Follow live as the inaugural league phase of the Europa League comes to a close today with 18 matches in action at the same time
UEL league phase finale – Latest updates
All 18 of today's matches in the Europa League are underway as the competition's inaugural league phase comes to a close today.
Teams finishing in the top eight will advance directly to the round of 16, while those finishing ninth through 24th will have to navigate a play-off round first.
Manchester United and Tottenham are going through in the top eight as things stand.
Lazio are in position to finish in first place.
How to watch: TNT Sports, discovery+ (UK), Paramount+ (U.S.)
Subscribe to The Athletic on an exclusive offer here.
Mourinho in trouble
Midtjylland have taken a 1-0 lead against Fenerbahce in Denmark. Not only does that push Jose Mourinho's club out of the top 24, but it lifts their Istanbul cross-town rivals Besiktas into the play-off places.
What a disappointing result that would be for Mourinho, a five-time winner of European competitions (2x Champions League, 2x Europa League, 1x Conference League).
Brief pause in play in north London
A little break for both sets of players as Gustaf Henriksson receives a bit of treatment on the pitch after getting a bang on the head.
Elfsborg manager Oscar Hiljemark, the same age as Spurs captain Son, calls over his players for a little drink and tactics break.
Henriksson back on, and he watches Pedro Porro wallop it 40 yards over from a long way out, Silly.
Spurs haven't really created anything substantial tonight other than that Davies header, and we're half an hour in.
United still looking for an opener
Not quite half an hour on the clock in Bucharest, and it has been a decent performance from United so far, particularly considering the changes.
Hojlund, for all his criticism this season, looks sharp and has cut a frustrated figure at times having not been picked out when making positive runs.
Amorim mentioned pre-match that his side were without genuine forwards in support of Hojlund tonight, and that has been very evident so far. It makes sense to not risk the likes of Amad and Alejandro Garnacho, but this game is crying out for a player of that ilk.
Rangers up to ninth
Rangers have climbed into ninth place in the live table thanks to a goal by Nicolas Raskin against Union Saint-Gilloise.
If Tottenham fall behind against Elfsborg, or FCSB fall behind against Manchester United, Rangers will climb into the top eight.
Super skill from Elfsborg
Lucas Bergvall, another teenager starting for Spurs tonight, has been a little hurried, a little imprecise so far.
A few casual, loose touches have led to interceptions, and he was lucky not to concede a free kick after barging opposition striker Abdullai off the pitch right in front of the dugouts.
We're told manager Ange Postecoglou had a quick word telling him to calm down.
With Elfsborg finally in possession, a lovely nutmeg from Besfort Zeneli confuses Rodrigo Bentancur and the visitors break, before it's snuffed out. Remember, a positive result is important for Elfsborg tonight.
They are only just inside the play-off positions!
Laser pens becoming an issue...
Just spotted the green flash of a laser pen flick past Toby Collyer as he was on the ball then. And then more of the same on Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez as they stood over a free kick just outside the FCSB penalty area.
Might be something of an issue this evening...
Where are all the goals?!
Twenty minutes gone across 18 matches and we've only just seen our third goal of the night.
In stark contrast, last night's 18 matches in the Champions League saw a total of 64 goals!
Anderlecht have taken a 1-0 lead against Hoffenheim, consolidating the Belgian side's grip on a top-eight spot and further reducing Hoffenheim's already slim odds of climbing into the top 24.
Anderlecht's lead bumps Manchester United and Tottenham down to fifth and seventh, respectively, in the live table.
Mainoo squanders a massive chance!
Another chance for Kobbie Mainoo and this one really should have found the back of the net.
Rasmus Hojlund has looked sharp so far and another of his runs into the left-sided channel got United into a really dangerous position. The Dane's cut-back into the heart of the FCSB penalty area was a very good one and met the run of Mainoo perfectly.
But, with the goal at his mercy 10 yards from goal, the United youngster fired a long way over the crossbar — that really should've been the opener!
Elfsborg fans making a hell of a noise
Nice interplay between Son and Ben Davies, who is at left-back today, with 18-year-old Archie Gray at centre-half.
Another dangerous corner flicked on by an Elfsborg head, big Micky van de Ven steams in at the back post but can't make contact that would surely have resulted in a goal.
The Elfsborg fans yell some good-natured (and some less good-natured) words at Pedro Porro, who takes the corner in front of the away end.
After Swedish midfielder Lucas Bergvall overcooks a cross on the second phase, the away supporters cheer like their side has scored a goal. They're determined to have a good time tonight!
Then United go close!
That's more like it from the visitors.
Sharp running from Kobbie Mainoo in behind the FCSB defence and he is picked out by a super lofted pass from Lisandro Martinez. The England midfielder chops into the six-yard box with a wonderfully watched touch over the defender's head but couldn't quite get a shot away under pressure.
Excellent bit of play from Mainoo who has struggled to find his feet under Amorim.
Seconds later, a scuffed left-footed effort from Christian Eriksen was beaten away by Stefan Tarnovanu in the hosts' goal.
Ferencvaros lead against AZ Alkmaar
Ferencvaros have taken a 1-0 lead through Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane against AZ Alkmaar. That moves the Hungarian side into the top 16 and bumps the Dutch side into 19th.
The difference between 9th-16th and 17th-24th is having the advantage of being seeded in tomorrow's draw and hosting the second leg of the play-off round at home.
Popescu within an inch of the opener!
And from that free kick conceded by Malacia, FCSB very nearly took the lead.
The delivery into the penalty area from Risto Radunovic was superb and Altay Bayindir was bolted to his goal line. Mihai Popescu did very well to reach the ball at full stretch but could only prod wide of the United far post on the angle.
Half of the home fans thought that was in!
Captain Fantastic does it all... and Davies misses!
Is there anything he can't do? Spurs captain Son does a few step-overs to flummox poor Hedlund again, the right wing-back flicking out his leg desperately and catching the South Korean as he looked to burst past him outside the penalty area.
Free kick on the left, tight angle, Son picks himself up and tries a clever disguised along-the-ground strike — no draught excluder — but it's blocked.
Then he takes the corner, a dipping inswinger that Ben Davies somehow contrives to nod over from very close range, with the goalkeeper (fairly) pinned to his line by Archie Gray.
Big chance!
Nothing doing here so far
We've not had anything which resembles a sustained spell of pressure from either team in Bucharest.
The first yellow card has just been shown, though. Tyrell Malacia was very late to his sliding challenge on Florin Tanase and was rightly punished.
Brief concern for the FCSB winger who was writhing around in pain. He is treated by a healthy dosage of magic spray from the physio and should be fine to continue.
Braga take crucial lead
Braga have taken a 1-0 lead against Lazio in Portugal through Ricardo Horta's goal.
Lazio remain in first place in the live table but Braga have climbed into 24th, pushing Besiktas out of a play-off spot.
No goals yet?
Eighteen matches, five minutes gone in each, that totals 90 minutes total of game action, and we've yet to have a single goal! What gives?! Where's the chaos?!
Brilliant atmosphere in Bucharest
United have been away to Porto, Fenerbahce and Viktoria Plzen in this season's Europa League, so an atmosphere like this shouldn't faze them. But my word is it loud inside the stadium this evening!
It hasn't led to a particularly quick start from either side as they are both feeling their way into this one.
A reminder, if you needed it, that both teams can secure a last-16 place with victory tonight. A draw for United would also likely be enough.
Europa League chaos is underway!
The waiting is over!
That faint sound you can hear in the distance is the whistles of referees around Europe.
The ball is rolling in all 18 Europa League games — stick with us over the next couple of hours as we try to make sense of the madness!
Load more updates