Paris (AFP)

Rennes were held back from the Europa League, conceding a 1-1 draw at home against Celtic on Thursday in the first day, which saw Arsenal and Sevilla easily win 3-0 in Frankfurt and Qarabag, while Saint -Etienne plays in Ghent in the evening.

If the Stade Rennais starts to take a liking to this C3, for its second consecutive season in the continental competition, the after-taste is this time bitter.

In a revived Roazhon Park, the Rennais logically took the advantage on a penalty kick signed Mbaye Niang in the first period. But the "Bhoys" have foiled Britons in second.

Febriles, the Rennes have in turn cashed a penalty. They thought the equalizer on a free kick on the post of Clément Grenier, but finally had to concede the draw in this first duel Celtic.

Group E has a surprise leader: Cluj, who won at home against Lazio Roma 1-0.

Arsenal, who was moving to Frankfurt in one of the big posters of the evening, first opened the scoring by the young Englishman Joseph Willock (20 years) and then took advantage of the exclusion of Dominik Kohr German side to make the brand worse. in the final minutes by Bukayo Saka, 18, the youngest C3 striker for Arsenal since 2008, according to the statistician Opta, then by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Gunners, in delicacy in the Premier League (two victories then one defeat and two draws), take advantage of Europe to rebound and take the lead of their group.

Same score for Sevilla FC away against Azeris of Qarabag. And three great Andalusian goals: a magnificent free kick by Mexican rookie Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez, a subtle ball pitted by Munir El Haddadi and a chisel by Oliver Torres.

For Luxembourg, the evening was historic. At the end of an epic encounter in Nicosia, the modest Dudelange FC won 4-3 at the Apoel pitch. And what scenario! Leading first 2-0, Luxembourg's Petit Poucet saw the Apoel pass in the 58th minute with three goals in four minutes ... But Dudelange had the resources to equalize and finally win.

Dudelange signs the first victory of a Luxembourg club in the final phase of the Europa League, he who had already been the first club in the Grand Duchy qualified in C3 twelve months ago.

Also worthy of note is Bale's home card against Krasnodar, 5 goals for nothing.

In the evening, the other French club engaged, Saint-Etienne, plays in Belgium against La Gantoise. Roma hosts the Basaksehir Turks and Manchester United receives Astana.

© 2019 AFP