Teenager Mason Greenwood on Thursday again grabbed his chances for Manchester United, scoring twice in a 4-0 thrashing of AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Europa League.
Earlier, Arsenal came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Standard Liege and also make sure of a place in the last 32 as Group F winners.
With Wolverhampton Wanderers, who crushed Besiktas JK 4-0, also advancing, English clubs ended with a full house in Europe with the three Europa League entries following the Premier League’s four UEFA Champions League teams into the knockout rounds.
Photo: AP
Spanish clubs also completed a full set when Getafe joined already-qualified Sevilla and RCD Espanyol by scoring three times in the final 14 minutes to beat FC Krasnodar 3-0 in a showdown for second place in Group C.
However, Borussia Moenchengladbach and Italian side SS Lazio made surprising exits.
At Old Trafford, in a battle for top spot in Group L, Alkmaar matched a youthful United side until the 53rd minute, when veteran Ashley Young smashed the hosts ahead.
Greenwood pounced on a loose ball to snap the second into the corner of the net. After Greenwood was fouled, Juan Mata converted a penalty. Then the Spaniard set up Greenwood for another crisp low left-footer inside the post.
“Mason’s a different class as a finisher,” United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said. “If there’s anything around the box you expect him to get a shot off and on target, he’s good at creating space for himself and right-foot, left-foot it doesn’t matter.”
Alexandre Lacazette and Bukayo Saka were on target in the space of three second-half minutes as Arsenal survived a scare to win their group.
They lived on their nerves as Eintracht Frankfurt were poised to knock them off top spot when the Germans side led Vitoria SC 2-1.
However, the Portuguese side, already eliminated, scored twice in the final five minutes to claim a 3-2 win.
“Saka was amazing, he’s a tremendous talent,” Arsenal caretaker coach Freddie Ljungberg said.
Liege took the lead just after halftime when a speculative Samuel Bastien shot took a huge deflection.
The goal meant Arsenal had failed to keep a clean sheet in their past 13 matches in all competitions.
It got worse after 69 minutes, when Selim Amallah made it 2-0 off another deflection as Liege looked for the unlikely scoreline of 5-0, which would put them through and Arsenal out.
However, Lacazette calmed Arsenal nerves after 78 minutes when he headed in a cross from Saka.
Three minutes later, an impressive Saka leveled with a fine finish from the edge of the box.
On a night of late drama, ’Gladbach conceded in the 91st minute to lose 2-1 to Istanbul Basaksehir FK and drop from first to third in Group J and out of the competition.
Marcus Thuram had given the German side a 33rd minute lead. Irfan Can Kahveci replied before halftime and Enzo Crivelli hit the late winner after a goalmouth scramble.
Basaksehir topped the pool. AS Roma, held 2-2 at home to Austrians Wolfsberger AC, were second.
In a straight shoot-out for second in Group H in Razgrad, Bulgaria, substitute Nikolay Signevich scored five minutes into added time to give Ferencvarosi TC a 1-1 draw with PFC Ludogorets Razgrad. The Hungarian side finished one point ahead of Ludogorets in second place behind Espanyol.
Celtic, fresh from winning the Scottish League Cup last weekend and already assured of making the last 32, lost 2-0 at CFR Cluj, who went through as Group E runners-up.
Lazio, third in Serie A, were knocked out after a 2-0 loss at Stade Rennais in the same group.
Rangers got the draw they needed with a 1-1 home draw against Young Boys in Group G. Alfredo Morelos gave the hosts the lead, but in the 89th minute Borna Boric put the ball into his own goal to deprive the Glaswegians of first place in Group G.
That went to FC Porto, who beat Feyenoord 3-2.
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Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
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