West Ham secure late win over Olympiakos, Liverpool beaten
West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta scored a late goal to earn his side a 1-0 home win over Olympiakos Piraeus as they retained top spot in Europa League Group A, while Olympique de Marseille won 2-0 at AEK Athens to remain first in Group B on Thursday.
West Ham lost 2-1 away to the Greek side a fortnight ago but their win at the London Stadium put them level on nine points with second-placed Freiburg, who crushed bottom side Backa Topola 5-0. Olympiakos are third with four points.
“If I was being honest, I don’t think we made enough chances or opportunities and I need to look to see why that was the case,” West Ham manager David Moyes said.
Paqueta broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute with a deft left-foot volley following a delightful James Ward-Prowse chip over the defence for his third goal in European competition this season, which was confirmed after a VAR review for offside.
The West Ham fans then held their breath late on as the visitors nearly equalised when Mady Camara’s close-range header struck the post when he should have scored.
Marseille secured a second victory with their win in Athens thanks to goals from Chancel Mbemba and Ismaila Sarr.
Mbemba opened the scoring with a header from a corner after 25 minutes and Sarr struck three minutes into stoppage time.
The Ligue 1 side have eight points, one ahead of European debutants Brighton & Hove Albion, who secured a 2-0 victory at Ajax Amsterdam on Thursday.
LIVERPOOL DEFEAT
Liverpool suffered a shock 3-2 loss at French side Toulouse in Group E, although Juergen Klopp’s side still top the standings with nine points after being denied an equaliser in the last minute of added time by VAR.
Liverpool thought they had salvaged a draw when Jarell Quansah found the net in the seventh minute of stoppage time, but VAR disallowed it due to a handball by Alexis Mac Allister earlier in the move.
“We scored a third one, I think it was a goal 100%. It was pretty long ago the ball was in a tricky situation, I am not even sure it just the hand at all but that is how it is,” Klopp said.
“With all the possession you have obviously you should create more but you cannot concede three goals here, that makes no sense.”
Klopp’s interview was interrupted by boisterous cheers and screaming by celebrating Toulouse supporters.
“We were as organised as this press conference – pretty chaotic,” the German said. “Who had the idea to do the press conference here?”
Atalanta claimed a 1-0 over Sturm Graz at a rainy Gewiss Stadium after Berat Djimsiti scored following a goalmouth scramble five minutes after the break.
The Italians are unbeaten in Group D on 10 points, three ahead of Sporting who beat 10-man Rakow Czestochowa 2-1.
A penalty in each half from Pedro Goncalves was enough to beat the Polish side, who played most of the match with 10 men after the dismissal of defender Bogdan Racovitan.
Early goals from Rangers’ Danilo Pereira and Todd Cantwell secured a 2-1 win over Sparta Prague, while Real Betis hammered visiting Aris Limassol 4-1. Betis lead Group C on nine points with Rangers second on seven.