As elite European clubs fought for a place in the semi-finals, Thursday night’s UEFA Europa League quarterfinal first-leg matches were extremely dramatic. Here is a summary of the major events of the evening:
Lyon 2-2 Manchester UnitedÂ
After dominating the game at first, Manchester United was held to a 2–2 draw by Lyon in France. Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee gave United the lead, but the hosts took the lead thanks to errors made by goalie André Onana. Rayan Cherki tied the score with a last-minute equalizer. Rúben Amorim, the manager of United, defended his goalkeeper after the game, saying that the goal is still to get better before the rematch at Old Trafford.
Tottenham Hotspur 1–1 Eintracht Frankfurt
At home against Eintracht Frankfurt, Tottenham was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw. Pedro Porro responded with a skillfully taken goal after Hugo Ekitike gave the visitors the lead early on. Spurs will need a win in Germany next week after failing to find a winner despite controlling the ball and creating multiple scoring opportunities.
Rangers 0–0 Athletic Bilbao
Rangers and Athletic Bilbao engaged in a cagey match that ended in a goalless draw at Ibrox. Rangers manager Barry Ferguson’s unexpected decision to bench first-choice goalkeeper Jack Butland, citing recent form issues, was the main topic of conversation. After taking over, Liam Kelly maintained a spotless record. Ferguson noted that there is still intense competition for spots and commended Butland’s professional reaction to the ruling.
Bodø/Glimt 2–0 Lazio
One of the biggest surprises of the evening was Bodø/Glimt’s 2-0 victory over Lazio, an Italian team, at home. The Norwegian team’s hero, Ulrik Saltnes, scored twice in the second half to give his team a commanding lead going into the second leg. Lazio has a mountain to climb back in Rome as a result.
Second Leg FixturesÂ
As the competition for the Europa League semi-finals heats up, all eyes will be on next week’s second-leg matches. Fans can anticipate another thrilling and dramatic evening throughout Europe, with close scorelines and everything on the line.
