EUROPE LEAGUE PLAY-OFF ROUND, FIRST LEGS:TOTTENHAM COMPLETELY outclassed Hearts in Edinburgh to secure a 5-0 win at Tynecastle to all but seal their place in the Europa League group stages.
Spurs were last season mixing it among Europe’s elite, beating Inter Milan and AC Milan in the Champions League before being knocked out at the quarter-final stage by Real Madrid — and their class told throughout the contest.
It took little more than four minutes for the visitors to take the lead as Rafael van der Vaart opened the scoring and Jermain Defoe netted a second eight minutes later.
Jake Livermore struck on his third Spurs appearance after 28 minutes as the visitors – playing their first competitive match of the season following the trouble in London – scythed through the hosts’ defence once more.
After demonstrating their superior speed and strength in the first half, Gareth Bale did so once more as he netted a fourth after 63 minutes and Aaron Lennon added a fifth after 78 minutes.
Celtic found Sion keeper Andris Vanins just too formidable a barrier in the first leg of their play-off clash at Parkhead, with the game ending scoreless.
The home side were strongly tipped to build up a lead to take to Switzerland for the second leg next week but the slick-passing visitors proved more than a match for Neil Lennon’s side.
In a frustrating night in the east end of Glasgow Sion’s inspired number one made good saves from Charlie Mulgrew, Kris Commons and sub Shaun Maloney to keep the tie in the balance.
Juan Manuel Ortiz netted his first goal for Rangers but it was not enough for the Scottish champions as they let slip a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 away to Slovenian side Maribor.
Ortiz fired Rangers ahead after half an hour but Agim Ibraimi levelled after the break before substitute Etien Velikonja found the back of the net in injury-time.
Clint Dempsey’s brace helped Fulham secure a comfortable 3-0 victory over Dnipro at Craven Cottage ahead of next week’s return leg in Ukraine.
Northern Ireland international Aaron Hughes opened the scoring after 39 minutes and United States international Dempsey made it two just before the interval.
He followed that up with a headed effort shortly after the restart to help Martin Jol’s side to an impressive win against Juande Ramos’ side.
Danny Pugh hit a first-half winner as Stoke closed claimed a 1-0 win away to Switzerland’s FC Thun.
Birmingham hit the woodwork three times against Portuguese side National, with Chris Hughton’s side earning a 0-0 draw in Madeira.
