Previews

Trio eye European progress

Author: Brandon Barker
Date: 25/02/2010
Football betting

Liverpool, Everton and Fulham get back to their European adventures on Thursday in the Europa League and they all hold slender one-goal advantages going into their last 32 second-leg clashes.

Rafael Benitez's Merseysiders scraped to a 1-0 win at Anfield against fellow Champions League casualties Unirea Urziceni with Frenchman David Ngog grabbing a late winner.

The Romanian minnows will fancy their chances on home soil and will be backed by a partisan crowd in unfamiliar territories for Liverpool's big-earning stars.

With Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard over their respective injury concerns, Benitez will be confident a crucial away-goal would take the tie away from their opponents as they seek a last-16 clash with Lille or Fenerbahce.

Will Liverpool put their Champions League disappointment behind them and grab Europa League success this season? - Latest Football Betting

Everton may end up ruing the last-gasp goal they conceded at Goodison Park despite grabbing a 2-1 first-leg lead against Portugal's Sporting Lisbon.

The Toffees were in cruise control thanks to efforts from Steven Pienaar and Sylvain Distin, but Distin turned hero-to-villain as he hauled Liedson down inside the box to receive his marching orders and allowing Miguel Veloso to put the life back into the contest.

If David Moyes' side can come through their Lisbon date unscathed, they face a mouthwatering showdown with either Spanish side Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray of Turkey.

Last season's beaten finalists Shakhtar Donetsk must shake off a 2-1 first-leg loss by Roy Hodgson's Fulham in Ukraine.

But with a crucial away goal under their belt, the classy outfit are overwhelming sportsbook favourites to win through at the Donbass Arena.

England hope Bobby Zamora scored a spectacular winner as the Cottagers secured the narrowest of advantages last week but Luiz Adriano's important strike could yet prove vital.

With Darijo Srna, Razvan Rat, Ilsinho and Fernandinho offering guile and flair in large quantities, it may be a bridge too far for the Premier League outfit.

The winners will be rewarded with a fantastic last-16 two-legged affair against Italian giants Juventus or Dutch powerhouses Ajax.

Elsewhere, Valencia must overturn a 1-0 deficit after losing at Club Brugge, fellow Spaniard Athletic Bilbao have it all to do after drawing 1-1 at home to Anderlecht and Marseille's passage looks certain after a 3-1 away-day win at FC Copenhagen.

Former England manager Steve McClaren guided his FC Twente outfit to a fine 1-0 home win over Bundesliga side Werder Bremen, while fellow Germans Hamburg hold a slender 1-0 advantage against PSV Eindhoven.

Roma must beat Greek side Panathinaikos at their Stadio Olimpico home following a 3-2 first-leg defeat and German champions Wolfsburg and Villarreal are both well poised after their 2-2 stalemate in Spain.

BET NOW