Age is just a number for history-making SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2014 SATURDAY, SportsSports Hopkins 45

LIVERPOOL: Everton’s Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku (second right) is challenged by Lille’s French defender Sebastien Corchia (second left) and French midfielder Rio Mavuba (right) during the UEFA Europa League Group H football match. — AFP Everton, Spurs on brink of Europa last 32 Dynamo Moscow, Fiorentina, Legia Warsaw progress

LONDON: Jonatan Soriano’s love affair with number of sides who went into the fourth virtue of a better head-to-head record against Moustapha Bayal Sall as their two teams drew the Europa League continued as last season’s round of matches knowing victory could put PAOK who are third on four points. 1-1 while Dnipro won 2-1 against their top scorer grabbed a hat-trick on Thursday to them through and they had the goalscoring Azerbaijani opponents to leave all four teams help Salzburg become one of four teams to prowess of Soriano to thank for settling the Thick fog in Group F with a chance of advancing. reach the knockout stages. Soriano, one of issue. Celtic’s Group D clash with FC Astra in It was a good night for English sides the hottest goalscoring properties in Europe, The 29-year-old Spaniard, who hit eight Romania looked in danger of being called off Tottenham Hotspur and Everton who moved took his season’s tally to 21 in 17 Europa goals in last season’s competition, moved on as thick fog enveloped the stadium. The to the brink of qualification. Spurs came League and Austrian Bundesliga games after to five this term while strikes from Kevin match went ahead though and the Scottish through a nervy finale to beat Asteras Tripolis a 5-1 win at Dinamo Zagreb that put Salzburg Kampl and Massimo Bruno handed Salzburg outfit missed out on a guaranteed place in the 2-1 in Group C thanks to an Andros Townsend top of the pile in Group D. Dynamo Moscow, their biggest away win in European competi- next stage of the competition after conceding penalty and a Harry Kane header. Everton Fiorentina and Legia Warsaw can also enjoy tion. Fiorentina’s Europa League form has a late equalizer to draw 1-1 in their 300th cruised to a 3-0 home win over Lille in Group the final two rounds of group matches safe in been a welcome tonic following their strug- European game. Celtic, who have eight points H with goals from Leon Osman, Phil Jagielka the knowledge their berths in the last 32 are gles in where they have managed only and are two behind group leaders Salzburg, and Steven Naismith. FC Zurich triumphed 3-2 assured. three wins from 10 games and lie 10th in the could still be caught by third-placed Dinamo in an extraordinary game against Villarreal in The Russian side kept up their perfect table. They looked like falling to their first (three). Group A where all five goals were scored in a record with a 1-0 win over Estoril in Group E, defeat in the Europa League when Maarten It was a similar story for Inter Milan who 10-minute spell in the first half. The 24 win- as did Legia who beat Metalist Kharkiv 2-1 in Martens put PAOK ahead with nine minutes began the day knowing victory over St ners and runners-up from the group stage are Group L. Fiorentina, who had also won their remaining but captain Manuel Pasqual curled Etienne could see them through to the last 32 joined in the last 32 by the eight teams who opening three games, progressed despite home a brilliant free kick at the end to rescue if Qarabag also won against Dnipro fall into Europe’s second-tier competition being held to a 1-1 draw by PAOK Salonika. a draw. That left Fiorentina top of Group K Dnipropetrovsk. Dodo’s first-half effort for after finishing third in their Champions Austrian champions Salzburg were one of a with 10 points and through to the last 32 by Inter was cancelled out by a goal from League sections. — Reuters