MAN UTD HELD BY SEVILLA AS JUVENTUS SEIZE EUROPA LEAGUE LEADS
MANCHESTER United’s Europa League quarterfinal tie against Sevilla is finely poised after two late own goals allowed the Spanish side to leave Old Trafford with a 2-2 draw in Thursday’s first leg.
Elsewhere there were narrow home wins for Juventus and Feyenoord while Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen were held to a 1-1 draw by Belgian visitors Union Saint-Gilloise.
Erik ten Hag’s United are the favourites to win this season’s competition and they looked to be cruising towards the semifinals as they seized a twogoal first-half lead at Old Trafford thanks to a brace by Marcel Sabitzer.
They could have been out of sight after the break but Antony hit the post at the end of a counterattack and United also saw central defensive duo Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez both come off injured.
Sevilla produced a remarkable late comeback, reducing the deficit in the 84th minute when Tyrell Malacia let a ball go past him in the box and then deflected a Jesus Navas cross into his own net.
They then equalised in the second minute of added time when a Youssef En-Nesyri header went in via a big touch off Harry Maguire, who had come on for Varane.
A Sevilla side who have won the Europa League or its predecessor the Uefa Cup a record six times may now fancy their chances of winning the tie in next week’s return in Spain.
“We conceded two own goals, bad luck, and we have to deal with it,” said Ten Hag. “We have to learn to kill the game, but still everything is open.”
The winners of that tie will face either Juventus or Sporting of Portugal in the last four and the Turin giants claimed a 1-0 victory in the first leg of their quarterfinal.
Federico Gatti scored the only goal of the game in the 73rd minute after Juve suffered a scare when goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny came off just before halftime when he complained of chest pains.
The Poland international was replaced by Mattia Perin who then made a brilliant double save in stoppage time at the end of the game to secure Juve’s win.