Juventus suffer more frustration in draw with Nantes

TURIN, Italy, February 16 (Reuters) – Juventus’ disappointing season continued as they ended in a 1-1 draw with Nantes in Thursday’s Europa League play-off home game.

Juventus clinched one win from six Champions League group games to advance to the Europa League play-offs and after their supporters also deducted 15 Serie A points over financial irregularities, their supporters have endured a miserable season.

The play-off was a welcome relief for the Turin giants against a 13th-place finish in France’s Ligue 1, and the hosts took an early lead when Serbia striker Dusan Vlahovic swept a Federico Chiesa header over goal.

Chiesa was unlucky not to double his side’s lead early in the second half after his powerful shot hit the underside of the crossbar, bounced off the goal line and came out.

However, Nantes used that stab to level nicely on the hour mark when Ludovic Blas slammed the ball into the net after a quick counterattack.

Nantes’ woodwork was shaken again as Angel Di Maria’s corner dodged everyone and hit the crossbar, but Juve eluded a winner on another frustrating night.

Six-time Europa League record winners Sevilla beat PSV Eindhoven 3-0 at home thanks to goals from Youssef En Nesyri, Lucas Ocampos and Nemanja Gudelj.

After being knocked out of the Champions League and winning just six games in all competitions, Sevilla have endured a difficult season and put in an impressive performance in their favorite competition.

In Lisbon, Portuguese champions Sporting were held back by a 1-1 home draw against Denmark’s Midtjylland.

Sporting controlled the pace of the game but failed to convert their dominance into goals. Pedro Goncalves missed a sitter in the first half and Paulinho ruled out a goal for offside in the second half.

The Danes found Emam Ashour in the 77th minute after a poor clearance by veteran Sporting goalkeeper Antonio Adan, who found an empty goal with a first shot from long-range.

However, Sporting managed to salvage a tie thanks to a muddled shot from close range by Sebastian Coates.

Monaco captain Axel Disasi thundered in added time to his team’s 3-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg.

The visitors unexpectedly took the lead in the ninth minute when Leverkusen keeper Lukas Hradecky, under pressure from Breel Embolo, lost control of a back pass, stumbled over the ball and slapsticked it into his own goal.

But the hosts struck twice early in the second half to bounce back. Moussa Diaby shot through the legs of keeper Alexander Nübel to equalize before teenager Florian Wirtz scored a glorious solo goal.

Monaco, coming on after a 3-1 Ligue 1 win over Paris St Germain, equalized with a rocket from Krepin Diatta in the 74th minute before Disasi snatched his side the win in the fatality.

Reporting by Peter Hall, editing by Ed Osmond

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