In a historic encounter, Barcelona placed on a spectacular late present at Camp Nou on Thursday night time, coming from behind to grab an exhilarating 2-2 draw towards Manchester United within the first leg of the Europa League knockout spherical playoffs.
United had been the higher aspect for big components of the sport and managed the tempo however had been denied by goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen who made three excellent saves within the first half.
La Liga leaders Barcelona struck first, 5 minutes after the break, when Marcos Alonso scored with a towering header on the far publish from a nook.
Marcus Rashford leveled three minutes later following a counter-attack down the fitting, slotting residence a wise low end between Ter Stegen and the close to publish.
The in-form Rashford additionally created United’s second, sprinting into the field from a brief nook and delivering a low cross right into a crowded six-yard space the place the ball deflected into the purpose off defender Jules Kounde.
United gamers and supervisor Erik ten Hag complained strongly after what seemed like a transparent foul by last-man Kounde on Rashford simply outdoors the field, an infringement that ought to have produced a pink card for the French worldwide.
Barcelona dug deep to seize the equalizer, nonetheless, and errors by United’s protection gifted the ball on the sting of their field to Raphinha whose cross eluded David de Gea and went into the web.
Barca made a late push for the win and will have scored when an Ansu Fati close-range strike was denied and Casemiro’s mis-hit clearance got here off the crossbar.
Barcelona will journey to subsequent week’s second leg at Old Trafford with a depleted midfield as Pedri got here off within the first half with a leg harm and Gavi shall be suspended.
In Austria, a late header by midfielder Nicolas Capaldo earned Salzburg a 1-0 win over AS Roma on the Red Bull Arena.
Jose Mourinho’s Roma managed the sport and will have gone in entrance minutes earlier than halftime via striker Tammy Abraham however his shot from contained in the field was saved by goalkeeper Philipp Kohn.
The Italians had one other likelihood 9 minutes from the time when Andrea Belotti’s close-range strike crashed towards the crossbar.
But Salzburg defender Strahinja Pavlovic arrange Capaldo with a lofted go into the field for the Argentine to nod within the winner within the 88th minute.
In Amsterdam, Union Berlin had been unlucky to not beat Ajax Amsterdam away within the goalless first leg of their tie on the Johan Cruyff Arena.
The Bundesliga frontrunners had the ball within the residence internet after 66 minutes when Morten Thorsby fired the ball in from shut vary, having cleverly deceived two defenders as he chested down a cross from Jerome Roussillon.
However, VAR confirmed his arm made contact with the ball when controlling it and the strike was chalked off.
Union deserved a purpose, having proven many of the attacking initiative on the night time plus successfully closing down the area Ajax wanted for his or her passing sport, however should now look to safe a last-16 place after they host the second leg within the German capital subsequent Thursday.
In Poland, Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk beat Stade Rennais 2-1 due to first-half objectives from Dmytro Kryskiv and Artem Bondarenko, whereas Karl Toko Ekambi’s volley within the second half gave the French aspect hope for the second leg subsequent week.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
