AMSTERDAM – Ethan Horvath notched four saves as Molde FK put one leg in the books in the UEFA Europa League group phase by blanking playoff-round guests Standard Liège 2-0 on Thursday night.

The young American was fortunate enough to be bailed out by a line clearance just after the break, but Horvath eventually preserved the clean sheet on his own in the last minute of play, robbing Julien De Sart on a break-in.

The US Olympic Team candidate also added three confident cross claims to notch his second shutout in Europe on the term and his sixth across all competitions for the campaign. The teams will reunite in Belgium next Thursday to settle the tie.

Elsewhere, Bosnian-American winger Nermin Crnkić was cruelly denied on his shot at an equalizer as Jablonec dropped their playoff round first leg 1-0 at Ajax.

The 22-year-old, who worked a full shift on left wing, was forced to watch home netminder Jasper Cillessen paw away his 65th-minute drive. The tie now swings to the Czech Republic for next Thursday's decider.