By Eden Roitfarb and Yossi Medina
As we reach the halfway point of this season’s Europa Conference League group stage, here are the highlights from matchday three.
Aston Villa thrash AZ
Aston Villa v AZ is one match that could easily be repeated in the knockout stages.
In the first match between the two sides in the group, Aston Villa proved they are contenders.
They won 4-1 away, with last year’s semi-finalists unable to deal with the English side.
For Unai Emery and his team, following a bad start to the group stage, it’s another win and a strong performance to go with it.
✅ Goal 🆚 West Ham
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) October 27, 2023
✅ Goal and Assist 🆚 AZ Alkmaar
Low socks Leon. 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/BXlzoU0I1I
Six goals each for the big names
6-0, 6-0. No, it’s not Roland Garros, but rather two statement wins from Eintracht Frankfurt and Fiorentina.
Neither team has started the season well, but both are expected to go far in the tournament.
Vincenzo Italiano’s Italians dominated Cukaricki with a series of ‘golazos’, notably from Jonathan Ikone, Lucas Beltran and Maxime Lopez.
An easy win, and their first after two draws.
Frankfurt meanwhile made light work of HJK Helsinki, making Dino Topmoller’s job seemingly more stable after a series of wins.
Eric Junior Dina Ebimbe scored a brace, his first ever European goals.
And this means that the group is now in clear control of the Germans and PAOK.
🦅 Frankfurt's biggest win in Europe since 1993 ✨@eintracht_eng || #UECL pic.twitter.com/RXGBHBWHKC
— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) October 27, 2023
Bodo Glimt back in control
In Matchday 2, Club Brugge became the first team to beat Bodo Glimt in their own stadium in Conference League history.
Today, however, the Norwegian side regained control of their home territory with a highly impressive display against Besiktas.
Albert Gronbaek, Faris Moumbagna and Ulrik Saltnes were all on target to make it 3-0 to Bodo on a cold Norwegian night.
The Turkish side managed to get a goal back via an unusual Brede Moe own goal.
Unlike their counterparts Fenerbahce, Besiktas have failed to impress at the start of the year, and are currently bottom of the group with one point.
Bodo are now in second place with four points.
FØRR EVIG 💛 pic.twitter.com/njfKNpE91M
— FK Bodø/Glimt (@Glimt) October 26, 2023
Shocking win for Klaksvik
The Faroese fairytale keeps going.
After drawing against Lille in the last matchday, Klaksvik put on another great performance as they defeated Olimpija Ljubljana 3-0 at home.
Not only is it the first-ever win for a Faroese club in a European group stage match, but it’s also one of Klaksvik’s biggest wins in European football.
Until this season, Klaksvik had only won three games by a margin of three goals or more, two of them against Tre Fiori of San Marino.
This season, they had already recorded a 3-0 win against Ferencvaros, and have now done it again.
🇫🇴 KÍ Klaksvík made history by becoming the first Faroe Islands club to record a group-stage victory in UEFA competition 👏
— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) October 27, 2023
📸: @KI_Klaksvik || #UECL pic.twitter.com/rj9Sl6QHtu
PAOK come back from behind in Scotland
Tonight’s biggest drama came from northern Scotland, where Aberdeen were hoping to achieve their first ever Conference League win, against PAOK Thessaloniki.
The Pittodrie faithful felt like things were going their way en route to a famous European night, as the second half opened with goals from Bojan Miovski and Dante Polvara in the 50th and 58th minute respectively.
But PAOK showed their grit, quality and experience to turn the game around.
Goals from Kiril Despodov and club captain Vierinha made it 2-2 in the 84th minute.
The climax came in the final seconds of the game, as Aberdeen defender Slobodan Rubezic committed a silly foul on the edge of the box to give the Greeks a penalty.
With the final kick of the game, Stefan Schwab slotted home to win the game 3-2, sending the traveling away fans into delirium.
Edited by Alex Smith
Thumbnail photo by Aston Villa FC
