Olympiakos Piraeus pulled off a stunning 3-1 UEFA Europa League win over AC Milan which put them into the last 32 and sent the Italians crashing out on Thursday.
The defeat came for AC Milan on a day the remaining places in the knockout stage were decided, leaving it difficult for the Italian giants to make amends.
All the goals in Greece came in a thrilling second half, with AC Milan defender Cristian Zapata scoring an own goal to make it 2-0 to Olympiakos in the 70th minute.
He pulled one back for his side two minutes later, though.
Yet AC Milan’s defensive frailty was punished when Konstantinos Fortounis scored from the penalty spot in the 81st minute.
It gave his side the win that left them second in Group F on 10 points.
They edged out the seven-times European champions on goal difference and progressed along with group winners Real Betis.
Chelsea dropped points for the first time this season in the competition as they drew 2-2 with Vidi FC in Budapest.
But the game was overshadowed by allegations of anti-Semitic chanting by the visiting fans.
Swedish side Malmo pulled off one of the bigger shocks of the round, winning 1-0 away to 10-man Besiktas to finish runners-up behind Genk in Group I.
Besiktas’s Ricardo Quaresma was given a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Franz Brorsson in the second half.
Bayer Leverkusen demolished AEK Larnaca 5-1 to finish top of Group A, with FC Zurich finishing runners-up following a 1-1 draw with Ludogorets.
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Group C winners Zenit St Petersburg were comfortably beaten 2-0 away by Slavia Prague, who claimed the runners-up spot.
It rendered Bordeaux’s 1-0 win away to FC Copenhagen meaningless as both sides went out.
Celtic, who were beaten 2-1 at home by a Salzburg side that had already secured top spot in Group B, needed a helping hand from Rosenborg.
The Norwegians secured a 1-1 draw at home to RB Leipzig which knocked out the German side and sent the Scottish champions through.
In spite of a 3-0 thumping by Sevilla, Krasnodar made it out of Group J as Standard Liege could only manage a scoreless draw away to Akhisar.
They will be joined in next Monday’s draw for the knockout stage by Villarreal, Rapid Vienna, Dynamo Kiev and Stade Rennais.
NAN
