By Zuleihat Owuiye, Nigeria

Bournemouth continued their impressive run in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday after coming from behind to defeat Sparta Prague 3-1, while AC Milan suffered another disappointing result following a 2-0 home loss to Ferencvaros.

The English side maintained their 100 per cent record in the competition with a fourth consecutive victory, despite facing an early setback during their trip to the Czech Republic.

Gambian forward Ebrima Singhateh gave Sparta Prague the lead with an impressive solo effort after running from his own half to find the back of the net.

Bournemouth had earlier missed an opportunity to take the lead when midfielder Lewis Cook’s first-half penalty struck the post.

However, Sparta’s chances of securing a positive result suffered a major setback when Tobias Guddal was sent off before the interval.

Bournemouth capitalised on their numerical advantage after the break, with Tyler Adams restoring parity in the 57th minute.

The visitors continued pushing for a winner and eventually took the lead through Evanilson, who found the net nine minutes before the end of regulation time.

Substitute Rayan then completed the comeback with a late third goal, sealing another important victory for Bournemouth.

The result moved the English club to the top of the Europa League standings, extending their impressive start to their European campaign.

Bournemouth’s strong form has also continued across other competitions, with the team recording seven consecutive victories in all competitions ahead of their Premier League trip to Ipswich.

Speaking after the match, manager Marco Rose described the team’s achievement as significant but warned his players against becoming complacent.

He told TNT Sports that maintaining their focus and taking advantage of their current momentum would be important as they continue their European campaign.

Meanwhile, AC Milan endured another difficult night after losing 2-0 at home to Hungarian side Ferencvaros.

Haiti international Lenny Joseph scored twice in the second half at the San Siro to secure a deserved victory for the visitors, who maintained their unbeaten record in the competition.

Ferencvaros also had to deal with a numerical disadvantage after Bamidele Yusuf was sent off, but the setback did not prevent them from claiming all three points.

The defeat marked Milan’s third loss in four matches, leaving the seven-time European champions outside the competition’s top 24 positions with just three points at the halfway stage of the league phase.

Manager Ruben Amorim admitted that his players delivered a disappointing performance, criticising their mistakes and lack of preparation during the encounter.

Speaking to Sky Sport, Amorim said the team had gifted their opponents opportunities and failed to perform at the level expected, particularly in front of their home supporters.

Despite the setback, the manager insisted that Milan would continue fighting for qualification as long as they remained mathematically capable of progressing.

Elsewhere, Crystal Palace were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim after Daichi Kamada scored a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser at Selhurst Park.

Hoffenheim had taken an early lead through Alexander Prass, putting the visitors in a favourable position.

Palace’s difficulties increased when Adam Wharton received a second yellow card and was sent off.

However, Kamada rescued a point for Pierre Sage’s struggling side with his late equaliser.

The result leaves Crystal Palace with five points from four Europa League matches.

Despite their European campaign, the club continue to face difficulties domestically, sitting in the Premier League relegation zone, just behind Manchester United on goal difference.

With the league phase reaching its halfway point, Bournemouth and Ferencvaros have emerged as two of the standout teams, while Milan face increasing pressure to improve their performances and revive their qualification hopes.