Amorim’s deja vu and Jorgensen’s heroics: Nine things you might have missed from Thursday’s European action
Thursday nights. They’re mocked, but there aren’t better days for football fans.
With the Europa League and Europa Conference League there were a grand total of 35 games this Thursday. That’s 70 teams in action.
In the Europa League, both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were representing England. Rangers were Scotland’s representatives. Chelsea were also in action in the Europa Conference League, with The New Saints and Hearts representing Wales and Scotland respectively.
Of course, with so many games across the two time slots, it’s practically impossible to keep up with everything. So we’ve rounded up the best stats and stories from Thursday night’s action.
Europa Conference League is Nkunku’s competition
Christopher Nkunku is Chelsea’s top scorer across all competitions this season, netting 11 goals. And he has the Europa Conference League to thank for that.
The Frenchman has struggled for gametime in the Premier League this season, with just 163 minutes across 11 appearances. It’s led to doubts surrounding his future with Enzo Maresca recently having to state there being no intention of selling Nkunku.
He’ll want to keep Nkunku too, if Chelsea wish to win the Europa Conference League. Nkunku scored the opening goal for Chelsea against Heidenheim in Germany, his fifth goal in the league phase so far this season. The Frenchman also scored in both legs of Chelsea’s qualifying play-off, netting in each of his six appearances in the competition.
Excluding the qualifiers, Nkunku is still the first Chelsea player to score in each of his first four major European appearances for the club. He’s the first to score in four consecutive major European games since countryman Olivier Giroud in the 2018-19 Europa League.
4 – Christopher Nkunku is the first Chelsea player to score in each of his first four major European appearances for the club, and first to score in four in a row overall since Olivier Giroud in 2018-19. Notable. pic.twitter.com/8wl3SFyjH1
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 28, 2024
Filip Jorgensen stakes his claim
Things could have been so much different for Chelsea, though, if they didn’t have Filip Jorgensen between the sticks. Goalkeeper has been a weak spot for Chelsea in recent years and Robert Sanchez hasn’t been filling Blues fans with confidence. But Maresca has remained faithful to the Spaniard.
Jorgensen didn’t do his chances of taking that No.1 spot any harm on Thursday, though. The Danish shot-stopper has also had his moments in cup games this season, but he was the reason Chelsea left Germany with three points.
Chelsea faced 16 shots against Heidenheim, the most they have faced in a single Europa Conference League game this season. Eleven of those efforts were on target. But Jorgensen was there to stop every single one. The Dane made 11 saves, more than he had in his previous three Europa Conference League games combined.
In total, Jorgensen prevented 2.18 goals in Germany, a monumental effort.
Rasmus Hojlund earns Amorim first win
Ruben Amorim didn’t have the best start to life as Man United manager. The Portuguese tactician saw his side held to a 1-1 draw by Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Sunday. This, despite Man United taking an early lead.
Man United looked to be suffering a similar fate against Bodo/Glimt on Thursday. The Red Devils took the lead in the opening minute through Alejandro Garnacho but then trailed.
1 – Manchester United have scored in the opening minute of a major European game for the first time since March 1991, when Brian McClair opened the scoring against Montpellier in a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup tie. Speedy.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 28, 2024
Fortunately, Rasmus Hojlund was using his gametime as a chance to show Amorim why he should be starting in the Premier League. The Danish striker started on the bench against Ipswich, with Marcus Rashford leading the line. This was a rotated attack, but it worked for Amorim.
After setting up Garnacho for the opener, Hojlund scored Man United’s equaliser and then the winner either side of half-time. The Dane has now scored eight for Man United in major European competition. Only Marcus Rashford and Wayne Rooney (both nine) have scored more for Man United aged 21 or younger.
Amorim’s bizarre Old Trafford deja vu
Amorim didn’t have it all his way against Bodo/Glimt, who are no strangers to felling big names in European football. After going 1-0 down extremely early on, Bodo/Glimt had silenced Old Trafford.
Hakon Evjen equalised for the visitors before Philip Zinckernagel put them 2-1 up in the 23rd minute. Bodo/Glimt were just the second side to score two goals inside 23 minutes in an away major European game against Man United.
