European Football Sunday Round-up

Dutch Eredivisie

Feyenoord moved third in the Eredivisie table, and within three points of the summit, after coming from behind to beat leaders PSV Eindhoven 2-1 on Sunday.

Tim Matavz went close before Jeremain Lens gave PSV the lead in the 34th minute, rounding off a fluent counter-attack.

But Ruben Schaken equalised after an exchange of passes with Marcelo (47) and Graziano Pelle's shot on the turn (68) earned three points for the hosts.

The result saw Feyenoord close to within a point of second-placed Ajax, who needed a late Lasse Schone goal to salvage a 1-1 draw against ADO Den Haag.

Niklas Moisander's error allowed Tjaronn Chery to put ADO ahead against the run of play on the half-hour but Schone struck back five minutes from time.

Sixth-placed FC Utrecht beat Roda JC 4-0 after their relegation-threatened opponents were reduced to 10 men inside the first 20 minutes.

Abel Tamata's dismissal and Jacob Mulenga's successful penalty swung the game Utrecht's way from an early stage and Jan Wuytens (27) gave them a 2-0 half-time lead.

Thomas Oar struck shortly after the interval before Mulenga rounded off the scoring.

NAC Breda won 1-0 away to AZ Alkmaar in the day's final match, Nebojsa Gudelj with the only goal in the sixth minute.

Scottish Premier League

Joe Ledley scored twice as Celtic thrashed bottom side Dundee 5-0 at Parkhead to take another step closer towards retaining their Clydesdale Bank Premier League title.

Ledley opened the scoring in the 13th minute and James Forrest notched the second from the spot four minutes after the interval after Dundee substitute Matt Lockwood was shown a red card for denying Gary Hooper a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Dylan McGeouch, Ledley and Hooper added further goals to compound the misery for Dundee, whose new interim boss John Brown watched from the directors' box.

In the day's other game, Dundee United drew 2-2 with Hibernian after Johnny Russell netted a controversial late penalty.

Hibs looked set for all three points when James McPake cancelled out John Rankin's early opener and Leigh Griffiths struck in the second half.

But United snatched a point when referee Alan Muir pointed to the spot for a Ryan McGivern challenge on Gary Mackay-Steven - despite suggestions the foul was outside the box - and Russell converted from 12 yards.

Belgian Jupiler League

Jupiler League leaders Anderlecht came through a rough 90 minutes at Club Brugge and emerged with a credible 2-2 draw.

In one of the toughest examinations available in the division, John van den Brom`s side trailed 2-0 with 12 minutes left but somehow salvaged a draw to give themselves a nine-point lead over second-placed Zulte-Waregem.

Vadis Odjija Ofoe (19) and Carlos Bacca (62) gave Brugge the lead but, when Massimo Bruno pulled one back, Anderlecht sensed a weakness.

They duly pounced on it with four minutes remaining, substitute Samuel Armenteros scoring just six minutes after coming on and, even though they then lost Bram Nuytinck to an injury-time red card, they were able to head home with a point.

The night`s other game served up barely any drama, with Standard Liege and Genk playing out a 0-0 draw, notable only for Liege`s George Tucudean receiving his marching orders.

Greek Super League

Olympiacos put their Europa League disappointment behind them by continuing their seemingly unstoppable charge for a 40th Greek title with a 2-1 victory over Aris Salonika.

The two-time reigning Super League champions, who were knocked out of Europe by Levante in midweek following a 4-0 aggregate loss, needed just nine minutes to open the scoring against Aris through Rafik Djebbour and Giannis Maniatis made it 2-0 before half-time.

Nikos Angeloudis pulled a goal back for Aris in the 65th minute but it was not enough to deny Olympiacos, who remain a massive 16 points clear at the summit.

That advantage might have been even greater for Michel's men but their nearest challengers Asteras Tripoli managed to net a late winner at home to Levadiakos tonight, Michalis Fragoulakis scoring the only goal of the game in the 87th minute.

At the other end of the table, Platanias further boosted their hopes of avoiding the drop after beating fellow strugglers AEK Athens 2-1 for their third win on the trot.

