Mourinho Gets Red Card as Fenerbahce Holds Man United to 1-1 Draw in Europa League

Fenerbahce's head coach Jose Mourinho greets Manchester United's players prior the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Manchester United at Sukru Saracoglu stadium, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Fenerbahce's head coach Jose Mourinho greets Manchester United's players prior the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Manchester United at Sukru Saracoglu stadium, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
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Mourinho Gets Red Card as Fenerbahce Holds Man United to 1-1 Draw in Europa League

Fenerbahce's head coach Jose Mourinho greets Manchester United's players prior the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Manchester United at Sukru Saracoglu stadium, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Fenerbahce's head coach Jose Mourinho greets Manchester United's players prior the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Manchester United at Sukru Saracoglu stadium, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Jose Mourinho received a red card but his Fenerbahce team still held his former club Manchester United to a 1-1 draw in the Europa League on Thursday.
Erik ten Hag's squad led early from Christian Eriksen's 15th-minute goal only to see Youssef En-Nesyri equalize in the 49th, heading home unmarked from close range on a cross from Allan Saint-Maximin.
It was United's third straight draw in the second-tier competition.
Mourinho received a red card after his team was not awarded a spot kick around the hour mark, The Associated Press reported.
“My boys played an amazing match,” Mourinho told TNT Sports. “We played against a team that is at a superior level to us. We finished the game with a center-back playing at right-back and a right-back at left-back. We had to do a crazy puzzle but our performance was extraordinary and I couldn’t ask for anything more from the players.”
Mourinho led United to the Europa League title in 2017 during his 2½ years at Old Trafford. He took the Fenerbahce job in this past offseason.
Elsewhere, Richarlison scored a 53rd-minute penalty for Tottenham to beat Alkmaar 1-0 and stay unbeaten in the competition. Alkmaar’s David Møller Wolfe got a red card in the 85th.
Spurs forward Son Heung-min sat out because he was “a bit sore” after Saturday’s 4-1 win over West Ham in the Premier League, manager Ange Postecoglou said.
Anderlecht and Lazio stayed perfect with 2-0 victories — with both opponents reduced to 10 men.
Anderlecht beat Ludogorets at home after Caio Vidal was sent off. Lazio took home three points from Twente when goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall was sent off in the 11th minute.
Porto’s Samu scored his fourth goal of the campaign and Tiago Djaló added another one for Porto to beat Hoffenheim 2-0 for the Portuguese club's first win of the campaign.
Václav Černý scored two goals to lead Rangers to a 4-0 rout of FCSB while Lyon was upset 1-0 at home by Besiktas.
Roma needed a penalty to beat Dynamo Kyiv 1-0 for its first Europa League victory under new coach Ivan Jurić.
Summer signing Artem Dovbyk converted from the spot in the 23rd minute to get the Italian team in the win column after a draw and a loss in the second-tier competition.
Ajax beat Qarabag 3-0 in Baku after the home team was reduced to 10 men in the 15th minute when midfielder Júlio Romão received a straight red card.
Kenneth Taylor scored some 20 minutes later. In the second half, Wout Weghorst converted a penalty and substitute Chuba Akpom put the result beyond doubt in the 77th. Two minutes later, Qarabag went down to nine men when Elvin Jafarguliyev also saw a red card.
Eintracht Frankfurt, the 2022 Europa League winner, got a late goal from substitute Hugo Larsson to edge Latvia’s RFS 1-0.
PAOK came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw with Czech side Viktoria Plzen in Thessaloniki.
Real Sociedad earned its first win, 2-1 away to Maccabi Tel-Aviv in a game played in Belgrade, Serbia due to the regional conflict.
Conference League Chelsea routed Panathinaikos 4-1 in Athens to make it two wins from two in the third-tier Conference League.
João Félix scored twice — his first one set up by Mykhailo Mudryk in the 22nd minute. The visitors added three more in the first 14 minutes of the second half through Mudryk, Felix’s second and Christopher Nkunku’s penalty. Facundo Pellistri netted for Panathinaikos in the 69th.
Jonathan Ikoné’s two goals led Fiorentina past St. Gallen 4-2 in Switzerland and Real Betis played 1-1 with Copenhagen.
Iceland's Vikingur beat Belgium's Cercle Brugge 3-1 to record its first victory in Europe.



Al-Sadd Clinches Asian Champions League Playoffs Spot after Beating Al-Nassr

Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Nassr v Damac - Al Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 29, 2024 Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their second goal with Ali Lajami REUTERS/Stringer
Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Nassr v Damac - Al Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 29, 2024 Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their second goal with Ali Lajami REUTERS/Stringer
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Al-Sadd Clinches Asian Champions League Playoffs Spot after Beating Al-Nassr

Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Nassr v Damac - Al Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 29, 2024 Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their second goal with Ali Lajami REUTERS/Stringer
Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Nassr v Damac - Al Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 29, 2024 Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their second goal with Ali Lajami REUTERS/Stringer

Cristiano Ronaldo was absent when Al-Nassr lost for the first time in the AFC Champions League Elite, to Al-Sadd of Qatar 2-1 on Monday.

Al-Nassr was already guaranteed a place in the round of 16 so Ronaldo, who has five goals in his last three matches, was rested. He watched from the sidelines, The Associated Press reported.
Al-Sadd took the lead through Akram Afif, named the Asian player of the year in November, eight minutes after the break.
While Sadio Mane and Anderson Talisca went close for Al-Nassr, an own goal from close range by Romain Saiss made it 1-1 with 10 minutes remaining.
However, Afif was brought down in the area and, in the ninth minute of added time, Algeria’s Adam Ounas converted the penalty.
The win ensured 2011 champion Al-Sadd booked a place in the round of 16, moving into fourth in the 12-team group, a point behind Al-Nassr in third. The top eight from each of the two groups progress to the knockout stage.
“It was a tough and close game,” Al-Sadd coach Felix Sanchez said. “We worked hard to stop Al-Nassr having the ball, and to win at their home stadium. The players showed their character.”
Al-Ahli was first in the group after the Saudi Arabian side was held by Esteghlal of Iran to 2-2.
Ivan Toney scored both goals for the host in Jeddah. Raphael Silva opened the scoring for the Tehran team after 42 minutes but Toney made it 1-1 just before the break from the spot.
Mohammad Hossein Eslami restored Esteghlal’s lead six minutes after the restart but Toney scored his second penalty four minutes from the end, a fourth goal in Asia for the England striker in the space of a week.
Elsewhere, Persepolis of Iran beat Al-Shorta of Iraq 2-1, while Al-Wasl of the United Arab Emirates drew with Al-Rayyan of Qatar 1-1.