Ighalo double leads Utd into FA Cup Q-F
DERBY: Odion Ighalo scored twice as Manchester United ruined Wayne Rooney’s reunion with his old club by beating Derby 3-0 Thursday to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals. It was Rooney’s first game against the club where he spent 13 years and became United’s all-time top scorer, but the closest he came to a goal was with a free kick in stoppage time that goalkeeper Sergio Romero tipped over the bar.
Instead it was Ighalo who impressed, with the January signing netting in the 41st and 70th minute to take his tally to three goals in two starts for United. Derby, who play in the second-tier Championship, got off to a bright start but United looked comfortable after Luke Shaw scored the opener in the 33rd. Ighalo then doubled the lead by poking the ball into the bottom left-hand corner from six yards out, before rifling home his second into the roof of the net with 20 minutes remaining. United will face Norwich in the quarters.
BILBAO VS SOCIEDAD
MADRID: A goal nine minutes from time by defender Yuri Berchiche took Athletic Bilbao into an all-Basque Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad on Thursday when they edged Granada on away goals.
Athletic had led 1-0 from the first leg of the semi-final but fellow La Liga side Granada levelled the tie on the night through Carlos Fernandez in the 48th minute with a fine header from a cross by Venezuelan Darwin Machis. Granada, in their first semi-final since 1969, then took a 2-1 overall lead thanks to a goal from German Sanchez after 76 minutes, again with Machis the provider from a corner. However, their hopes of making the final were dashed when Berchiche scored with a low drive in the 81st minute after being set up by Mikel Vesga to secure his team a spot in the April 18 finale.
HAZARD UNDERGOES FOOT SURGERY
MADRID: Real Madrid star and Belgian international Eden Hazard has undergone a successful surgery on his broken right foot, the Spanish La Liga leaders said Thursday. “Hazard has successfully undergone surgery today in Dallas on a fracture in the fibula of his right foot. The operation was supervised by Real Madrid Medical Services. Hazard will now remain under observation until he gets the all clear to being his rehabilitation process,” ,” Real said in a statement.