The first team to do so were Sporting Braga, who led 2-0 at Old Trafford in October 2012. Man United eventually won that game 3-2, but playing on the wing for Braga that day was a certain Ruben Amorim.
2 – Bodø/Glimt are just the second side ever to score two goals inside 23 minutes in an away major European game against Man Utd, along with Sporting Braga in October 2012 (2-0 after 20 mins), whose team that day included Ruben Amorim. Coincidence. pic.twitter.com/oqABKsjlJP
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 28, 2024
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Mats Hummels giveth and taketh away
Mats Hummels was making his first start for Roma on Thursday after joining in September. The German veteran had only played 68 minutes for Roma so far, generally being an experienced name on the bench.
It was a start to forget for Hummels, who was late in a challenge on Pape Matar Sarr in just the third minute. Son Heung-min scored from the spot, after a slightly long VAR review, immediately punishing Hummels.
But fast forward 90 minutes, Hummels would be Roma’s hero, bringing Tottenham pain. Evan Ndicka had initially equalised for Roma in the first half, but Brennan Johnson gave Tottenham the lead again. They looked to be holding on to the win under Hummels got involved.
The German was the man at the far post to tap in the equaliser in the 91st minute, earning Roma a share of the points. Hummels is the second oldest scorer for Roma in a major European competition, behind only Francesco Totti. Not bad company at all.
Fabio Vieira’s instant impact
In what may be a surprise to some, Fabio Vieira is still an Arsenal player. The Portuguese midfielder is back at Porto on loan from the Gunners, with his playing time a mixture of starts and substitute appearances.
Porto travelled to Anderlecht in the Europa League on Thursday, hoping to end their poor run against the Belgians. Porto had lost all four of their away games against Anderlecht across all competitions, failing to score a single goal. They scored two on Thursday, though still had to make do with a draw.
The Portuguese side took the lead twice at Lotto Park, with the second coming from Vieira. But what makes the goal remarkable was that he had only just come off the bench. Vieira was brought on for Stephen Eustaquio on 81:15, and by 82:10 he had put Porto ahead. Talk about making a mark.
Hearts broken in Belgium
Hearts are carrying the hopes of Scotland in the Europa Conference League, but it’s not going well. After four games, Hearts have won two and lost two, sitting 17th in the table.
It had started so well for Hearts too, who were perfect after two games. But a defeat to Heidenheim was followed up by a 2-0 loss to Cercle Brugge on Thursday. To make matters worse, Lawrence Shankland missed a penalty to equalise in the 80th minute, sending his effort wide of the mark. Nine minutes later, Cercle Brugge made it 2-0.
Hearts outshot their hosts 13-6 though both had six shots on target. Shankland hit the target with just one of his five efforts, four of which came from inside the box. Including the penalty, Hearts’ xG was 1.64. But Cercle Brugge got made their 0.59 xG count.
Hearts are by no means out of the competition, but they’ll probably have to settle for a place in the play-offs. That is if they turn things around in their final two games.
Rangers unbeatable on the road
Rangers have been frustrated in the Scottish Premiership this season. Philippe Clement’s side sit third in the table, 11 points behind leaders Celtic. They haven’t been able to string together a consistent run of results.
But in Europe, Rangers have been enjoying themselves. At least, on the road. Rangers beat Malmo 0-2 in their Europa League opener away from home, and drew with Olympiacos last time out.
This was a tough task too, traveling to a Nice side who sit fifth in Ligue 1. In the end, Rangers made light work of them.
Hamza Igamane was the star of the show, scoring two and providing one assist to help Rangers win 1-4. Rangers are now unbeaten in their past six away Europa League games, with three wins and three draws. And they’re eight in the league phase, currently occupying the final automatic last 16 qualification spot.
Quickest red card of the season
Now this might not have been a game you were keeping an eye on, but Bosnian side Borac Banja Luka took all three points in their match against LASK thanks to two late goals. But LASK had to play the majority of the match down to 10 men.
Just seven minutes into the game in Bosnia-Herzegovina, starting goalkeeper Lorg Siebenhandl was sent off for a deliberate handball outside the box. It’s the fastest a player has been sent off in the Europa Conference League this season.
