There’s around 10 minutes to play in each game. And, yes, Shamrock Rovers still lead 1-0 away to 10-man Molde in their Conference League playoff.

Ajax may have unearthed another gem. Jorthy Mokio, 16, has scored a gorgeous goal in Belgium. A corner was headed away to the edge of the area, where Mokio calmly steered a volley into the bottom corner as if it was the most routine thing in the world. Kevin De Bruyne would have been proud of that finish.

Ajax lead in Belgium. A fine, end-to-end move was finished off beautifully by Christian Rasmussen, who clipped a first-time shot into the far corner from 19 yards.

It’s all going swimmingly for Jose Mourinho. Youssef En-Nesyri has put Fenerbahce 3-0 ahead with a mighty header from Sebastian Szymanski’s cross. He was about 15 yards out and powered it into the bottom corner at the near post.

Michael Noonan, the 16-year-old debutant, has put Shamrock Rovers ahead in Norway! What a beautiful moment this is. Dylan Watts nicked the ball off Mats Moller Daehli in the Molde area and slid a low cross that was turned in to the empty net by Noonan. Oh, football, you old charmer.

Fenerbahce and Real Sociedad, two contenders to win the Europa League, are in good positions after a quarter of their playoff ties.

Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce have had some hairy moments against a lively Anderlecht but lead 2-0 through Dusan Tadic and Edin Dzeko. In truth it could easily be 2-2.

Sociedad lead in Denmark against Midtjylland, as do Robbie Keane’s Ferencvaros at home to Viktoria Plzen. Sociedad’s second goal, slammed in by Takefusa Kubo, was a thing of beauty.

Ajax’s match away to Union SG is goalless, though Ajax came within millimetres of taking an early lead after a goalmouth scramble. The goalline technology showed the ball was exceptionally close to crossing the line..

Fenerbahce 2-0 Anderlecht
Tadic 11, Dzeko 43

Ferencvaros 1-0 Plzen
Abu Fani 23

Midtjylland 1-2 Real Sociedad
Buksa 38; Mendez 11 (pen), Kubo 31

Union SG 0-0 Ajax

Porto v Roma, 8pm

This is probably the standout tie of the round, but neither team has been at their best this season. Porto will hope to improve on a run of one win in their last eight games when they welcome Roma to the Estádio do Dragão. The Portuguese side are now under the management of the 39-year-old Argentinian Martín Anselmi, who has sought to implement a three-man backline since taking over from Vítor Bruno last month.

Porto are out of contention in the Primeira Liga and out of the Taça de Portugal, so are looking to the Europa League to save their season. Marko Grujic, Iván Marcano and Martim Fernandes will miss the Roma game with injury, but the main blow to their chances is Nico González’s €60m move to Manchester City on deadline day.

Roma have no injury or suspension worries but they have been poor on the road this season. Their narrow 1-0 victory at Venezia at the weekend was justtheir second away win in all competitions in 2024-25. It has been a tough year for the club, who have employed four managers in the last 14 months. Claudio Ranieri came out of retirement to lead his boyhood club in November and would dearly love to finish his career with some European silverware. Prediction: Roma to progress.

Good evening and welcome to a proud moment in Guardian News & Media history: our first Europa League playoff clockwatch of the 2024-25 season.

It doesn’t quite have the heavyweight feel of the Champions League games earlier in the week but there are still some big games involving potential winners of the competition. These are tonight’s games, with the second legs to follow a week tonight.

5.45pm kick-offs

8pm

• Alkmaar v Galatasaray

• FC Porto v AS Roma

• PAOK v FCSB

• Twente v Bodo/Glimt