Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick as England’s two representatives earned UEFA Europa League quarter-final places.
Bruno Fernandes chose a timely moment to score the first hat-trick of the UEFA Europa League season as Manchester United joined Tottenham and Rangers in reaching the quarter-finals.
UEFA.com through THEUPDATE rounds up the Thursday night action.
- Manchester United 4-1 Real Sociedad (agg: 5-2)
Bruno Fernandes hit the first Europa League treble of the season as United won their fifth successive last-16 tie in the competition.
La Real seized an early lead from the spot through Mikel Oyarzabal, but precise Fernandes penalties either side of half-time and visiting substitute Jon Aramburu’s dismissal gave the hosts the momentum.
Rasmus Højlund set up the United captain’s captain third and then laid on Diogo Dalot’s emphatic late strike.
- Tottenham 3-1 AZ Alkmaar (agg: 3-2)
Spurs took the lead when Heung-Min Son closed down a clearance and the rebound fell to Dominic Solanke, who teed up Wilson Odobert to score.
A superb counterattack finished by James Maddison put Tottenham ahead on aggregate just after half-time, but AZ’s Peer Koopmeiners pounced on a loose ball to level the tie again.
However, another end-to-end move ended with Solanke flicking on for Odobert to slot in the hosts’ clinching third in the 74th minute.
- Athletic Club 3-1 Roma (agg: 4-3)
Roma’s Mats Hummels was dismissed after just 11 minutes and Nico Williams struck from close range to level the tie on aggregate just before half-time.
Yuri Berchiche’s header and another Williams finish following some individual brilliance then put the home side in command.
Leandro Paredes converted an added-time penalty for the visitors, but Athletic held on to take a step closer to a home final in Bilbao.
- Rangers 0-2 Fenerbahçe (aet, agg: 3-3, Rangers win 3-2 on pens)
Mert Hakan Yandaş’s shoot-out miss sent Rangers into the quarter-finals. Sebastian Szymański’s superb first-time finish from Filip Kostić’s delivery had reduced Fenerbahçe’s first-leg aggregate arrears shortly before half-time, and the winger converted a low Mert Müldür cross in the second half to force an additional 30 minutes.
Neither team could fashion a breakthrough in extra time and after Jack Butland had denied Dušan Tadić and Fred in the shoot-out, Yandaş sent his kick over the bar to end the visitors’ hopes of a comeback win.
- Eintracht Frankfurt 4-1 Ajax (agg: 6-2)
Two Mario Götze finishes helped the 2021/22 Europa League winners to advance.
Jean-Mattéo Bahoya’s opener was Frankfurt’s 100th goal in the competition proper, Götze’s masterful control and strike and Hugo Ekitiké’s curler increasing their advantage before Kenneth Taylor drilled in for Ajax.
A long-range Götze lob completed the scoring as his side maintained their perfect record in three ties against Dutch sides.
- Lazio 1-1 Viktoria Plzeň (agg: 3-2)
Alessio Romagnoli’s second-half header secured Lazio’s place in the last eight. Neither side could break the deadlock in an entertaining first half, though Matěj Vydra hit the crossbar for the visitors.
Rafiu Durosinmi set up Pavel Šulc to level the tie for Plzeň on 52 minutes, but Romagnoli converted from Mattia Zaccagni’s corner 15 minutes later to set up a quarter-final meeting with Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt.
- Olympiacos 2-1 Bodø/Glimt (agg: 2-4)
Having barely left their own half for a testing opening 36 minutes, Bodø/Glimt took the lead on the break through Kasper Høgh.
Substitute Roman Yaremchuk levelled on the night within minutes of the restart and struck again soon after team-mate Rodinei had had a penalty saved.
Two more goals would have taken the tie into extra time, but a late red card for Olympiacos goalkeeper Kostas Tzolakis ended any lingering hopes of a miracle comeback.
- Lyon 4-0 FCSB (agg: 7-1)
Georges Mikautadze and Ernest Nuamah scored two each as Lyon set up a quarter-final meeting with Manchester United.
Rayan Cherki set up near-identical finishes for Mikautadze (14, 47), and the Georgian proved to be similarly generous, delivering assists for Ghanaian winger Naumah in the 37th and 88th minutes.
Cherki now has eight assists in this season’s competition, two more than any other player.
What we know
Road to Bilbao:
- Quarter-finals: 10 & 17 April
- Semi-finals: 1 & 8 May
- Final: 21 May (Bilbao)
Semi-final ties:
- Tottenham/Frankfurt vs Bodø/Glimt/Lazio
- Rangers/Athletic Club vs Lyon/Manchester United.