Europa League Round Of 32 First Leg Review

DYNAMO KIEV 0-2 VALENCIA - Vargas strikes as Valencia complete Ukraine job

Valencia CF will take a 2-0 lead into next week's UEFA Europa League round of 32 second leg after Eduardo Vargas finally ended substitute Olexandr Rybka's resistance with 11 minutes remaining.

Former Ukraine No1 Rybka, making his first competitive appearance in over two years, looked like stealing the show as he made a string of fine stops amid mounting Valencia pressure in Nicosia. However, January signing Vargas had other ideas as the substitute escaped his marker and rose at the near post to nod in Daniel Parejo's corner. The Chile forward went close again three minutes later, cannoning a header against the upright, before fellow replacement Sofiane Feghouli's deflected effort gave the Liga outfit some breathing space.

The breakthrough came as Dynamo began to tire in the closing stages of what was their first competitive outing since they qualified for this round on 12 December. In the last 25 minutes Rybka made brilliant saves from Vargas and Seydou Keita, and a heavy first touch allowed him to scramble off his line to smother at the feet of Feghouli. The pressure eventually told in Cyprus, where the game was held due to the security situation in Kyiv, spoiling Rybka's comeback.

Indeed, chances had been at a premium before the Ukrainian club's first-choice custodian Olexandr Shovkovskiy, largely a spectator, pulled up as he collected the ball on the edge of his box minutes into the second period. Dynamo had opportunities, with Jeremain Lens unable to keep down his shot from an awkward bouncing cross straight after the interval. Ideye Brown also failed to connect from point-blank range later in the half – and moments later it was 1-0. Dynamo's disappointment was complete when Feghouli's wayward added-time strike ballooned off Domagoj Vida and over the committed Rybka.

DNIPRO 1-0 TOTTENHAM - Late Konoplyanka penalty sink sorry Spurs

Yevhen Konoplyanka's late penalty edged FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk past Tottenham Hotspur FC in their UEFA Europa League round of 32 first leg.

In a match that could have ended with victory for either side, Juande Ramos claimed the spoils against the club he managed to English League Cup glory in 2008, after Konoplyanka drove his 81st-minute spot kick in off the upright.

The Ukrainian team exerted plenty of pressure on the high Tottenham back line in the early stages and should have taken the lead after 25 minutes as Matheus strode clean through only to clip his shot into goalkeeper Brad Friedel.

The Spurs custodian had to be alert again moment later to repel a stinging drive by the same player before Tim Sherwood's men threatened themselves. Nacer Chadli sliced a good chance wide from Danny Rose's cutback while the hosts' goalkeeper Denys Boyko was lucky not to concede after dribbling into Roberto Soldado before pouncing on the loose ball.

Soldado passed up an even better opportunity 11 minutes after half-time when Paulinho's low cross found the Spain forward with the goal vacant, yet somehow he fired over from close range. Christian Eriksen was introduced to add to the visitors' creativity and his impact was almost instant as he turned in Rose's pass with his first touch, only for the offside flag to rule out the effort.

Dnipro's attacks were becoming more sporadic, though Freidel remained alert whenever they prospered. The 42-year-old continued to hold sway in his duel with Matheus by parrying another strike before sprawling at the feet of Giuliano to block a further attempt.

Nonetheless he was unable to save Konoplyanka's penalty – awarded when Jan Vertonghen was adjudged to have felled Matheus – nor Roman Zozulya's late header which cannoned back off the post, as Ramos's side eked out a slender advantage to take to White Hart Lane.

JUVENTUS 2-0 TRABZONSPOR - Osvaldo and Pogba ensure comfortable win for hosts

Goals from Pablo Osvaldo and Paul Pogba gave Juventus a 2-0 advantage over Trabzonspor AŞ after the first leg of their UEFA Europa League round of 32 tie.

Osvaldo marked his first start for the Bianconeri by breaking the deadlock on 16 minutes. The home side missed several first-half opportunities to score another but Trabzonspor improved drastically in the second period and went close to an important away goal before conceding the second in stoppage time.

