Man U, Tottenham advance into Europa League quarters
by Ganiyu Mubarak · The Eagle OnlineManchester United captain Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick and Wilson Odobert was on target twice for Tottenham Hotspur as the two Premier League strugglers reached the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday.
Fernandes converted two penalties and got the other from open play as United came from behind to beat 10-man Real Sociedad 4-1 on the night and 5-2 on aggregate.
The Spanish visitors had led early from the first penalty at Old Trafford converted by Mikel Oyarzabal, but their comeback hopes ended in a red card for substitute Jon Aramburu, and Diogo Dalot got the final United goal.
Spurs overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit against AZ Alkmaar with a 3-1 over their Dutch opponents from Odobert’s brace and James Maddison.
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They next face 2022 champions Eintracht Frankfurt who completed a 6-2 aggregate success over Ajax with a 4-1 home win which included a brace from German 2014 World Cup hero Mario Götze.
United’s quarter-final opponents are Olympique Lyon, whose Georges Mikautadze and Ernest Nuamah also got two goals each in a 4-0 demolition of Romania’s FCSB for a 7-1 aggregate success.
Spurs and United are far off the European berths in the Premier League, and their only realistic chance of European football lies in winning the Europa League which earns a Champions League berth.
Elsewhere, Spain international Nico Williams scored twice as Athletic Bilbao remained on course towards the May 21 final in their home stadium with a 3-1 success over 10-man Roma, which overturned a 2-1 defeat in Rome.
The Italians had Mats Hummels sent off early.
Bilbao now take on Rangers who prevailed 3-2 on penalties over Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce who had locked the aggregate score at 3-3 with a 2-0 in Glasgow.
The other quarter-final tie set for April 10 and 17 is between Lazio and Norway’s Bodø/Glimt, who ousted Conference League champions Olympiacos.
dpa/NAN.
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