Manchester United, Tottenham advance into Europa League quarters

Manchester United’s quarter-final opponents are Olympique Lyon.

Manchester 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 victory over their Dutch opponents from Odobert’s brace and James Maddison.

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 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)