Manchester United on Thursday bounced back from a historic thrashing by Liverpool to beat Real Betis Balompie 4-1 in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League round-of-16 tie, while a 2-2 draw away to Sporting gave Arsenal work to do to reach the quarter-finals.
United equaled their heaviest-ever defeat and worst since 1931 in losing 7-0 at Anfield on Sunday. Erik ten Hag responded by naming the same starting lineup and was rewarded with a return to form.
“You see how a team reacts after a setback,” Ten Hag said. “This is not the first time this season, I think you see five or six times we can reset and bounce back. This team has character, so a big compliment to the team.”
Photo: AP
Marcus Rashford smashed United into an early lead with his 26th goal of the season, but Betis leveled against the run of play when Ayoze Perez fired into the far corner.
It was two of United’s most fiercely criticized stars who made the difference after halftime.
Antony curled a brilliant shot into the top corner, before Bruno Fernandes, who Ten Hag named again as captain, headed in Luke Shaw’s corner.
“Bruno was brilliant today,” Ten Hag said. “He led the team from the first minute by his game in possession, making the rhythm of the game and scored a goal, so I am happy.”
Wout Weghorst then netted just his second goal in 15 appearances for United by pouncing from close range six minutes from time.
English Premier League leaders Arsenal were forced to come from behind to salvage a draw in the Portuguese capital.
Despite going for a first league title in 19 years, Mikel Arteta named a strong side and William Saliba headed the visitors into the lead.
Sporting equalized shortly after in near identical fashion, with Goncalo Inacio heading home Marcus Edwards’ corner.
Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Edwards then had a role in Sporting’s second as Paulinho reacted quickest to finish inside the penalty area.
Arsenal were level just after the hour mark, though, when Granit Xhaka’s cross deflected off the unfortunate Hidemasa Morita and rebounded into his own net.
“Considering you concede two goals away from home and still escape with a draw, you have to take some positives, but we gave them too much hope by giving the ball away in our own half too many times,” Arsenal manager Arteta said.
Juventus take a narrow lead to Germany next week after the in-form Angel di Maria scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over SC Freiburg.
Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma are also on course for the last eight after goals from Stephan El Shaarawy and Marash Kumbulla saw off Real Sociedad 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico.
Six-time winners Sevilla might be fighting a relegation battle in La Liga, but are always a threat in the Europa League and take a 2-0 first-leg lead over Fenerbahce to Istanbul next week thanks to goals from Joan Jordan and Erik Lamela.
The game of the night saw Bundesliga surprise package Union Berlin snatch a 3-3 draw against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, despite having trailed three times.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen beat Ferencvaros 2-0 at home, while Shakhtar Donetsk and Feyenoord played out a 1-1 draw.
TROUNCED: Taiwan beat Palestine in six innnings on day three of the Asia Baseball Championship, while it took just five innings for Japan to defeat Thailand Taiwan yesterday beat Palestine 19-0 at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium on the third day of the Asian Baseball Championship. The Group A game was over in six innings after a 6:03pm start. Taiwan went on the offensive from the first inning, scoring three runs, but the real damage was done in the third inning, when they scored seven. The Palestine players are all studying or working in the US. In another duel between two unevenly matched teams, Japan thrashed Thailand 16-0 in their late Group B game at the Taipei Dome. They won in five innings thanks to the mercy rule, which states
CUP READY: Although Taiwan lost, they qualified, along with Japan and South Korea, for next year’s U-23 World Baseball Cup, which is to be held in China for the first time Japan yesterday edged Taiwan 1-0 to win the Asian Baseball Championship at Taipei Dome, despite star pitcher Hsu Jo-hsi giving up just four hits in six innings. Unlike their showdown in the 2019 tournament when Taiwan pipped Japan 5-4, this time the teams battled for every hit, with the Wei Chuan Dragons’ Hsu striking out eight batters, giving up just one run off four hits. That was all world No. 1 Japan needed for the title, and after outlasting Taiwan for a 1-0 victory in 10 innings in the Super Round on Friday, they finished the tournament unbeaten. Yesterday’s first two innings flew
NATIONS LEAGUE: England crushed Scotland 6-0, but their Olympic hopes were ruined when the Netherlands beat them on goal difference with a 4-0 win against Belgium Germany and the Netherlands on Tuesday booked their places at the UEFA Women’s Nations League finals , where they are also to fight for spots at next year’s Paris Games, but there was heartbreak for England whose hopes of competing in the Olympics were dashed, despite beating Scotland 6-0. Germany drew 0-0 in Wales, but secured their passage thanks to Iceland’s 1-0 win over Denmark. The Netherlands needed a 95th-minute goal from Damaris Egurrola to see them to a 4-0 win over Belgium which meant they edged England on goal difference in Group A1 after the FIFA Women’s World Cup runners-up hammered
Now that Shohei Ohtani has his money — a record US$700 million, 10-year contact with the Los Angeles Dodgers — some fans in Japan are waiting for one more thing to complete the deal. “I want Ohtani to play in the World Series,” said Isshin Watanabe, a baseball fan speaking yesterday near Tokyo’s famous Ginza shopping area. “That’s my hope,” he added. Baseball fans across Tokyo yesterday lined to buy special editions of the Yomiuri Shimbun, announcing Ohtani’s move across town from the Los Angeles Angels to the Dodgers. This is perhaps the largest contract in sports history, topping highs believed to be set
RSS