne for Standard Liege’s match against Rangers.
4 min: Soares slides in on Fountas but inadvertently takes the Greek striker out before nicking the ball away. Rapid get a free-kick way out on the left flank, a good 30 yards or so from goal. Otherwise it has been a low-key start in Vienna.
Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!
Arsenal, in all blue, eventually get things under way in Vienna after a false start. Great to see football with fans, even if it’s just a smattering of supporters. Dundalk and Rangers are also go.
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We are just a few formalities away from kick-off across Europe ...
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Rapid Vienna won’t be parking the bus, according to manager Dietmar Kuhbauer, in the Austrian club’s first competitive meeting with Arsenal. “We have to try to disrupt the way they play,” he said. “If we play only to defend, that will not be enough. They are a very, very good team despite the rotation that comes. They play with tempo and it is always difficult to defend against that - our players will have to be very, very strong in spirit. They are an attractive opponent who of course have won a lot in the past, we have to play at a very good level if we are to get something.”
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It is strange to say it will be a peculiar sight, but there will be around 3,000 supporters in Vienna. The Allianz Stadion in the capital of Austria can house 28,000 fans but a tenth of that number will be in attendance. “We would like a sold-out stadium,” said the Rapid captain, Dejan Ljubicic. “That would definitely be something special because you don’t play against Arsenal that often. We want to surprise them and will do everything to do so.”
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But will he shell out £14.95 to watch Arsenal v Leicester on Sunday? That’s the big question ...
When I can't support on the pitch tonight, I will support in front of the TV in London. What are your predictions for the match? I go for a 4-1 away victory 🔴💪🏼 goalscorers @seadk6, @ElNennY, @LacazetteAlex & Pepe😉#UEL #YaGunnersYa
— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) October 22, 2020
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There is no Mesut Özil, of course:
My job is to get the best out of every player, to contribute to the team performance. Here I feel at the moment, today, that I have failed. I want the best possible Mesut for the team. And in some moments I was able to get close to that, and at the moment I have not been able to do it because I have to make the decision to leave him out of the squad – Mikel Arteta
Team news news: so, a first Arsenal start for Thomas Partey following that £45m move after a cameo off the bench in defeat Manchester City on Saturday. Lacazette captains Mikel Arteta’s side, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang among the substitutes, alongside Shkodran Mustafi, who has not played since sustaining a hamstring injury in July. The on-loan Barnsley forward, Marcel Ritzmaier, starts for Rapid Vienna. Meanwhile, as he’s not starting, Héctor Bellerín has been using the warm-up to make use of what we can only hope is a Kodak disposable camera.
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Team news!
Rapid Vienna v Arsenal, all 5.55pm (BST)
Rapid Vienna: Strebinger; Barac, Hofmann, Stojkovic; Arase, Ljubicic, Grahovac, Ullmann; Fountas, Ritzmaier, Kara
Subs: Sonnleitner, Schick, Petrovich, Alar, Unger, Gartler, Knasmullner, Grill, Kitagawa, Sulzbacher, Ibrahimoglu, Savic
Arsenal: Leno; Luiz, Gabriel, Kolasinac; Soares, Partey, Elneny, Saka; Pepe, Nketiah, Lacazette
Subs: Runarsson, Bellerín, Tierney, Mustafi, Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Willock, Nelson, Aubameyang, Macey
Standard Liege v Rangers
Standard Liege: Bodart, Fai, Vanheusden, Dussenne, Gavory, Bokadi, Lestienne, Cimirot, Bastien, Amallah, Muleka
Subs: Gillet, Cop, Oulare, Carcela, Sylvestre, Shamir, Boljevic, Avenatti, Jans, Henkinet, Pavlovic, Laifis
Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Balogun, Barisic; Jack, Kamara, Arfield; Hagi, Morelos, Kent
Subs: McLaughlin, Bassey, Helander, Davis, Itten, Patterson, Aribo, Barker, Stewart, Roofe, Barjonas, King
Dundalk v Molde
Dundalk: Rogers, Gannon, Gartland, Cleary, Leahy, Murray, Shields, Sloggett, Mountney, Hoban, Duffy
Subs: Hoare, Flores, McEleney, McCarey, Colovic, Dummigan, Wynne, Kelly, McMillan, Boyle
Molde: Linde, Pedersen, Bjornbak, Gregersen, Haugen, Aursnes, Wolff Eikrem, Hussain, Hestad, Omoijuanfo, Bolly
Subs: Risa, Sinan, Mostrom, Ellingsen, Craninx, Knudtzon, Christensen, Brynhildsen, Andersen, Ranmark
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Preamble
Yes, more football, and loads of it, too. First up, Arsenal are in action in Austria, Rangers are in Belgium and Dundalk are in, er, Ireland at home to Molde as the Europa League group stage gets under way in understated style. Then, a little bit later, there is another feast with Leicester hosting Zorya Luhansk, Celtic taking on Milan and Tottenham crossing swords with LASK, who finished second in the Austrian Bundesliga last season. Meanwhile, Wolfsberger, aka RZ Pellets WAC, as they are known for sponsorship reasons, entertain CSKA Moscow. For Arsenal, this is a fourth successive season in the competition, one they reached the final of last year but José Mourinho, as it goes, is the master of the Europa League. Well, he has won it the two times he has competed in it, with Porto in 2003 and Manchester United in 2017. Bodes well for Tottenham, for whom Gareth Bale could start.
Thursday’s Europa League fixtures
Group A
CSKA Sofia v Cluj, all 5.55pm (BST)
Young Boys v Roma
Group B
Dundalk v Molde
Rapid Vienna v Arsenal
Group C
Bayer Leverkusen v Nice
Hapoel Be’er Sheva v Slavia Prague
Group D
Lech Poznan v Benfica
Standard Liege v Rangers
Group E
PAOK v Omonia Nicosia
PSV v Granada
Group F
Rijeka v Real Sociedad
Napoli v AZ Alkmaar
Group G
Leicester v Zorya Luhansk, 8pm (BST)
Braga v AEK Athens
Group H
Celtic v Milan
Sparta Prague v Lille
Group I
Maccabi Tel Aviv v Qarabag
Villarreal v Sivasspor
Group J
Ludogorets v Royal Antwerp
Tottenham v Lask
Group K
Dinamo Zagreb v Feyenoord
RZ Pellets v CSKA Moscow
Group L
Slovan Liberec v Gent
Hoffenheim v Red Star Belgrade
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