UEFA Europa League 2025-26: Villa, Lyon Win But Forest Falter In Braga
Jadon Sancho scored his first goal for Aston Villa to lift his new club past Fenerbahce 1-0 and into the Europa League round of 16 on Thursday with a game to spare. Lyon also clinched a last-16 spot with a 1-0 victory over Young Boys in Bern, and Freiburg joined them by beating Maccabi Tel Aviv by the same score. Lyon and Villa are level on points (18) with six wins and a loss atop the standings with one game to go the in the league phase. Freiburg is one point behind in third.Like in the Champions League, the top eight finishers advance automatically after eight rounds to the round of 16 while the teams placed from nine to 24 enter a two-leg playoff to progress.
Aston Villa's goalkeeper Marco Bizot, right, makes a save during a Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Aston Villa, in Istanbul, Turkey. | Photo: AP/Francisco Seco
Aston Villa's Jadon Sancho, right, celebrates with teammate Youri Tielemans after scoring the opening goal during a Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Aston Villa, in Istanbul, Turkey. | Photo: AP/Francisco Seco
Fenerbahce's Kerem Akturkoglu, right, is tackled by Aston Villa's Lamare Bogarde during a Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Aston Villa, in Istanbul, Turkey. | Photo: AP/Francisco Seco
Fenerbahce's Kerem Akturkoglu celebrates scoring his side's first goal, that later was disallowed, during a Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Aston Villa, in Istanbul. | Photo: AP/Francisco Seco
Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings, top, Aston Villa's goalkeeper Marco Bizot, left, and Fenerbahce's Anderson Talisca, right, fight for the ball during a Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Aston Villa, in Istanbul, Turkey. | Photo: AP/Francisco Seco
Nottingham Forest players walk off the pitch at the end of the Europa League opening phase soccer match between SC Braga and Nottingham Forest in Braga, Portugal. | Photo: AP/Luis Vieira
Nottingham Forest's Dan Ndoye, left, falls to the ground in the box next to Braga's Joao Moutinho during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between SC Braga and Nottingham Forest in Braga, Portugal. | Photo: AP/Luis Vieira
Braga's Ricardo Horta celebrates after Nottingham Forest's Ryan Yates scored an own goal to open the score during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between SC Braga and Nottingham Forest in Braga, Portugal. | Photo: AP/Luis Vieira
Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White shoots and fails to score from the penalty spot during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between SC Braga and Nottingham Forest in Braga, Portugal. | Photo: AP/Luis Vieira
Braga's Sikou Niakate, right, fouls Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between SC Braga and Nottingham Forest in Braga, Portugal. | Photo: AP/Luis Vieira
Nottingham Forest's Dan Ndoye, center, vies for the ball with Braga's Gabri Martinez, center left, and Ricardo Horta during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between SC Braga and Nottingham Forest in Braga, Portugal. | Photo: AP/Luis Vieira
Lyon's players celebrate after the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Young Boys and Olympique Lyonnais, in Bern, Switzerland. | Photo: Anthony Anex/Keystone via AP
Lyon's Clinton Mata, left, and Young Boys' Loris Benito challenge for the ball during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Young Boys and Olympique Lyonnais, in Bern, Switzerland. | Photo: Anthony Anex/Keystone via AP
Lyon's Ainsley Maitland-Niles, second from right, scores the opening goal during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Young Boys and Olympique Lyonnais, in Bern, Switzerland. | Photo: Anthony Anex/Keystone via AP
Young Boys's Alan Virginius, right, and Lyon's Clinton Mata challenge for the ball during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Young Boys and Olympique Lyonnais, in Bern, Switzerland. | Photo: Anthony Anex/Keystone via AP
Young Boys' Paavel Sulc, right, and Lyon's Khalis Merah challenge for the ball during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Young Boys and Olympique Lyonnais, in Bern, Switzerland. | Photo: Alessandro della Valle/Keystone via AP
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