Europa League: Amad hits brace as Manchester United down PAOK, Tottenham beaten

Manchester United secured a 2-0 victory over PAOK, marking their first Europa League win this season. Meanwhile, Tottenham's unbeaten run ended with a 3-2 loss to Galatasaray, and Lazio claimed the top spot with a win against Porto.

In Short

• Manchester United secured their first win of the Europa League 2024-25 campaign
• 10-men Tottenham were beaten by Galatasaray thanks to an Osimhen brace
• Lazio continued their 100 percent record and remained on top of standings

Manchester United secured their first Europa League victory of the season with a 2-0 win over PAOK, while Tottenham Hotspur’s unbeaten run ended in a dramatic 3-2 loss to Galatasaray, and Lazio climbed to the top of the standings with a 2-1 win against Porto on Thursday. Ajax dominated Maccabi Tel Aviv with a 5-0 scoreline, Athletic Bilbao mounted a comeback to defeat Ludogorets 2-1, and Anderlecht missed a chance to join Lazio at the top after conceding a late own goal that led to a draw against RFS in Latvia.

Manchester United’s breakthrough came courtesy of Amad Diallo, who netted both goals in the third game under interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy. Diallo’s first goal, a looping header from a Bruno Fernandes cross, came shortly after halftime. He followed it up with a solo effort 13 minutes from the end, securing United’s first Europa League win this season after three previous draws under former manager Erik ten Hag.

United now sit three points behind Spurs, who, despite playing with 10 men, nearly staged a comeback in Istanbul. Galatasaray's Yunus Akgun opened the scoring with a spectacular half-volley, but Spurs equalized through a simple finish by Will Lankshear after Brennan Johnson’s assist. A defensive lapse allowed Mauro Icardi to dispossess Radu Dragusin, and Dries Mertens set up Victor Osimhen for Galatasaray’s second goal. Osimhen added another before the break, and despite Lankshear being sent off in the second half, Spurs pulled one back when Dominic Solanke skillfully back-heeled Pedro Porro's cross into the net.

Lazio remain top

Lazio maintained their perfect record with a fourth consecutive win, taking the top spot thanks to Pedro’s injury-time strike. Alessio Romagnoli had opened the scoring with a header, and Porto equalized through Stephen Eustaquio. But in the dying seconds, Pedro converted a cross from Gustav Isaksen, sealing a crucial win.

Anderlecht could have joined Lazio on 12 points, with Mario Stroeykens putting them ahead late in the game, but they were denied the win when Moussa N'diaye's own goal gifted RFS a last-minute equalizer. Athletic Bilbao moved to 10 points with a come-from-behind win against Ludogorets, as Inaki Williams and Nicolas Serrano netted two quick goals in the second half.

Ajax, also on 10 points, swept Maccabi Tel Aviv aside with goals from Bertrand Traore, Kenneth Taylor, Mika Godts, Brian Brobbey, and Kian Fitz-Jim. Eintracht Frankfurt stayed close behind Lazio with a 1-0 win over Slavia Prague, courtesy of Omar Marmoush’s direct free-kick goal.

Elsewhere, AS Roma were held to a 1-1 draw by Union Saint-Gilloise after Gianluca Mancini’s opener was canceled out by Kevin MacAllister, leaving Roma in 20th place with just five points in the standings.