Juventus attacked from the off, Carlos Tévez rifling over from a promising position after five minutes following a Mauricio Isla pass. Eleven minutes later, Osvaldo beat Onur Kıvrak with a precise low finish after Tévez's ball had been deflected into his path by a Trabzonspor defender.

Isla might have added another soon after following another Tévez pass, but the right-back fired straight at Onur having dribbled past Aykut Demir. The Trabzonspor goalkeeper also looked on with relief as Tévez's strike from inside the area finished just wide of his left-hand post. Juve's No10 then failed to angle his effort sufficiently after neat footwork in the box.

Onur was again called into action early in the second half when he palmed away Osvaldo's attempt after another brilliant ball by Tévez. Visiting coach Hami Mandirali's decision to bring on Paulo Henrique nearly paid dividends for the Turkish team as the substitute found space on the left after a nice back-heel from Özer Hurmacı. However, Gianluigi Buffon was on hand to thwart his close-range effort.

The Serie A leaders had another big opportunity when Pogba's deflected drive hit a post, but the France midfielder made amends in added time, sending Onur the wrong way with a precise right-footer – Tévez, aptly, had provided the perfect assist.

ESBJERG 1-3 FIORENTINA - Viola reign supreme under the chills

Alessandro Matri, Josip Iličić and Alberto Aquilani struck in the first half as the Viola beat the freeze in chilly Denmark.

  

ACF Fiorentina took a significant step towards the UEFA Europa League round of 16 with a 3-1 victory against Esbjerg fB in Denmark setting them up nicely for the return leg.

Cold and wet conditions welcomed the Viola to Esbjerg, but if the home side thought conditions might favour them, they soon found out otherwise as goals from Alessandro Matri, Josip Iličić and Alberto Aquilani epitomised a stylish first-half showing from the visitors. Esbjerg were briefly level through Martin Pušić and created further chances, but an assured tactical display from Fiorentina kept the hosts at bay after the break.

The first half started explosively: Pušić drew an early save from Neto, but Matri trumped him at the other end, controlling a lofted pass and firing into the bottom corner in the ninth minute. Esbjerg did not have long to wait for an equaliser, though, as Jakob Ankersen's cross was deflected into the path of Pušić, with the striker making no mistake.

The pendulum swung again. Davidson Drobo-Ampem's weak clearance was collected by Iličić, and the Slovenia forward curled the ball past Martin Dúbravka on 15 minutes. Entertainment value remained sky-high as Esbjerg then laid siege to the Italian team's goal, Jonas Knudsen and Ankersen both driving narrowly wide. However, with another leveller seemingly looming, Drobo-Ampem brought down Ryder Matos following a Fiorentina counterthrust, enabling Aquilani to slot coolly into the top corner from the spot.

Clearly satisfied with the score, Fiorentina adopted a more defensive approach after the interval. Substitute Mario Gomez's stinging effort was kept out by Dúbravka, while at the other end Neto made a brilliant stop to deny Knudsen a long-range screamer. Jesper Rasmussen threatened late on, but Fiorentina resisted to leave Esbjerg with a mountain to climb.

FC PORTO 2-2 FRANKFURT - Impressive Germans hold out for stalemate in Portugal

Eintracht Frankfurt continued their fairy-tale UEFA Europa League campaign, coming from two goals down at FC Porto's Estádio do Dragão in a thrilling match between two former winners of the trophy.

Paulo Fonseca's team held the upper hand with goals either side of the interval from Ricardo Quaresma and Silvestre Varela, before Die Adler hit back via Joselu and an Alex Sandro own goal to set up a mouthwatering round of 32 second leg at Frankfurt Stadion next week.

After failing to win a group stage home game for the first time in their UEFA Champions League history this season, Porto looked eager to make amends. On the quarter-hour, Kevin Trapp had to block Hector Herrera's back-post header and the impressive goalkeeper then denied Jackson Martínez. It was third time lucky for Quaresma on the brink of half-time, though, as the winger curled a magnificent effort around Trapp and in off the right post.

Eintracht reacted well at the beginning of the second period. Joselu tested Helton's reflexes, but his firm header from Bastian Oczipka's free-kick was well smothered by the Porto goalkeeper and captain.

