Paris (AFP)
The French have still not won and have only one point in two days of the Europa League: Thursday, St. Etienne drew 1-1 (Wolfsburg) and Rennes was overthrown in Rome by the Lazio (2-1).
The evening had begun well for both clubs, authors of the opener. But in the end, after this round 2 European, they are badly engaged in the race for qualification: with a point, Saint-Etienne is 3rd and Rennes last.
If the Greens do not have to blush their performance, only the three points were in the context of crisis they face (two wins in ten matches in all competitions). After the victory in Nîmes (1-0) in Ligue 1 Sunday, "Sainté" has not managed to chain a second success in a row.
The men of Ghislain Printant, whose career as a coach could end in the next hours, are 3rd in Group I behind La Gantoise (4 pts) - neutralized in Oleksandriïa (1-1) - and Wolfsburg (4 pts also).
The Greens had opened the ball by Timothy Kolodziejczak, a cross shot from the left foot after a poorly cleared ball by the opposing goalkeeper (13th). A lead to the score saved two minutes only because of the equalization of William, well alone in the area to score quietly (15th).
In Rome, the Stade Rennais thought to take advantage of the lack of atmosphere of the Stadio Olimpico to win. Like the Saint-Etienne, the Bretons opened the scoring by Jérémy Morel, taking a good center over a free-kick from Grenier (55th).
But the still defense of the Rennais left Sergej Milinkovic-Savic equalize (64th) then the badly-named Ciro Immobile give the advantage to Laziales (75th).
- Arsenal and Seville confirm -
Deprived of Paul Pogba, Manchester United only brought back a small point from Alkmaar after a sad 0-0. Roma, meanwhile, scored, but the outcome is the same with a 1-1 draw at the modest Austrian Wolfsberg.
ManU, 2nd, leaves the lead of his group L at Partizan Belgrade in goal difference (4 pts each). Roma, on the other hand, preserves the first place of the group J, but counts also four points as its opponent of the evening.
Arsenal wandered against Standard Liege (4-0), including a double in three minutes (13th, 16th) of his young Brazilian striker Martinelli (18), while Sevilla FC assured the essential against 'Apoel Nicosia (1-0) with a goal from Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez.
Arsenal and Sevilla dominate their groups F and A with six points.
In one of the posters of the evening, Feyenoord took over FC Porto (2-0). In this very homogenous group G, with four three-point teams, Porto (2nd) remains ahead of Feyenoord (3rd) and it is the Young Boys of Bern who are leaders, after their success against Glasgow Rangers at home (2-1) .
© 2019 AFP