Olympique de Marseille overcame AEK Athens 3-1 in the Europa League with two penalties after a red card for the visiting goalkeeper, while Olympiakos Piraeus beat West Ham United 2-1 on Thursday to end the Londoners’ 17-match unbeaten run in Europe.
Vitinha broke the deadlock for Marseille in the 27th minute, bundling home a short-range cross after they had squandered several earlier chances in the Group B clash.
The visitors levelled eight minutes into the second half when Orbelin Pineda received a fortunate break. Initially scuffing a cross, the ball continued into his path, and he made no mistake with the second opportunity.
However, AEK were swiftly under pressure again when their keeper, Cican Stankovic, was sent off for fouling Vitinha inside the box. Amine Harit converted the penalty at the hour mark.
Jordan Veretout made it three for the hosts in the 69th minute from the spot after Nordin Amrabat fouled Renan Lodi.
Marseille are now top of the group with five points after three matches. AEK are second with four points.
The other teams in Group B, Brighton & Hove Albion, who have one point, and Ajax Amsterdam, on two, meet later on Thursday.
WEST HAM LOSE
Olympiakos beat Europa Conference League holders West Ham in Group A as the visitors suffered a rare European defeat.
Kostas Fortounis delivered the opening goal for Olympiakos with a powerful right-foot strike from outside the box, finding the bottom corner after 33 minutes.
Just before halftime the hosts doubled their lead when a Rodinei’s shot was sliced into his own net by Angelo Ogbonna.
West Ham got a consolation goal in the 87th minute courtesy of a powerful Lucas Paqueta volley from the edge of the box.
Group A is now wide open after a second-half hat-trick from SC Freiburg’s Vincenzo Grifo secured a 3-1 victory at Serbian side Backa Topola. Freiburg and West Ham are top of the group with six points, while Olympiakos have four.
Real Betis top Group C with six points after a late Ayoze Perez goal gave them a 1-0 win at Aris Limassol, while Sparta Prague and Rangers played out a 0-0 draw in the Czech capital.
Atalanta thought they had secured a win in Group D after Luis Muriel scored twice but 10-man Sturm Graz converted a late penalty to come away with a 2-2 draw in Austria.
The Italians stay top with seven points as 10-man Sporting had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Rakow Czestochowa, who scored late through Fabian Piasecki to cancel out Sebastian Coates’ first-half goal.
Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres was shown a red card for a foul after eight minutes. The Portuguese now have four points.
(REUTERS)