Betis hands Milan shock Europa defeat at San Siro
● Danny Welbeck extends Gunners’ winning streak to 11 games ● Poor defending costs Celtic as they lose 2-0 to Leipzig
AC Milan suffered a shock 2-1 Europa League defeat against Real Betis at the San Siro on Thursday, while Arsenal was unstoppable again as it remained perfect in the competition.
Zurich, Salzburg and Dinamo Zagreb also picked up their third victories in as many group-stage games to move a step closer to reaching the knockout stage.
Here's a look at the action:
MILAN FRUSTRATION
Led up front by Gonzalo Higuain, seven-time European champion Milan looked hungry in the opening stages. But Betis was also dangerous in attack and Toni Sanabria's close-range effort put the Spanish team 1-0 up after half an hour.
Higuain wasted a good chance in a one-on-one with Pau Lopez late in the first half. The Argentina forward argued that he was brought down as he rounded the Betis goalkeeper, but the referee was unimpressed and showed him a yellow card.
Giovani Lo Celso fired a left-foot shot from long range in the 55th minute to make it 2-0 before substitute Patrick Cutrone pulled one back for Milan seven minutes from time.
Milan's Samuel Castillejo, who hit the post earlier, was sent off for a rough tackle in injury time.
Betis tops Group F with seven points, one ahead of Milan. Olympiacos follows on four after a 2-0 victory at Dudelange. and Danny Welbeck led the attack and it was the England international who scored the winner 13 minutes from time as the London club won away against a Portuguese opponent for the first time at the seventh attempt.
Arsenal has a maximum nine points in Group E, three ahead of Sporting. Vorskla Poltava won 10 at Qarabag to move up to third with three points.
OTHER GROUPS
Salzburg controls Group B with nine points from three matches after a 3-0 victory at home to Rosenborg.
Munas Dabbur scored twice, once from the penalty spot, and Hannes Wolf also netted. Leipzig is second on six points after a 2-0 win over Celtic (3). Rosenborg has zero points.
Zagreb came from a goal down to beat Slovak side Spartak Trnava 2-1 in Group D.
Poor defending costs Celtic as they lose 2-0 to Leipzig
Celtic’s chances of reaching the Europa League knockout stages took a further hit on Thursday as they were beaten 2-0 by RB Leipzig.
Brendan Rodgers’ men left it late to get the better of Rosenborg in the opening round of matches before being beaten 3-1 in Salzburg last time out.
They were unable to get back to winning ways in Leipzig, however, as Matheus Cunha and Bruma scored in the opening half for the hosts.
Cunha had been threatening to find the net before he eventually broke the deadlock after 31 minutes, Celtic failing to deal with a Marcel Sabitzer cross before giving the Brazilian forward the time and space to fire home from the centre of the penalty area.
Bruma’s goal followed four minutes later as he reacted quickly to punish some more suspect defending from the Scottish champions.
Combined with their costly defensive lapses, Celtic offered little going forward, and they almost fell three behind when Jean-Kevin Augustin had a fierce strike tipped onto the post by Craig Gordon after 65 minutes.
The result lifts second-placed Leipzig three points clear of Celtic in Group B after three matches, while Salzburg are a further three points ahead of the German club following their 3-0 victory over Rosenborg on Thursday.
Lazio conquer Marseille
A Wallace header, Felipe Caicedo counter-attack and Adam Marusic stunner gave Lazio a massive 3-1 win away to Olympique Marseille, putting them five points clear in second place.
This was a crucial showdown between the sides battling for second place behind Eintracht Frankfurt, as the Aquile now have six points and leave Marseille on just one. Ex-Roma men Kevin Strootman and Rudi Garcia were joined by former Milan players Adil Rami and Lucas Ocampos, but Florian Thauvin, Aymen Abdennour and Rolando were sidelined. Suspended Joaquin Correa and Dusan Basta were left behind, along with Milan Badelj, Luis Alberto, Riza Durmisi and Alessandro Murgia.
Coach Simone Inzaghi had an historic evening against Marseille on March 14, 2000, as he became the first and so far only Italian player to score four goals in a single Champions League match. He picked up a poker in the 5-1 triumph at the Stadio Olimpico under Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson – and saw a penalty saved too.
Lazio broke the deadlock with their first corner of the game, as Steve Mandanda came out sluggishly and Wallace soared to nod in at the near post against last season's beaten Europa League Finalists.
Ciro Immobile found Martin Caceres at the back post with an inspired pass, but the Uruguayan came sliding in a second too late to make contact.
Felipe Caicedo had timid penalty appeals for a Kamara tackle after his heavy first touch, but moments later Immobile’s angled drive bounced off the base of the far post from 12 yards.
Francesco Acerbi charged down a dangerous Ocampos volley and Morgan Sanson curled a scorcher inches past the far post.