Elias Anastasakos' 75th-minute penalty sealed the win after visiting midfielder Xenofon Fetsis (17) had cancelled out Thomas Nazlidis' early opener, as Platanias moved five points above the bottom two and one above AEK.

Elsewhere, Panionios had Stathis Rokas sent off late on but had already done enough to beat Panthrakikos 2-0 thanks to first-half goals from Andreas Samaris and Leonidas Kampantais, while Atromitos drew Giannina 0-0.

Turkish Super Lig

Fenerbahce continued their pursuit of fierce rivals and Super Lig leaders Galatasaray with a 3-1 victory over Kasimpasa.

Galatasaray have seen their lead cut to three points but host Orduspor tomorrow.

Kasimpasa took the lead inside two minutes against Fenerbahce as Kalu Uche stunned the Sukru Saracoglu stadium but the home side wrestled the game back after the break.

Pierre Webo levelled on the hour mark before a Belozoglu Emre penalty and a 90th-minute goal from substitute Moussa Sow settled the outcome.

Akhisar Belediye climbed off the bottom of the table after claiming a second straight away victory, this time at the expense of Karabukspor.

Both the goals of a 2-0 triumph came in the first half as Bilal Kisa (32) and a Theofanis Gekas penalty (36) saw Akhisar move within four points of 15th-placed Orduspor and safety.

Elsewhere, Kayserispor climbed into eighth place with a 1-0 win over Genclerbirligi, with Salih Dursun scoring the only goal in the 53rd minute.

Portuguese Liga

Benfica continue to match Liga leaders Porto stride for stride after seeing off Pacos Ferreira 3-0 at home.

The top two have now been locked on the same amount of points as each other for six successive rounds after Benfica followed up Porto's 2-1 triumph over Rio Ave yesterday with a comfortable triumph over third-placed Pacos.

Enzo Perez's early goal set Benfica on their way and second-half strikes from Oscar Cardozo and Eduardo Salvio sealed the win for the Lisbon outfit, who join Porto on 52 points.

Pacos, meanwhile, are now 17 points adrift of the top two.

In the battle to avoid the drop, Nacional moved eight points clear of the bottom two with a 3-1 home win over Olhanense, who remain just two points above the relegation places.

Nacional took an 11th-minute lead through Mario Rondon and although Olhanense equalised through Andre Micael in the 68th minute, the hosts sealed the points thanks to goals from Moreno (72) and Cordeiro Dos Santos (84, penalty).

In Sunday's other game, fourth-bottom moved two points clear of Olhanense after drawing 0-0 at last-placed Moreirense.

French Ligue 1

David Beckham made his Paris St Germain bow and helped his new side earn a victory over arch rivals Marseille which boosts their hopes of claiming a first Ligue 1 title in almost two decades.

Former England captain Beckham, who joined PSG on a five-month deal last month, helped to lay-on Zlatan Ibrahimovic`s injury-time clincher as Carlo Ancelotti's men claimed a 2-0 triumph at the Parc des Princes.

Brazil international Lucas Moura, another January arrival, had put PSG ahead in the Ligue 1 Classique with a deflected goal in the 11th minute.

The result sees PSG restore their three-point lead at the top of the standings over second-placed Lyon, who had beaten Lorient earlier in the day, while the big-spending capital club are now eight points clear of Marseille in third.

Lyon came from behind against Lorient to win 3-1 and register their first home victory of 2013.

The visitors took the lead at the Stade Gerland in the 11th minute through Jeremie Aliadiere's header before Lisandro Lopez drew things level in the 24th.

Rachid Ghezzal then put OL in front in the 50th minute and Arnold Mvuemba added their third in stoppage time to secure the victory.

In the day's other Ligue 1 game Bordeaux suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat at home to lowly Brest.

A Benoit Tremoulinas own goal and a late Ahmed Kantari penalty confirmed a third consecutive Ligue 1 defeat for Les Girondins and left a dent in their hopes of getting a European spot.