The first leg of the play-off round of the Europa League is now finished, and here are a few teams that impressed:
Villarreal
- First Leg Opponent/Score: Dnepr Mogilev/5:0
- Impressions: Spanish side Villarreal played great at home today, beating Dnepr Mogilev 5-0. Santi Cazorla (25, a left winger with great technique and dribbling abilities), had an impressive game, scoring a goal in just 57 minutes of playing time. Villarreal have put themselves in a good position to qualify for Europa League, however the return leg will still certainly be a tough match.
CSKA Moscow
- First Leg Opponent/Score: Anorthosis/4:0
- Impression: Russian side CSKA also played great at home, beating Anorthosis 4-0. Striker Seydou Doumbia (22, a fast player with great finishing ability) particularly impressed, scoring 2 goals during the first 20 minutes of play to give his side the lead. CSKA will face a tough match up on the road, but certainly look like a team ready to compete with anyone in the Europa League.
Hajduk Split
- First Leg Opponent/Score: Unirea Urziceni/4:1
- Impression: Croatian side Hajduk Split controlled their first leg game today, taking 13 shots, compared to 4 for their opponent. Attacking midfielder Senijad Ibričić (24, a player with a great first touch on the ball and technique) had a great game, scoring 2 goals to help his side get the win. Going forward, the return game in Romania should definitely be interesting to watch, as Unirea Urziceni will surely provide a tough match up.
Borussia Dortmund
- First Leg Opponent/Score: Qarabağ/4:0
- Impression: German side Borussia Dortmund won their first leg against Qarabağ efficiently, scoring 4 goals on 8 attempts, and limiting their opponent to just 1 goal attempt. Attacking midfielder Shinji Kagawa (21, a player with great passing, shooting, and dribbling abilities) had a very impressive game, scoring 2 goals in 70 minutes of play. Borussia can definitely expect a tough return leg, but this team does look like it can compete with anyone in the Europa League.
