European competitions: Aboubakar and Muleka unstoppable

Champions League

Despite a brace from Gabon's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Marseille, who lost the first leg 0-1, were knocked out by Greek side Panathinaikos Athens. The French club won 2-1 but went out on penalties (3-5). The Czech side Sparta Prague suffered the same fate against Denmark's FC Copenhagen (3-3, 2-4 on penalties, 0-0 in the first leg).

Nigeria's Victor Olatunji had scored Sparta's third goal. By contrast, Libya's Ali Mohamed Al-Musrati will continue his run in the Champions League (C1) with Sporting Braga. The Portuguese side comfortably beat Serbia's TSC Backa Topola away (4-1, 3-0 in the first leg), and the Misrata native scored the fourth goal for Os Arcebispos.

Europa League

Beaten 1-2 in the first leg in Kazakhstan by FC Astana (1-2), Bulgaria's Ludogorets Razgrad comfortably secured qualification on home soil (5-1), thanks in particular to a brace from Ghana's Bernard Tekpetey. Gambia's Demba Darboe scored the visitors' only goal. Qarabag (Azerbaijan) confirmed their first-leg victory (2-1) by winning in Finland against HJK Helsinki (2-1).

Algeria's Yassine Benzia scored his side's second goal. By contrast, despite taking the lead through Ghana's Joseph Paintsil, RC Genk (Belgium) were knocked out by Greece's Olympiakos Piraeus (1-1, 0-1 in the first leg).

Europa Conference League

The duo of Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon) and Jackson Muleka (DR Congo) struck again. The two forwards helped Besiktas Istanbul (Turkey) to qualify against Azerbaijan's Neftchi Baku (2-1, 3-1 in the first leg). Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic) won comfortably in Malta against Gzira United (2-0, 4-0 in the first leg), with a goal from Ivory Coast's Ibrahim Traoré. Congo's (DRC) Dieumerci Ndongala gave APOEL Nicosia a win against Georgia's Dila Gori (1-0, 2-0 in the first leg). The adventure continues for Spartak Trnava (Slovakia) against Poland's Lech Poznan (3-1, 1-2 in the first leg). Ghana's Kelvin Ofori opened the scoring for his side. Portugal's Arouca saw their European season end in Norway against Brann Bergen (1-3, 2-1 in the first leg). The Portuguese side's only goal was scored by Guinea's Morlaye Sylla.

Alexis Billebault