Europa MD2 Results: Lyon 3-2 Palace, Benfica 4-1, Juve Late
Oct 16: Europa League MD2 reported Thursday — Lyon 3-2 Crystal Palace (Tolisso, Nuamah/Nakamura; Pino 50', Sulc 76' flick, Kamada 81'.
Key takeaways
- Reported Thu: Europa MD2 — Lyon 3-2 Crystal Palace (Tolisso, Nuamah/Nakamura; Pino 50', Sulc 76', Kamada 81'; Sage beaten by ex-club), Benfica 4-1 Celtic (J. Duran Panenka + near-post, Bah volley, Pavlidis; Camilo Duran; woodwork x3), Bournemouth 3-0 Sturm Graz (Evanilson, Rayan, Rodriguez pen; maiden home Euro night; 6/6), Torreense 1-2 Sunderland (late), Juve turnaround at Celta (Kolo Muani stoppage-time winner), Cisse treble Milan 4-0 at Salzburg, Leverkusen 4-0 at Lech, Omonia 3-0 at Celje, Besiktas at Hoffenheim (Oh double), Olympiacos 1-0 at Marseille (Hezze).
- Ballon d'Or D-10 (Oct 26 London): Kane 64%, Yamal 28-29%, Mbappe 4%; Yamal double-nominated (Men's + Young Talent), possible historic 3rd straight Young Talent vs Cubarsi/Diomande/Bouaddi; Dembele: trophy stays at PSG, top 3 Kvara/Kane/Mbappe.
- MW6 banked (Oct 10-12): Arsenal 2-1 Leeds (Justin 55, Calafiori 62, Guimaraes 70), Villa 2-2 Brentford, Chelsea 5-1 Bournemouth (Henderson 2, Pedro 2), Ipswich 2-1 Fulham (90+2 winner), United 1-1 Spurs (Mbeumo 73, Solanke 90+2), Sunderland 0-2 Brighton, Palace 3-1 Forest, Hull 2-2 Everton, Liverpool 0-3 City (Haaland 65, Doku 68, Cherki 78), Coventry 4-1 Newcastle. Table: City 18, Arsenal 15, Brighton 13, Brentford/Everton/Chelsea 10, Leeds/Hull/Liverpool/Ipswich 9, Newcastle 8, Palace 7, United/Coventry 6, Forest/Villa 5, Sunderland 4, Bournemouth/Spurs 3, Fulham 2. Scorers: Haaland 6, Joao Pedro 5, Isak 4. Assists: Gross 4.
- MW7 previews Oct 17-19: Sat Everton-Chelsea 12:30, Brentford-Liverpool 15:00, Fulham-Hull 15:00, City-Ipswich 15:00, Newcastle-Villa 17:30; Sun Bournemouth-Sunderland 14:00, Brighton-Palace 14:00, Leeds-United 14:00 Elland Road (H2H 1-2-2), Forest-Arsenal 16:30; Mon Spurs-Coventry 20:00.
Thursday belonged to the second competition: a five-goal thriller in Decines, four in Lisbon, three on the south coast, and a stoppage-time heist in Vigo. Friday banks it all, counts to ten, and looks to Sunday. The review in eight acts: Lyon, Lisbon, the English, the rest, the method, the race, the weekend, and London in ten days.
From the press box — Elena Marsh: Europa MD2 via UEFA.com round-up (Oct 15: all scores/scorers), Guardian (Sage loses 3-2), Goal fixtures lists. Ballon d’Or via Polymarket (Oct 16: 64/28-29/4), ballondor.com (Oct 13: Yamal double nomination, hat-trick watch, rivals), ESPN/Fox (30-man lists, Dembele top 3, Kane 72-73 goals season, ceremony Oct 26 London). MW6 via footballwebpages (Oct 10-12 scores/scorers/attendances), Tribuna table/scores (updated Oct 14), MW7 via footballwebpages fixtures, Leeds-United via Goal H2H/injuries + Squawka/TNT. Reported scores only — never invented, no odds, no tips.
Lyon: 3-2, the reunion that roared
The tie of the night. Lyon 3-2 Crystal Palace (Decines — 2-0 at the break: Tolisso reaction finish, Nuamah from Nakamura in added time; second half: Pino clever set-piece 50’, Sulc flick, Kamada 81’; Richards header saved by Greif late). Subplot: Sage beaten by his ex-club (managed Lyon Nov 2023–Jan 2025). Five goals, former manager, late save — Thursday’s loudest night. Lyon: two wins from two; Palace: first defeat, pride intact.
discover our best football stadiums visit 2026 guide · discover our best travel credit cards no fees guide · discover our bundesliga 2026 27 preview guide
Lisbon: 4-1, the Panenka party
The statement of the night. Benfica 4-1 Celtic (Da Luz — three first-half goals: J. Duran Panenka penalty + near-post finish, Bah volley; Pavlidis clinical edge-of-box; Camilo Duran for Celtic; visitors hit the woodwork three times). Ninth meeting, first in this competition (previous eight all Champions/European Cup: Celtic 4, Benfica 3, one draw). Panenka, volley, woodwork — Lisbon’s loudest night. Benfica: statement made; Celtic: brave, beaten.
