Juventus and Torreense make winning Europa League starts

Juventus opened its Europa League campaign with a commanding victory, while Torreense produced the night’s biggest surprise by winning away from home. The result marked a first major exploit for the Portuguese second-division club and gave it an important start against Lillestrom.

Juventus quickly took control against NEC Nijmegen. Nico Gonzalez put the Italian side ahead in the ninth minute before Alajbegovic doubled the advantage. Nick Woltemade converted a penalty before half-time, and the margin grew after the break through Celik and Randal Kolo Muani. Woltemade scored his first goal of the competition, while Kolo Muani finished with one goal and one assist.

Torreense also established its lead early in Norway, with Alfaro scoring in the 23rd minute. Pozo added a second four minutes after the interval, leaving Lillestrom with a difficult task. Olsen pulled one back in the 79th minute, but Torreense held on for a 2-1 victory and its first notable Europa League breakthrough.

The evening also brought setbacks for several established clubs. Ferencvaros won 3-1 at Celtic, Union Saint-Gilloise beat Viktoria Plzen by the same score, and Bournemouth defeated Real Sociedad 2-1. Crystal Palace responded with a 4-0 home win over Lech Poznan, while Marseille suffered a 4-1 loss at Besiktas.