Trabzonspor advances to Europa League group stage

By Fatih Erel

ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkey’s Trabzonspor football club advanced to the Europa League group stage Thursday with a win on aggregate against Greece’s AEK Athens.

Despite a 2-0 result against the Greek football club in the second leg match of the playoffs in Trabzon, the Turkish team managed a spot in the group stage by way of the goal advantage in Athens last week with a 3-1 victory.

AEK's goals Thursday came form Marko Livaja in minute 24 and Petros Mantalos added another six minutes later on a penalty shot.

Caleb Ekuban's hat-trick in Athens was all Trabzonspor needed to move on in the UEFA Europa League playoffs.