The English: Bournemouth 3, Sunderland late
England’s Thursday, banked. Bournemouth 3-0 Sturm Graz (Vitality — maiden European home fixture: Evanilson looping header, Rayan off a corner, Rodriguez late penalty; Tavernier curler off the post; maximum points two matchdays running). Torreense 1-2 Sunderland (Leiria — left it late against the second-tier fairytale). Plus Palace’s 3-2 defeat. Three clubs, two wins, one thriller lost. English Thursday: six points from nine, entertainment maximum.
The rest: Turin heist, Milan treble
Around the grounds, all reported. Celta 1-2 Juventus (Kolo Muani stoppage-time winner completes the turnaround — after Juve’s MD1 5-0 vs NEC). Salzburg 0-4 Milan (Cisse hat-trick: “I’ll carry this form into the next match”). Lech 0-4 Leverkusen + Celje 0-3 Omonia (big road wins). Hoffenheim 1-2 Besiktas (Oh double in a tight one). Marseille 0-1 Olympiacos (Hezze only goal — Velodrome silenced). Heists, trebles, shutouts: Thursday had everything.
The banked weekend: MW6 in full
Saturday-to-Monday, all reported. Arsenal 2-1 Leeds (Emirates, 60,315 — Justin 55’, Calafiori 62’, Guimaraes 70’ comeback). Villa 2-2 Brentford (Yarmolyuk 10’, Jackson 12’, McGinn 77’, Ajer 79’). Chelsea 5-1 Bournemouth (Henderson 2’/70’, Silva og 3’, Pedro 46’/67’, Evanilson 51’). Ipswich 2-1 Fulham (Sessegnon 55’, Ouattara 88’, O’Shea 90+2’, 29,445). United 1-1 Spurs (Old Trafford, 74,129 — Mbeumo 73’, Solanke 90+2’). Sunderland 0-2 Brighton (De Cuyper 53’, Hadjam 90+3’). Palace 3-1 Forest (Ndoye 3’, Kamada 41’, Lerma 45+4’, Pino 59’). Hull 2-2 Everton (Gelhardt 48’, Dewsbury-Hall 55’, Barry 68’, Belloumi 74’). Liverpool 0-3 City (Anfield — Haaland 65’, Doku 68’, Cherki 78’). Coventry 4-1 Newcastle (Monday). Ten games: comebacks, 90+2s, a 5-1 — MW6 banked.
The table: City 18, daylight
Six rounds, clear order. City 18/18 (6-0-0, +11) — perfect. Arsenal 15 (+5). Brighton 13 (+13 scored 18!). Brentford/Everton/Chelsea 10 (unbeaten Brentford/Everton). Leeds/Hull/Liverpool/Ipswich 9. Newcastle 8. Palace 7. United/Coventry 6. Forest/Villa 5. Sunderland 4. Bournemouth/Spurs 3. Fulham 2. Scorers: Haaland 6, Joao Pedro 5, Isak 4; assists Gross 4; clean sheets Verbruggen 4. Perfect leaders, four unbeaten, one winless. City: maximum; the chase: on.
The weekend: Roses at two
The seventh round, previewed. SAT: Everton-Chelsea 12:30, Brentford-Liverpool 15:00, Fulham-Hull 15:00, City-Ipswich 15:00, Newcastle-Villa 17:30. SUN: Bournemouth-Sunderland 14:00, Brighton-Palace 14:00, Leeds-United 14:00 (Elland Road — H2H last five 1-2-2, goals 4-5), Forest-Arsenal 16:30. MON: Spurs-Coventry 20:00. Roses: 7th (9) vs 13th (6) — derby ignores tables. Title: City formalty?, Arsenal can close to three. Weekend: sofa 12:30 to 16:30, twice.
The race: ten days, history pending
Ten days, fresh verdicts. Ballon d’Or, Oct 26, London, 70th. Kane 64%, Yamal 28-29%, Mbappe 4% (Polymarket Oct 16 — $51M volume). Yamal double-nominated (Men’s + Young Talent): a third straight Young Talent (2024, 2025, 2026?) would be unprecedented; rivals Cubarsi, Diomande, Bouaddi. Dembele (2025 winner): trophy stays at PSG; his top three Kvara, Kane, Mbappe (no self-vote). Kane’s case: 72-73 goals club + country, Bundesliga, England third at the World Cup. Yamal’s case: 19, La Liga, world champion with Spain. Ten days: markets lean Kane, history beckons Yamal, London decides.
The quotes: Cisse carries form
The voices of Thursday. Cisse (Milan treble, 4-0 at Salzburg): “I’m very pleased and I’ll definitely carry this form into the next match.” Sage (Palace 3-2 at ex-club Lyon): beaten by the club he managed Nov 2023-Jan 2025 — football’s cruel reunions. Yusuf (Ferencvaros): all three assists in the MD1 3-1 vs Celtic — no player provided more that week. Quotes: scorers promise more, coaches suffer reunions, providers top charts.
The method: bank Thursday, preview Sunday
Friday rhythm: bank Europa MD2 (above) + MW6 (above); preview MW7 (Leeds-United Sun 14:00); count to Ballon d’Or D-10. Thursday’s thrillers archived, Sunday’s derby loading — Europe never pauses.