Jackson missed a pair of chances as Porto regained the initiative, before Varela got the second, firing into an empty net after Maicon intelligently redirected Quaresma's set piece back across the face of goal.

Eintracht appeared vanquished yet fought back quickly, with Joselu smashing in an excellent low finish from the edge of the area after Porto failed to clear a cross. The away fans were soon in ecstasy as Armin Veh's men levelled. Helton parried to prevent an Eliaquim Mangala own goal but Alex Sandro, attempting to clear, crashed the ball off the underside of the crossbar and into his own net.

AJAX 0-3 SALZBURG - Soriano shines as Austrians shock Ajax in Amsterdam

FC Salzburg dispatched AFC Ajax 3-0 thanks to a spellbinding first-half display which included a sublime goal from Jonatan Soriano.

The Austrian title holders started this UEFA Europa League round of 32 first leg at a blistering tempo and struck three times without reply inside the opening period. Soriano converted a penalty after Jöel Veltman had fouled Alan, seven minutes before Sadio Mané made no mistake when one-on-one with Jasper Cillessen. Soriano then stole the show by firing over the stranded Ajax keeper from close to the halfway line.

The visitors wasted little time in taking a firm grip on proceedings in Amsterdam, André Ramalho volleying high and wide after a well-worked free-kick found him unmarked inside the box. The breakthrough Salzburg's adventurous play merited was not long in coming, however. Veltman tripped Alan as he cut inside from the left and Soriano calmly sent Cillessen the wrong way from the spot. Things quickly got worse for Frank de Boer's side when Kevin Kampl executed an exquisite through pass for Mané, who rounded the keeper and rolled the ball into an empty net.

A third goal soon arrived – one which surely even the Ajax coach could not help but appreciate. Collecting possession inside the centre circle, captain Soriano magnificently directed the ball over Cillessen from 50 metres. The Austrian team continued to run the show after the restart, Alan and Kampl twice blazing wide from good positions. The latter also stumbled when through on goal, while Alan's lob was centimetres too high.

A familiar pattern followed, with almost every loose ball being won by someone in a blue shirt, while Ajax struggled to register a meaningful effort on target. Unless something bordering on a miracle takes place in Salzburg next week, the return leg would appear to be a formality for Roger Schmidt's men.

SS LAZIO 0-1 LUDOGORETS RAZGRAD - Dyakov penalty condemns Italian hosts to defeat

Both teams finished with ten men as PFC Ludogorets Razgrad consigned SS Lazio to a 1-0 UEFA Europa League round of 32 first-leg loss in Rome.

Ludogorets skipper Svetoslav Dyakov set the tone for an absorbing contest when he chipped a spot kick straight at Etrit Berisha, before Roman Bezjak spared his blushes with a virtuoso effort. The drama continued after the interval as Dyakov and Luis Cavanda were dismissed following another penalty miss by Lazio's Felipe Anderson. Ludogorets then had to endure a torturous last few minutes before their victory was confirmed.

The visitors could scarcely have wished for a better start after Lazio midfielder Lorik Cana was adjudged to have handled Mihail Aleksandrov's cross inside the area. Buoyancy turned to despondency, however, as Dyakov failed to disguise his Panenka-style conversion, allowing Berisha time to get to his feet and cradle the ball.

The Bulgarian title holders regained their composure ten minutes before the break when Marcelinho's speculative 30-metre drive bounced back off the crossbar. The goal Stoicho Stoev's side had been threatening arrived soon after, though, as Bezjak sent a venomous 30-metre strike swerving beyond the outstretched fingertips of Berisha.

On the back foot for long stretches, Lazio emerged rejuvenated in the second period, with Anderson becoming the second player to be denied by the frame of the goal. The effervescent midfielder was then given a chance to redeem himself from the spot, but his firm right-footed attempt was repelled by Vladislav Stoyanov.

A breathless climax ensued with Lazio's Cavanda receiving his marching orders for a late tackle on Yordan Minev – Dyakov having walked earlier for a second yellow card. Unperturbed, the hosts refused to lie down, but knew their luck was up when Antonio Candreva volleyed Miroslav Klose's centre towards goal only for Tero Mäntylä to clear off the line.

