Manchester United, Tottenham progress into Europa League quarters

Sports · Dennis Masinde · March 14, 2025
Manchester United, Tottenham progress into Europa League quarters
The Europa league Cup. PHOTO/Evening Standard
In Summary

Bruno Fernandes collected a hat-trick as Manchester United breezed to a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad to reach the Europa League quarter-finals while Tottenham Hotspur advanced after a 3-1 victory over AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.

Bruno Fernandes collected a hat-trick as Manchester United breezed to a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad to reach the Europa League quarter-finals while Tottenham Hotspur advanced after a 3-1 victory over AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.

United will take on Olympique Lyon in the last eight after the French side managed a 4-0 win over Steaua Bucharest. Elsewhere, Rangers overcame Fenerbahce 3-2 in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 aggregate draw.

United, who were held 1-1 at Sociedad in the first leg last week went a goal down after 10 minutes when Matthijs de Ligt fouled Mikel Oyarzabal who picked himself up and converted from the spot but the hosts levelled six minutes later with a penalty scored by Fernandes after Rasmus Hojlund was taken down.

Another spot-kick gave United the lead five minutes after the interval with Fernandes making no mistake once more to confirm their last 8 place.

Tottenham needed a win against AZ Alkmaar to effectively save their season and they managed it thanks to two goals by Wilson Odobert.

Odobert opened the scoring in the 26th minute after a botched clearance by AZ's Wouter Goes and Spurs moved ahead on aggregate after the break when Son Heung-min set up James Maddison before Odobert added the gloss later on.

Spurs will next face Eintracht Frankfurt who eased to a 6-2 aggregate win over Ajax Amsterdam after a 4-1 home victory in which Mario Gotze scored twice.

Rangers had won 3-1 in Turkey, but Fenerbahce forced extra-time with two goals from Sebastian Szymanski and the tie went to a penalty shootout in which Rangers keeper Jack Butland was the hero.

Butland saved from Dusan Tadic and then denied Fred to send Rangers through to a meeting with Athletic Bilbao who on their part beat AS Roma 3-1, the Italian side was reduced to 10 men after Mats Hummels was sent off.

Nico Williams then scored twice to complete the Spanish success story.

Lazio were 2-1 up from the first leg against Viktoria Plzen and despite conceding early to a Pavel Sulc goal, they held on for a 1-1 draw, with a 3-2 aggregate win.

The Italians will next meet Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt who lost 2-1 at Olympiacos but advanced 4-2 on aggregate.

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