Paris (AFP)

Olympiakos took a very serious option on qualifying by dominating Slovan Bratislava 3 goals to 0 in the first leg of the Europa League on Thursday night in Piraeus.

The Greek champion with his three Frenchmen Mathieu Valbuena, Kenny Lala and Yann M'Vila, eliminated from the Champions League in qualifying by the Bulgarians of Ludogorets, scored by Mady Camara (37th), Pape Abou Cissé (52nd) and Vasil Bozhikov against his camp (68th).

The Slovan, author of the Slovakian Cup-Championship double last season, had also been taken out in qualifying for the C1 by the Young Boys of Bern.

The vice-champion of Turkey Galatasaray, eliminated by PSV Eindhoven in qualifying for the C1, could not do better than a draw in Denmark on the field of Randers (1-1), only sixth in his championship last season.

Slavia Prague, arrived until the quarter-finals of the previous edition of this Europa League (eliminated by Arsenal) but released in the 3rd qualifying round of the Champions League by the Hungarian club Ferencvaros, was hung at home by the Legia Warsaw (2-2), victim for its part of Dinamo Zagreb in C1.

For its part, Antwerp, for its European debut, was sharply beaten on the ground of the champion of Cyprus, Omonia Nicosia (4-2).

The Belgians in particular conceded three goals in thirteen minutes (between the 43rd and the 56th).

New Antwerp signing Radja Nainggolan (33), former Roma and Inter Milan, came on in the 60th minute.

Finally the Glasgow Rangers, reduced to ten in the 43rd minute following the exclusion of the Englishman John Lundstram (two yellow cards in ten minutes), painfully beat the Armenians of Alashkert 1 to 0, while the Rapid of Vienna Clearly won at home against Zorya (3-0), third in the last Ukrainian championship.

The ten failed clubs in the Europa League play-offs will be transferred to the Europa League Conference.

The return matches will be played next Thursday.

In the play-offs of the Europa League conference, the third newly created European Cup, Tottenham lost 1 to 0 on the ground of the Portuguese of Paços Ferreira, and AS Roma won 2 to 1 on the lawn of the Turks of Trabzonspor.

© 2021 AFP