PIX: Napoli knock Leicester out of Europa League

Action from Europa League matches played on Thursday. 

Napoli earned a thrilling 3-2 home win over Leicester City on Thursday to reach the Europa League knockout stages as Group C runners-up behind Spartak Moscow.

Spartak won 1-0 at Legia Warsaw to secure an automatic last-16 berth while Napoli face a playoff against one of the third-placed teams in the Champions League dropping into Europe's second-tier competition after the winter break.

Third-placed Leicester go into the third-tier Europa Conference League where they will enter a playoff with one of the competition's runners-up for a last-16 berth.

Adam Ounas fired Napoli into a fourth-minute lead with a crisp low shot and the Serie A side appeared to be in cruise control after Eljif Elmas made it 2-0 with a tap-in after unselfish work from Andrea Petagna.

Sloppy defending cost the home twice in quick succession before halftime, however, as Jonny Evans drilled in a loose ball in the 27th minute and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall volleyed in the equaliser with his first goal for Leicester.

North Macedonia playmaker Elmas put Napoli back in front shortly after the break, taking a tame-looking cross past a static defence before he steered the ball past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

Spartak, who edged Napoli to top spot with a superior head-to-head record, advanced after their goalkeeper Alexander Selikhov saved a stoppage-time penalty with forward Zelimkhan Bakaev netting a 17th-minute winner at Legia.

Bakaev curled in a fine low shot from the edge of the penalty area but it was Selikhov who emerged as Spartak's hero, parrying Tomas Pekhart's spot-kick which would have knocked the Russian side out had the Czech forward scored.

Real Sociedad also booked a playoff berth as they finished runners-up in Group B thanks to a 3-0 home win over PSV Eindhoven which took the Spanish side above the 1988 European Cup winners.

Mikel Oyarzabal fired Sociedad ahead with a 43rd-minute penalty and added the second before Alexander Soerloth netted in stoppage time to complete a comfortable victory.

Dinamo beat West Ham to advance in Europa League

Dinamo Zagreb sealed a playoff berth in the Europa League knockout stages after a stunning early goal from Mislav Orsic gave them a 1-0 win at a second-string West Ham United in Group H on Thursday.

West Ham had already secured top spot and an automatic last-16 berth while runners-up Dinamo will face one of the third-placed teams dropping down from the Champions League.

Orsic again shone against Premier League opposition in Europe's second-tier competition after netting a hat-trick in Dinamo's memorable 3-2 aggregate win over Tottenham Hotspur in last season's knockout rounds.

The winger beat West Ham's reserve goalkeeper Alphonse Areola with a dipping shot from the edge of the penalty area into the top corner, delighting a handful of away fans at London stadium.

Areola did well to keep out two long-range efforts from Luka Ivanusec and another by Orsic as Dinamo dictated the game and were rarely troubled by the home side.

Red Star Belgrade, the 1991 European Cup winners, clinched Group F with a 1-1 draw at Portugal's Braga who finished second at the expense of third-placed Midtjylland who could only manage a 0-0 stalemate at Ludogorets.

Wenderson Galeno fired Braga ahead when he converted a 52nd-minute penalty before Aleksandar Katai replied with his own spot-kick, sending goalkeeper Matheus the wrong way after defender Radovan Pankov was fouled.

Midtjylland, who needed a win for a top-two finish, will go into the third-tier Europa Conference League where they will meet one of the runners-up for a last-16 berth.