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Ange's Celtic thumped again, Hammers and Spurs win, Foxes lose in Europe

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30th September, 2021
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Celtic’s rebuilding work will have to continue as Ange Postecoglou’s men suffered a 4-0 Europa League defeat by Bayer Leverkusen at Parkhead.

The hosts went toe-to-toe with the in-form Bundesliga outfit but after a mistake by midfielder David Turnbull in the 25th minute, 19-year-old Ecuador defender Piero Hincapie gave the visitors the crucial lead.

Then 18-year-old star midfielder Florian Wirtz added a second for Gerardo Seoane’s men in the 36th minute and despite strenuous efforts by Celtic to get back into the match – and they had several chances throughout – Lucas Alario added a third from the spot on the hour mark before substitute Amine Adil thrashed in a breakaway fourth in added time.

Postecoglou’s side have now won only two of their last eight games in all competitions, including a 4-3 defeat by Real Betis in their Group G match.

Celtic are in sixth place in the Premiership, six points behind leaders Rangers and return to league duty at Aberdeen on Sunday.

Harry Kane came off the bench to score a 20-minute hat-trick as Tottenham recorded their first Europa Conference League win with a 5-1 victory over NS Mura.

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After a mixed start to the season, including a draw in their Group G opener against Rennes, Spurs dominated the first half against the Slovenian side after scoring two early goals.

Manager Nuno Espirito Santo made nine changes after Sunday’s north London derby defeat, with only Dele Alli and Sergio Reguilon keeping their places.

Alli opened the scoring on four minutes, drilling his penalty into the bottom-left corner after he was fouled by goalkeeper Matko Obradovic.

Leicester City lost 1-0 at Legia Warsaw in Group C in another blow to the English side’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages.

The Polish side Legia now top the standings on a maximum six points, three ahead of Spartak Moscow who fought back to win 3-2 at Napoli on Thursday in a pulsating game after falling behind in the first minute.

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Ayoze Perez missed two first-half chances for Leicester, who were punished for slack defending in the 31st minute when Daniel Amartey failed to clear the danger and Mahir Emreli fired in a precise shot off the post.

Napoli made a dream start when midfielder Eljif Elmas scored after 11 seconds, drilling the ball in from 12 metres after Spartak keeper Aleksandr Maksimenko spilled a cross into the midfielder’s path.

But that was as good as it got for the Italian league leaders after defender Mario Rui was shown a straight red card in the 30th minute for a studs-up challenge on Victor Moses.

They then fell behind 3-1 with two goals from Dutchman Quincy Promes and substitute Mikhail Ignatov, before Maximiliano Caufriez was sent off a minute later.

Victor Osimhen pulled one back in stoppage time but it was too late to spare Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti his first defeat since taking over in May.

Elsewhere, Declan Rice grabbed his second European goal as West Ham won their first ever home Europa League group-stage match 2-0 against Rapid Vienna.

England midfielder Rice struck in the first half to make it two goals in two continental outings for him, and Said Benrahma scored in stoppage time to wrap up two wins from two for the Hammers.

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David Hancko’s goal gave Sparta Prague a 1-0 home win over Scottish champions Rangers and Karl Toko Ekambi struck twice as Olympique Lyonnais cruised to a 3-0 home victory over Brondby in Group A.

PSV Eindhoven brushed aside hosts Sturm Graz 4-1 and Monaco were held to a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad in Group B.

Olympiakos Piraeus romped to a 3-0 win at Fenerbahce on the back of a Giorgos Masouras brace, and a stoppage-time penalty by substitute Goncalo Paciencia gave Eintracht Frankfurt a 1-0 win at Antwerp in Group D.

© AAP

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