LIGUE 1 CLUB Lyon held off CrystalPalace 3-2 in the Europa League on Thursday, while Sunderland made a late comeback to break the hearts of Portuguese second-division side Torreense.
Bayer Leverkusen went top of the table with a 4-0 win, while AC Milan strolled to victory by the same scoreline.
It was a painful return to his old home for Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage as the Uefa Conference League champions fell to their fourth defeat of the season in all competitions.
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Lyon took the lead inside the opening 10 minutes when Corentin Tolisso was quickest to react to the dropping ball at a corner to prod the hosts in front.
Ernest Nuamah doubled Lyon’s advantage two minutes into first-half injury time as he tucked home Keito Nakamura’s cross at the end of a slick move.
A clever set-piece routine allowed Yeremy Pino to halve the deficit for Palace early in the second period.
A clever close-range flick by Pavel Sulc then restored the two-goal buffer for Paulo Fonseca’s charges just inside the final quarter-hour.
Kamada smashed home a second for Palace with nine minutes on the clock but the home side held out to make it two wins from two to start the league phase.
In the Estadio Municipal de Leiria, Portuguese Cup winners Torreense looked set to hold their Premier League opponents to a draw until Noah Sadiki’s 93rd-minute strike made it 2-1 for the visitors.
The 15th-placed side in Portugal’s second division stunned Sunderland in the 37th minute as centre-half Volnei Feltes cut past a flimsy challenge and unleashed a piledriver 30 yards from goal, which left Robin Roefs rooted to the spot.
Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris sent on first-team regulars Granit Xhaka and Enzo Le Fee just shy of the hour and the move paid dividends as Jules Ahoka struck shortly afterwards to level the scores.
After a lengthy VAR check decided against awarding Sunderland a late penalty, Torreense must have thought they had done enough to earn a famous point until Sadiki popped up at the death to thrash in the winner.
Fellow Premier League outfit Bournemouth enjoyed a fine home debut in Europe as they eased to a 3-0 win over Sturm Graz, courtesy of goals by Evanilson, Rayan and Alvaro Rodriguez.
Juventus fought from behind to emerge 2-1 victors at Celta Vigo after Newcastle loanee Nick Woltemade made it two from two in Europe to cancel out Hugo Alvarez’s opener for the hosts, and Randal Kolo Muani scored an injury-time winner.
- Cisse on fire -
Bayer Leverkusen sit pretty at the top of the standings as they followed up their opening 2-0 win with a 4-0 success at Polish side Lech Poznan.
Czech striker Patrik Schick was on target twice from the penalty spot in the first half, either side of a Malik Tillman goal, to ensure the points were wrapped up for Carles Martinez’s side before the interval. Ibrahim Maza added a late fourth.
AC Milan cruised to a 4-0 victory at Red Bull Salzburg, courtesy of a hat-trick scored by Italian teenager Alphadjo Cisse.
Club-record signing Goncalo Ramos made it four on 72 minutes before a red card for Filippo Terracciano took some of the sheen off the win for Ruben Amorim’s men.
La Liga’s Real Sociedad followed up their matchday one loss at home to Bournemouth with a 1-1 draw at Union Saint-Gilloise.
Brighton coasted to a 4-0 win over Lithuanian opponents Kauno Zalgiris to launch their Conference League bid, while Ligue 1 leaders Monaco earned a 2-1 victory at CSKA Sofia.
Georginio Rutter slotted in a cutback from Ibrahim Osman as Brighton took the lead late in the first half at the Amex, with the goal awarded after a VAR review as the Ghanaian just managed to keep the ball in play.
Rutter turned provider for Jack Hinshelwood as Brighton struck again on the stroke of half-time before the Frenchman netted his second of the night on 53 minutes.
Matt O’Riley headed in his first goal in over a year to complete the rout and the Seagulls extended their winning run in all competitions to five matches.
Brighton beat Norwegian side Tromso 4-0 in the play-off round in August to reach the league phase. Their only past taste of European football came when they reached the last 16 of the 2023-24 Europa League.
However, they are viewed as favourites in the Conference League and will seek to become the third English winner in as many years after Chelsea and Crystal Palace. West Ham also lifted the trophy in 2023.
In-form striker Paris Brunner scored for the seventh time in eight games as Monaco won in Bulgaria.
The Germany U21 international fired Filipe Luis’s team into an early lead and Ansu Fati added a second before half-time. CSKA pulled one back through Dutchman Joel Zwarts.
Four-time European champions Ajax slid to a 2-1 loss at Hajduk Split, while Atalanta eased to a 3-1 victory over Pafos.
Former Liverpool star Mohamed Salah was on target in Trabzonspor’s 4-2 win away to Finland’s KuPS Kuopio.
Freiburg, last season’s Europa League runners-up and surprise Bundesliga pacesetters this term, continued their fine form with a 3-2 win over Czech side Jablonec, while Hearts drew 1-1 with Danish outfit Nordsjaelland.