SWANSEA CITY 0-0 NAPOLI - Unlucky Swans hope for the best in Naples

Swansea shone on Garry Monk's European coaching debut but could not find a way past not one but two Napoli goalkeepers.

SSC Napoli will head home from south Wales the happier team after earning a goalless draw at Swansea City AFC in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League round of 32 tie.

Swansea failed to capitalise on a string of first-half chances and eventually had to settle for a result that favours the Serie A side ahead of next Thursday's return match in Naples.

On paper this should have been Napoli's night. They were unlucky to exit the UEFA Champions League with 12 group-stage points and can call on the know-how of coach Rafael Benítez, who won this trophy with Chelsea FC last May and Valencia CF a decade ago. At the Swansea helm, by contrast, is Garry Monk, the novice head coach who recently replaced Michael Laudrup and has never before managed in Europe.

Yet although Napoli threatened first – Marek Hamšík drawing a fingertip stop from home goalkeeper Michel Vorm – the opening period was all about Swansea's sparkling attacking play. This may be the first time they have competed in Europe after Christmas but their lack of experience did not show as they asked serious questions of a Napoli defence including new signing Henrique, making his first start alongside Miguel Britos.

The lively Nathan Dyer got the ball rolling when he played a one-two with Pablo Hernández and curled in a shot that Rafael Cabral clawed behind. Wilfried Bony then missed at least three good opportunities, notably when he was played through by Hernández but failed to beat Cabral. Ashley Williams and Ángel Rangel could also have scored with headers, the latter foiled by the busy Cabral.

By half-time Cabral had picked up an injury and made way for Pepe Reina. Further upfield Napoli improved as the second period unfolded, and Gonzalo Higuaín and Callejón both went close. Yet Swansea stuck at it and might have nicked a late goal. Reina saved from Williams and Wayne Routledge before Chico planted a free header straight at him – the story of Swansea's night.

VIKTORIA PLZEN 1-1 SHAKHTAR DONETSK - Champions League drop-outs share spoils in Czech

Luiz Adriano cancelled out Stanislav Tecl's opener in the space of four second-half minutes to leave FC Shakhtar Donetsk with an away-goal advantage over FC Viktoria Plzeň in their UEFA Europa League round of 32 tie.

The Czech champions barely had time to celebrate taking the lead in this battle of UEFA Champions League refugees when Shakhtar captain Darijo Srna's long ball over the top had them scampering; Luiz Adriano brought it down before clipping a shot past Matúš Kozáčik. It could have got worse for Plzeň, Alex Teixeira bending an effort around the post after a buccaneering sally down the right minutes later.

Neither club had played a competitive game since December, and both looked relieved to have the chance to burn off pent-up energy. Douglas Costa set the tone for a first half that was big on stylish groundwork but lacking in finishing touches inside five minutes, shimmying through two Plzeň defenders before striking wide. Taison then received some hard stares from his team-mates, looping the ball wide after a quick-fire Shakhtar raid left him with a more or less unguarded net to aim at.

Plzeň, though, are no lightweights in this competition. Skipper Pavel Horváth – 39 in April – came close to a brilliant opener after spotting Andriy Pyatov fractionally too far off his line, but his attempt from out on the right dipped just over the crossbar. It was the midfield talisman's delivery from a free-kick that triggered Plzeň's breakthrough, Marián Čišovský nodding the ball down for Tecl to head over the line on 62 minutes.

Those celebrations were soon cut short, although home coach Dušan Uhrin Jr had reason to be satisfied with a draw in his first game in charge, the Ukrainian titleholders having stretched his side more and more in the closing stages.

Other UEFA Europa League Round Of 32 results

ANZHI 0-0 GENK

CHORNOMERETS 0-0 LYON

LIBEREC 0-1 AZ ALKMAAR

PAOK THESSALONIKI 0-1 BENFICA

MACCABI TEL AVIV 0-0 BASEL

MARIBOR 2-2 SEVILLA

REAL BETIS 1-1 RUBIN KAZAN