FC Zurich edged a breathless 10-minute goal-rush to upset Villarreal 3-2 at the Stadion Letzigrund.
Zurich came into the match bottom of Europa League Group A and winless in their first three attempts, while their Spanish visitors were looking to all-but assure their progress to the next stage.
But the Swiss side avenged a 4-1 defeat in the reverse fixture, getting the odd goal in five scored between the 20th and 30th minute of the match.
Yassine Chikhaoui claimed the winner for Zurich, who had twice levelled within moments of conceding in a scarcely believable passage of play.
Giovani dos Santos might have put Villarreal in front as early as the fourth minute had he not volleyed over from six yards, but once the first-half scoring did begin there was no holding back.
Nineteen minutes had gone when Javier Espinosa's corner swung towards Tomas Pina, who showed great awareness to guide his header inside the near post.
The very next attack saw Zurich level, Marco Schonbachler firing in a teasing cross that found Franck Etoundi in a yard of space between Victor Ruiz and goalkeeper Juan Carlos.
The Cameroonian accepted the invitation and headed home.
Within seconds Villarreal had responded by hitting the crossbar through Gerard Moreno and within three minutes they were back in front.
Moreno was successful this time, lashing home a left-footed volley after being teed up by Adrian Marin.
Yet the Spaniards were even more careless with their lead this time, conceding twice in the next five minutes.
Berat Djimsiti was credited with the equaliser, though any touch he managed to get on Oliver Buff's inswinging free-kick was marginal.
Zurich then went ahead for the first time as Chikhaoui put the close-range finish on a superb pass from Nico Elvedi.
Defenders on each side eventually regained some semblance of control leading up to the interval.
Zurich seemed content with their lead, leaving Villarreal to make the running in the second half.
David da Costa was proving the main obstance, first denying Pina his second of the night and then making a superb save from Luciano Vietto's goalbound header.
Da Costa could do nothing about Antonio Rukavina's 30-yard drive with 20 minutes remaining but this time the visitors were denied by the post.
ends
UEFA Europa League Standings
POS | Team | GP | GD | PTS |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | AS Roma | 6 | +8 | 13 |
2 | Young Boys | 6 | +2 | 10 |
3 | CFR Cluj-Napoca | 6 | -6 | 5 |
4 | CSKA Sofia | 6 | -4 | 5 |
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