Europa League roundup: Loftus-Cheek double powers Milan to win over Rennes

• Milan advanced to the round of 16 with a 3-0 win over Rennes
• Di Maria scored two penalties to give Benfica the lead.

  

  Ruben Loftus-Cheek celebrates the first of his two-headed goals against Rennes at the San Siro. Photograph: Piero Cruciatti/Anadolu/Getty Images
  
  
  

  Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored twice as Milan beat Rennes 3-0 in the first leg of their Europa League knockout play-off.

The England international continued his fine recent form with headers in the 32nd and 47th minutes, with Rafael Lew adding the third in the 52nd minute. Milan, who finished third in their Champions League group, have one foot in the last 16 ahead of next week's second leg.

There was a big win for Qarabag, who beat Braga 4-2 in Portugal. Marko Jankovic opened the scoring for the visitors from the penalty spot midway through the first half, but Simon Benza leveled matters just before the break. However, Qarabag was not to be denied. Abdullah Zubair scored twice on either side of a goal from Juninho before Joao Moutinho grabbed a late second for Braga from the penalty spot.

It was a better night for the other Portuguese teams, with Sporting and Benfica both winning. Sporting will fancy their chances of going through after beating Young Boys 3-1 away from home. Aurèle Amenda's own goal was followed by a Viktor Gyökeres penalty before the Young Boys pulled a goal back just before half-time through Filip Ugrenik. Gonçalo Inácio restored the two-goal lead three minutes after the restart and the Young Boys finished with 10 men when Mohamed Ali Kamara was sent off late on.

Benfica still have work to do after grabbing a late 2-1 victory against Toulouse courtesy of two Angel Di Maria penalties. The first was canceled out by Michael Dessler but the second came eight minutes into stoppage time after Christian Mavisa was shown a red card.

Galatasaray beat Sparta Prague 3-2 in Istanbul, finishing with 10 men on both sides. Kerem Demirbay scored the only goal of the first half, but Angelo Preciado equalized for Sparta two minutes after the break and Dries Mertens pulled Galatasaray back on the hour mark, with Victor Nelson sent off. John Cach immediately leveled again for Matej Reines to receive a second yellow card 10 minutes from time and Mauro Icardi to find the winner in added time.

There was also a dramatic finish in Hamburg, where Shakhtar Donetsk, continuing to play away from their war-torn homeland, drew 2-2 with Marseille. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave France the lead in the 64th minute, but the lead lasted just two minutes before Mykola Matvienko equalized. And history repeated itself towards the end of the match, with Aleman Nadaye appearing to win it for Marseille only for Eguinaldo to equalize.