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Rediff.com  » Sports » PIX: Sevilla rally to hold Manchester United; Juventus win

PIX: Sevilla rally to hold Manchester United; Juventus win

April 14, 2023 10:04 IST
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IMAGE: Sevilla's Yousseff En-Nesyri celebrates after Harry Maguire of Manchester United scored an own goal during the UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg match at Old Trafford in Manchester on Thursday. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Manchester United conceded two late own goals to allow Sevilla to snatch a 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final at Old Trafford on Thursday.

 

Marcel Sabitzer's quickfire double in the first half put Erik ten Hag's team in control of the tie, but Sevilla, record six-times Europa League champions, pulled one back in the 84th minute when Jesus Navas's shot pinged off the feet of Tyrell Malacia and keeper David de Gea into the net.

United were reduced to 10 men when defender Lisandro Martinez was carried off injured and Youssef En-Nesyri's stoppage-time header glanced off Harry Maguire into the goal to give Sevilla a huge lift ahead of next week's second leg.

"I think we had the game in hand," Ten Hag told BT Sport. "We should have scored three or four. . . and then some unlucky moments with injuries. And then we conceded two own goals and that's bad luck. We have to deal with it. Of course, we have to learn that we have to kill the game."

IMAGE: Marcao of Sevilla FC collides with Manchester United's Marcel Sabitzer. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Sabitzer, who is on loan from Bayern Munich, netted his first European goal for United in the 14th minute, when he controlled a pinpoint pass from Bruno Fernandes and shot past keeper Bono.

The Austrian doubled his tally seven minutes later, latching on to a fine pass from Anthony Martial and finishing well.

Sabitzer, however, said it was tough to find words after his team's late meltdown.

"A roller-coaster," Sabitzer said. "We had to finish the game off, it's a draw, was not what we wanted, have to go to Seville and get it down there.

"We had the chances, we were confidence in the game and I think we controlled the game, but unfortunately we gave easy goals away."

IMAGE: Marcel Sabitzer scores Manchester United's second goal past Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Martinez appeared to suffer a serious ankle injury and was carried off the pitch by two Sevilla players who are his Argentina team mates.

United, bidding for their second trophy of the season after winning the League Cup, thought they had scored seconds after kickoff, but Jadon Sancho's effort was disallowed for offside.

Sevilla, languishing in the bottom half of La Liga, were outplayed in the first half but they nearly got on the scoreboard seconds before the interval when De Gea stopped Tianguy Ninazou's close-range header and Raphael Varane cleared it off the line.

Late Gatti goal secures Juventus win over Sporting

IMAGE: Federico Gatti celebrates after scoring the winning goal for Juventus against Sporting Lisbon. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Juventus took a small step towards the last four of the Europa League as Federico Gatti's second-half goal secured the hosts a 1-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of their quarter-final on Thursday.

Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri changed the formation that lost 2-1 to Lazio in Serie A on Saturday to a more attacking one with three forwards, but with limited success.

"I always say that football is not a mathematical equation. I decided to use those three upfront, we were often left unbalanced against a strong opponent like Sporting," he told Sky Sport Italy.

The first chance fell to Federico Chiesa who fired an angled shot from inside the box that Sporting goalkeeper Antonio Adan parried away.

Sporting dominated much of the match and had chances to score in the first half. Captain Sebastian Coates had a shot saved by Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny before Gleison Bremer cleared a Nuno Santos effort off the line.

Juve had to substitute Szczesny shortly before the break, the Poland international holding his chest before being replaced by Mattia Perin.

"I am fine, I was a little anxious, but we did all the tests and everything is fine," Szczesny said.

"I was scared, it had never happened to me before, I was struggling to breathe and it really worried me."

Substitute Dusan Vlahovic's 73rd-minute header was blocked on the line by Coates and Gatti bundled the rebound in from close range.

Juve midfielder Paul Pogba made his first appearance outside of Serie A this season when he came on as a late substitute for Angel Di Maria and he made a superb double intervention in stoppage time to stop Sporting from scoring.

"We made a few mistakes, the lads can improve, above all in the final cross when Perin made two crucial saves, we should’ve sensed the danger earlier," Allegri said.

The result continued Sporting's winless run in Italy. Four of their 16 games in the country have resulted in draws and 12 in defeat.

The second leg is next Thursday at Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon. The winners will face either Sevilla or Manchester United in the semi-finals.

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Source: REUTERS
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