LONDON (REUTERS) – Dinamo Zagreb sealed a playoff berth within the Europa League knockout levels after a shocking early objective from Mislav Orsic gave them a 1-0 win at a second-string West Ham United in Group H on Thursday (Dec 9).
West Ham had already secured high spot and an automated last-16 berth whereas runners-up Dinamo will face one of many third-placed groups dropping down from the Champions League.
Orsic once more shone towards Premier League opposition in Europe’s second-tier competitors after netting a hat-trick in Dinamo’s memorable 3-2 combination win over Tottenham Hotspur in final season’s knockout rounds.
The winger beat West Ham’s reserve goalkeeper Alphonse Areola with a dipping shot from the sting of the penalty space into the highest nook, delighting a handful of away followers at London stadium.
Areola did properly to maintain out two long-range efforts from Luka Ivanusec and one other by Orsic as Dinamo dictated the sport and have been not often troubled by the house facet.
Purple Star Belgrade, the 1991 European Cup winners, clinched Group F with a 1-1 draw at Portugal’s Braga who completed second on the expense of third-placed Midtjylland who may solely handle a 0-0 stalemate at Ludogorets.
Wenderson Galeno fired Braga forward when he transformed a 52nd-minute penalty earlier than Aleksandar Katai replied together with his personal spot-kick, sending goalkeeper Matheus the unsuitable method after defender Radovan Pankov was fouled.
Midtjylland, who wanted a win for a top-two end, will go into the third-tier Europa Convention League the place they’ll meet one of many runners-up for a last-16 berth.
Earlier on Thursday, Napoli secured a playoff berth with an exhilarating 3-2 dwelling win over Leicester Metropolis in Group C which despatched the Premier League facet from first to 3rd within the standings and out of the competitors.
Spartak Moscow topped the group with a 1-0 victory at Legia Warsaw.
