AEL’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Europa League are hanging by a thread after they went down 2-0 to Turkish side Fenerbahce in Istanbul on Thursday.
Despite picking up one point, the Limassol club’s still has a mathematical chance of grabbing second place but will need to beat both Borussia Monchengladbach away and Marseille at home in their next two games whilst also hope that both sides fail to beat Fenerbahce in their next two games.
The Turks are almost assured of reaching the next round after their comfortable win following first-half goals from Dirk Kuyt and Moussa Sow.
The game also saw a return for Fenerbahce’s Raul Meireles’ with the former Chelsea and Liverpool midfielder back in action after being a month out with a thigh injury.
Jorge Costa’s AEL had Edwin Ouon sent off in the second half after hacking down Sow when the forward was put through on goal.
Fener took 11 minutes to take the lead thanks to some quick thinking from Kuyt.
A poor Cristian Baroni corner was mis-kicked by Gokhan Gonul at the near post but Kuyt was quickest to react to the loose ball.
The Holland international nipped in just as Matias Degra was about to gather before rounding the goalkeeper and turning the ball in.
Fener controlled the half from then on with Baroni fizzing a 25-yard free-kick wide before Sow tested Degra from the edge of the area.
AEL, who lost their only other away date so far 5-1 at Marseille, managed only an off-target Michalis Constantinou header before they went 2-0 behind just before half-time.
Sow curled in an unstoppable finish after Baroni helped Gonul’s cross on with a clever backheel.
Fener continued to dominate after the break as Degra parried a Miroslav Stoch drive before AEL’s hopes were effectively ended when Ouon was given a straight red card for his foul on Sow.
The hosts failed to find a third, as they struck the post twice, but it mattered not as they went five points clear of the chasing pack in Group C.
AEL lose in Turkey
