Villa thrash Ajax to progress in Conference League, Brugge through

Aston Villa's Jhon Duran (C) shoot wide as Ajax's goalkeeper Diant Ramaj looks on during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Ajax at Villa Park. Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa

Ollie Watkins netted again to help Aston Villa in to the Conference League last eight following a 4-0 victory over Ajax Amsterdam on Thursday.

The England striker, named in the latest Three Lions squad for friendlies later this month, headed in a first-half corner for his third of the competition and 22nd of the season.

Leon Bailey extended Villa's lead in the second period before Ajax's Sivert Mannsverk was dismissed. John Duran and Moussa Diaby then added the gloss as the 1982 European champions eliminated the Dutch giants.

Fiorentina nudged into the quarter-finals of Europe's third-tier competition after a 1-1 home draw with Maccabi Haifa secured a 5-4 aggregate victory.

Antonín Barák headed home in the second half in Florence and Anan Khalaili's goal two minutes from time came too late for the Israelis.

Lille coasted through after a 1-1 home draw against Sturm Graz following a 3-0 win in the first leg in Austria.

Fenerbahce went through 3-1 on aggregate despite suffering a 1-0 defeat in Istanbul to Saint Gilloise.

PAOK Salonika beat Dinamo Zagreb 5-1 on the night and 5-3 overall in an impressive turnaround in Greece, Konstantinos Koulierakis' goal on 72 minutes making the difference before Andrija Zivković's penalty.

Club Brugge secured a 3-0 victory at home to Molde to win 4-2 overall.

Viktoria Plzen against Servette went to penalties after no goals in either leg, but the Czechs eventually prevailed 3-1 in the shoot-out.

The draw for April's open quarter-finals is on Friday.

Aston Villa's Moussa Diaby has an attempt on goal against Ajax goalkeeper Diant Ramaj during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Ajax at Villa Park. Martin Rickett/PA Wire/dpa
Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Ajax at Villa Park. Martin Rickett/PA Wire/dpa
Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Ajax at Villa Park. Martin Rickett/PA Wire/dpa
Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins attempts on block the kick of Ajax's Diant Ramaj during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Ajax at Villa Park. Martin Rickett/PA Wire/dpa
Fiorentina's Antonin Barak (R) scores his side's first goal of the game during the UEFA Conference League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Fiorentina and Maccabi Haifa FC at Artemio Franchi Stadium. Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa
Fiorentina's cristiano Biraghi and Maccabi Haifa's Frantzdy Pierrot (R) battle for the ball during the UEFA Conference League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Fiorentina and Maccabi Haifa FC at Artemio Franchi Stadium. Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa
Sturm Graz's Mika Miles Biereth (L), Lille's Gabriel Gudmandsson (C) and Alexsandro battle for the ball during the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 second leg soccer match between OSC Lille and SK Sturm Graz at Stade Pierre Mauroy. Erwin Scheriau/APA/dpa
Sturm Graz's Stefan Hierlaender (2nd R) and Lille's Alexsandro (R) battle for the ball during the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 second leg soccer match between OSC Lille and SK Sturm Graz at Stade Pierre Mauroy. Erwin Scheriau/APA/dpa
Lille's Tiago Santos (L) and Sturm Graz's Jon Gorenc Stankovic (R) battle for the ball during the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 second leg soccer match between LOSC Lille and SK Sturm Graz at Decathlon Arena. Erwin Scheriau/APA/dpa
Club Brugge's Andreas Skov Olsen and Molde's Kristian Eriksen battle for the ball during the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Club Brugge KV and Molde FK at Jan Breydel Stadium. Kurt Desplenter/Belga/dpa
Club Brugge's Andreas Skov Olsen and Molde's Mathias Fjortoft Lovik battle for the ball during the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Club Brugge KV and Molde FK at Jan Breydel Stadium. Kurt Desplenter/Belga/dpa
Club Brugge's Maxime De Cuyper and Molde's Fredrik Gulbrandsen battle for the ball during the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Club Brugge KV and Molde FK at Jan Breydel Stadium. Kurt Desplenter/Belga/dpa
Fiorentina's Antonin Barak celebrates his side's first goal of the game during the UEFA Conference League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Fiorentina and Maccabi Haifa FC at Artemio Franchi Stadium. Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa

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