Hoffenheim shock Lyon while Leverkusen and Ferencvarosi lead Europa League League Stage - 3

Hoffenheim’s shock win reshapes the picture

1899 Hoffenheim produced the round’s biggest surprise by beating Lyon 3-0, despite entering the match from #31 while Lyon were #11. Andrej Kramarić opened the scoring at 45', Adam Daghim struck at 49', and Adam Hložek completed the result at 83'. Lyon remain on 6 points in the current standings, while 1899 Hoffenheim have 0 points.

Anderlecht also delivered a major upset, winning 3-0 away to Jagiellonia. Mihajlo Cvetkovic scored at 21', Marten Winkler added a second at 72', and Jayden Onia-Seke finished the scoring at 80'. Jagiellonia are #20 on 3 points, while Anderlecht are #30 on 0 points.

Across all 18 matches of Europa League League Stage - 3, teams scored 63 goals.

Leverkusen and Ferencvarosi set the pace

Bayer Leverkusen remain #1 on 9 points after Jonas Hofmann scored twice, at 35' and 38', in a 2-0 win over OFI. Ferencvarosi TC are #2 on 9 points after beating Torreense 4-1. Bamidele Isa Yusuf, Mariano Gómez and Krisztian Lisztes scored for Ferencvarosi TC, while Mohamed Ali Diadie’s 80' own goal counted for Ferencvarosi TC. Manuel Pozo scored Torreense’s goal at 23'.

Union St. Gilloise are #3 on 7 points after a 4-0 victory over Hapoel Beer Sheva. Raul Florucz opened the scoring with a penalty at 45', Guilherme Smith scored at 60' and 81', and Dylan Aquino struck at 77'. Juventus are #4 on 7 points after drawing 2-2 with Rennes, with Zeki Çelik and Nick Woltemade scoring for Juventus and Mousa Al-Tamari and Boulaye Dia replying for Rennes. Sunderland are #5 on 7 points after drawing 1-1 with Lech Poznan.

Benfica, Beşiktaş, AZ Alkmaar, Bournemouth, Omonia Nicosia, Lyon and Olympiakos Piraeus occupy positions #6 through #12, all on 6 points. Benfica won 4-1 at Omonia Nicosia, Beşiktaş drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace, AZ Alkmaar won 4-0 at Ararat-Armenia, Bournemouth beat AC Milan 3-0, and Olympiakos Piraeus defeated Sparta Praha 1-0 through Armando González’s 78' goal.

Late goals and heavy wins define the middle

NEC Nijmegen beat Dinamo Zagreb 4-2, overturning a match in which Dion Drena Beljo had put Dinamo ahead twice. Bryan Linssen scored twice for NEC Nijmegen, while Tjaronn Chery added the final goal at 80'. Celje drew 2-2 with Red Bull Salzburg after A. Kučys equalised at 90'.

Real Sociedad recorded the round’s largest margin, winning 6-0 at Lillestrom. Sergio Gómez scored twice, as did Luka Sučić, with further goals from Orri Steinn Óskarsson and Arsen Zakharyan. Celtic lost 2-1 to Celta Vigo after Javier Rodríguez Galiano scored twice in the second half. Plzen lost 2-1 to Levski Sofia, while Sturm Graz beat Marseille 1-0 through Oumar Diakité’s 13' goal.

The lower table remains unsettled

At the bottom, Celtic are #33 on 0 points, Marseille #34 on 0 points, Celje #35 on 0 points and Ararat-Armenia #36 on 0 points. Celta Vigo, Anderlecht, 1899 Hoffenheim and Plzen also have 0 points. These standings identify the current lower-table group, but the supplied results do not establish a relegation outcome.

The round has therefore widened the contrast between the leaders on 9 points and the teams still searching for their first points, while the crowded upper section leaves several sides separated by only a small points margin.