Europa League round up: Round of 32 - First leg

Ajax 0-2 Manchester United

Porto 1-2 Manchester City

Stoke City 0-1 Valencia

Ajax's hopes of a place in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League are hanging by a thread after they lost 2-0 at home to Manchester United. The first half was a low-key affair with both sides struggling to keep hold of possession. The hosts' Siem de Jong came closest to scoring, but was denied by a fine David de Gea save. The English champions were much improved after the break, though, and deservedly secured a handsome first-leg lead thanks to goals from Ashley Young and Javier Hernández. The crowd had to wait 18 minutes for the first shot on target, with Wayne Rooney's lofted effort easily caught by Kenneth Vermeer. The Ajax keeper was soon called into action again, rushing out to smother the ball as Hernández sprinted clear. Nani miscued when bearing down on Vermeer, yet the best effort of the half came at the other end on 32 minutes, De Gea diving full-stretch to turn De Jong's drive behind. United started the second period more purposefully. Within a minute Vermeer had to tip Nani's drive over, and from the resultant corner only a fine lunge by Jan Vertonghen denied Phil Jones. The Ajax keeper once again saved at Hernández's feet as Sir Alex Ferguson's men continued to assert themselves. A goal looked increasingly likely and duly came just before the hour. Vertonghen only half-cleared Nani's low cross and Young drilled the loose ball through Vermeer's legs. Nani almost doubled the advantage seconds later but shot centimetres too high. Although Christian Eriksen tested De Gea with a fine run and shot, it was the visitors who struck again with five minutes to go, Hernández exchanging passes with Rooney before slotting in. Ajax will have it all to do when the sides meet at Old Trafford next Thursday.

Manchester City will already be glimpsing themselves in the last 16 after Sergio Agüero's late goal capped a 2-1 comeback success to ruin Porto's return to the UEFA Europa League. Winners of this competition last season, Porto went ahead through Silvestre Varela close to the half-hour as their slick passing made them a thorny proposition. Roberto Mancini's men were creating danger of their own, though, and Álvaro Pereira's own goal brought them level after the restart before substitute Agüero finished from close range with five minutes remaining. The hosts made the first inroads of a tight opening period and went close after 15 minutes when Gaël Clichy was forced to head a Rolando header over the crossbar following a corner. That scare brought a rapid response from City, with Helton batting away a Samir Nasri free-kick so nearly diverted by Mario Balotelli before the goalkeeper dived to his left to deny both Micah Richards and Nasri. Having finally made their presence felt, the visitors promptly fell behind, as Hulk broke free down the left and rifled in a low cross for Varela to stab in ahead of Clichy. Helton's save from a long-range Balotelli half-volley preserved the advantage, the Italy striker having had time and space to run at goal, and a wayward Hulk effort ensured it was not extended before the break. Taking heart from their first-half openings, City turned up the tempo after the interval, with Richards blasting against the post before Álvaro Pereira shouldered a searching Yaya Touré ball into his own net under pressure from Balotelli. It was then Joe Hart's turn to impress between the posts as he pawed away a swerving Hulk set piece, and it was Helton who conceded next as Touré fed Agüero from the left to leave the visitors on top ahead of next Thursday's reunion.

Mehmet Topal's brilliant first-half strike put Valencia in control of this round of 32 tie, ending Stoke's proud unbeaten home record in Europe in the process. The home side went down fighting, but it was the Liga outfit who were closest to a second goal when, with 19 minutes left, Maroane Feghouli stepped inside Andy Wilkinson and beat Asmir Begović with a deflected shot but not the post. Valencia had suffered UEFA Champions League elimination with defeat at Chelsea FC in December but this was a more satisfying visit to England for a side who had only won here once in 15 previous attempts. Unai Emery's men owed their victory to a moment of inspiration by Turkish international Topal, who justified his recall by spearing an unstoppable shot into the top-right corner of Begović's goal after 36 minutes. It was a goal that followed the run of play, Jonas having already brought a flying save from Begović after his quick feet had created space for a shot inside the box on the left. Valencia were weaving some pretty patterns but with the final pass elusive, Topal decided on a less complicated route and it paid off handsomely. Home manager Tony Pulis had noted beforehand the gulf in European experience between the teams – while this was Stoke's 15th European fixture overall, Valencia were playing their 100th game in the UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League alone. Yet Stoke still had their moments. Indeed they almost had the boost of an early goal from Jonathan Walters who was a whisker away from connecting with Rory Delap's long throw into the box. Shortly after Topal's goal, Peter Crouch was not far off target with a spectacular scissor-kick from one of several enticing Jermaine Pennant crosses. Valencia survived that scare and resisted Stoke's second-half pressure to seal a lead to take back to Spain ahead of next Thursday's second leg.