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Lyon down Palace in Europa League, Sunderland leave it late
LAST UPDATE | 15 Oct
LIGUE 1 CLUB Lyon held off Crystal Palace 3-2 in the Europa League on Thursday, while Sunderland made a late comeback to break the hearts of Portuguese second-division side Torreense.
Bayer Leverkusen went top of the table with a 4-0 win, while AC Milan strolled to victory by the same scoreline.
It was a painful return to his old home for Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage as the Uefa Conference League champions fell to their fourth defeat of the season in all competitions.
Lyon took the lead inside the opening 10 minutes when Corentin Tolisso was quickest to react to the dropping ball at a corner to prod the hosts in front.
Source: TNT Sports Football/YouTubeErnest Nuamah doubled Lyon’s advantage two minutes into first-half injury time as he tucked home Keito Nakamura’s cross at the end of a slick move.
A clever set-piece routine allowed Yeremy Pino to halve the deficit for Palace early in the second period.
A clever close-range flick by Pavel Sulc then restored the two-goal buffer for Paulo Fonseca’s charges just inside the final quarter-hour.
Kamada smashed home a second for Palace with nine minutes on the clock but the home side held out to make it two wins from two to start the league phase.
In the Estadio Municipal de Leiria, Portuguese Cup winners Torreense looked set to hold their Premier League opponents to a draw until Noah Sadiki’s 93rd-minute strike made it 2-1 for the visitors.
Source: TNT Sports Football/YouTubeThe 15th-placed side in Portugal’s second division stunned Sunderland in the 37th minute as centre-half Volnei Feltes cut past a flimsy challenge and unleashed a piledriver 30 yards from goal, which left Robin Roefs rooted to the spot.
Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris sent on first-team regulars Granit Xhaka and Enzo Le Fee just shy of the hour and the move paid dividends as Jules Ahoka struck shortly afterwards to level the scores.
After a lengthy VAR check decided against awarding Sunderland a late penalty, Torreense must have thought they had done enough to earn a famous point until Sadiki popped up at the death to thrash in the winner.
Fellow Premier League outfit Bournemouth enjoyed a fine home debut in Europe as they eased to a 3-0 win over Sturm Graz, courtesy of goals by Evanilson, Rayan and Alvaro Rodriguez.
Juventus fought from behind to emerge 2-1 victors at Celta Vigo after Newcastle loanee Nick Woltemade made it two from two in Europe to cancel out Hugo Alvarez’s opener for the hosts, and Randal Kolo Muani scored an injury-time winner.
- Cisse on fire -
Bayer Leverkusen sit pretty at the top of the standings as they followed up their opening 2-0 win with a 4-0 success at Polish side Lech Poznan.
Czech striker Patrik Schick was on target twice from the penalty spot in the first half, either side of a Malik Tillman goal, to ensure the points were wrapped up for Carles Martinez’s side before the interval. Ibrahim Maza added a late fourth.
AC Milan cruised to a 4-0 victory at Red Bull Salzburg, courtesy of a hat-trick scored by Italian teenager Alphadjo Cisse.
Club-record signing Goncalo Ramos made it four on 72 minutes before a red card for Filippo Terracciano took some of the sheen off the win for Ruben Amorim’s men.
La Liga’s Real Sociedad followed up their matchday one loss at home to Bournemouth with a 1-1 draw at Union Saint-Gilloise.
Brighton coasted to a 4-0 win over Lithuanian opponents Kauno Zalgiris to launch their Conference League bid, while Ligue 1 leaders Monaco earned a 2-1 victory at CSKA Sofia.
Source: TNT Sports Football/YouTubeGeorginio Rutter slotted in a cutback from Ibrahim Osman as Brighton took the lead late in the first half at the Amex, with the goal awarded after a VAR review as the Ghanaian just managed to keep the ball in play.
Rutter turned provider for Jack Hinshelwood as Brighton struck again on the stroke of half-time before the Frenchman netted his second of the night on 53 minutes.
Matt O’Riley headed in his first goal in over a year to complete the rout and the Seagulls extended their winning run in all competitions to five matches.
Brighton beat Norwegian side Tromso 4-0 in the play-off round in August to reach the league phase. Their only past taste of European football came when they reached the last 16 of the 2023-24 Europa League.
However, they are viewed as favourites in the Conference League and will seek to become the third English winner in as many years after Chelsea and Crystal Palace. West Ham also lifted the trophy in 2023.
In-form striker Paris Brunner scored for the seventh time in eight games as Monaco won in Bulgaria.
The Germany U21 international fired Filipe Luis’s team into an early lead and Ansu Fati added a second before half-time. CSKA pulled one back through Dutchman Joel Zwarts.
Four-time European champions Ajax slid to a 2-1 loss at Hajduk Split, while Atalanta eased to a 3-1 victory over Pafos.
Former Liverpool star Mohamed Salah was on target in Trabzonspor’s 4-2 win away to Finland’s KuPS Kuopio.
Freiburg, last season’s Europa League runners-up and surprise Bundesliga pacesetters this term, continued their fine form with a 3-2 win over Czech side Jablonec, while Hearts drew 1-1 with Danish outfit Nordsjaelland.
– © AFP 2026
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