Europa League: Spurs, Arsenal, Milan win

 

Gareth Bale helped Tottenham to an opening 3-0 victory over LASK of Austria in their Europa League campaign on Thursday.

Despite Bale starting for the first time since his return from Real Madrid, it was on-loan Carlos Vinicius who made an impressive debut as Tottenham enjoyed a 3-0 win in their Group J opener.

Vinicius started in place of the resting Harry Kane and he created goals in either half for Lucas Moura and Son Heung-min, while he would have also netted himself had Andres Andrade not scored an own goal.

Leicester City made the perfect start in Group G with a comfortable 3-0 win over Zorya Luhansk of Ukraine.

James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Kelechi Iheanacho were on the scoresheet.

In Glasgow, Celtic struggled against Serie A leaders AC Milan who were 2-0 up at halftime thanks to goals from Rade Krunic and Brahim Diaz.

Mohamed Elyounoussi reduced the arrears after the break, but Jens Petter Hauge broke clear to secure Milan’s Group H win in stoppage time.

Earlier on Thursday, Arsenal came from behind to down Rapid Vienna 2-1 and Rangers beat Standard Liege 2-0.

After a goalless first half, the Gunners went behind when keeper Bernd Leno fluffed a clearance on a night he will want to forget.

Taxiarchis Fountas capitalised on Leno’s clanger, much to the joy of the 3 000 home fans allowed in to watch under coronavirus safety protocol, but the Gunners then turned the game around in four second-half minutes.

David Luiz put them level with a deft glancing header off Nicolas Pepe’s free-kick, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang then tapping home to bag the three Group B points.

Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen ran riot 6-2 against French side Nice and Spanish side Granada, in their first ever European campaign, beat PSV Eindhoven 2-1.