UEL: Midtjylland and Fenerbahce Advance to Europa League Play-Offs Despite 2-2 Draw

Midtjylland and Fenerbahce played out a thrilling 2-2 draw, with both teams advancing to the UEFA Europa League knockout play-offs.

Midtjylland extended their impressive home scoring streak to 29 consecutive games, but were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw with Fenerbahce. Despite the stalemate, both teams secured their places in the UEFA Europa League knockout play-offs.

The match began with a scrappy tone, as both teams recognized the importance of a win to guarantee a top-24 finish in the league phase. The poor condition of the MCH Arena pitch contributed to the disjointed play, with long balls and set pieces becoming a major factor. Midtjylland capitalized on this approach, taking the lead on 27 minutes after Paulinho won a corner off Caglar Söyuncu. The resulting delivery from Aral Simsir was met by Ousmane Diao, who nodded the ball home to send Fenerbahce temporarily out of the competition.

After establishing their lead, Midtjylland maintained a comfortable advantage until a swift Fenerbahce counterattack brought the visitors level. The equalizing goal originated from a sloppy pass by Dario Osorio, which was seized upon by Fred. The Brazilian released captain Edin Dzeko, who played an exquisite through ball that was beautifully chipped over Jonas Lossl by Youssef En-Nesyri. This goal restored Fenerbahce's hopes, propelling them back into the play-off places heading into halftime.

Despite the momentum shift, suspended Fenerbahce head coach José Mourinho likely remained unimpressed with his team's performance from the stands. However, the tide turned in Fenerbahce's favor early in the second half, as Edin Dzeko's clever near-post run allowed him to stab Sebastian Szymanski's cross past Jonas Lössl.

MS | Midtjylland 2-2 Fenerbahçe pic.twitter.com/atw0wpqXph

— Fenerbahçe SK (@Fenerbahce) January 30, 2025

Midtjylland, who were only holding onto a top-24 spot courtesy of goal difference, thought they had equalized when Joel Andersson broke through on goal. However, Irfan Can Egribayat made a crucial save, and Adam Gabriel's follow-up effort went wide. Midtjylland's manager, Thomas Thomasberg, made three substitutions in an attempt to influence the outcome of the match and other results that would favor his team. One of the substitutes, Valdemar Andreasen, made an immediate impact by hammering home a goal after Fenerbahce failed to clear Mads Bech Sorensen's long throw.

The 2024/25 #UEL league phase ✅ pic.twitter.com/BGnoQwzie1

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) January 30, 2025

The Turkish bench grew anxious as they checked the table, but ultimately, the match ended in a 2-2 draw. This result marked Fenerbahce's sixth match out of seven in 2025 to feature at least three goals. Despite the nervy finish, Fenerbahce scraped through to the play-offs in 24th place, while Midtjylland finished in 19th, securing their own spot in the knockout stages.