February 24, 2023 08:31 am | Up to date 08:31 am IST – New Delhi
With a sweeping first-time shot, Antony fired Manchester United to a rousing 2-1 win over Barcelona.
The comeback victory at Previous Trafford despatched United into the Europa League spherical of 16 and saved supervisor Erik ten Hag’s four-pronged trophy hunt on observe.
Antony might need silenced a number of critics, too.
“He’s courageous, he’s fearless,” Ten Hag stated of the Brazil ahead who price United $95 million for his switch from Ajax final summer season.
With United trailing 1-0 at halftime and heading out of the event, Antony got here off the bench to show the match round.
His 73rd-minute strike accomplished a come-from-behind win and offered additional proof that Ten Hag’s group is a rising power in Europe.
“What he introduced (within the) second half was what we wanted, working in behind and dribbles and his aim,” Ten Hag stated.
Barcelona is main the best way in Spain, eight factors forward of Champions League holder Actual Madrid and seemingly on the right track for the home title.
But, over two video games in opposition to United, the Spanish big was shaken by the tempo and urgent of Ten Hag’s gamers.
“We lacked that calm and persistence and began the second half actually unhealthy,” Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez stated. “Small particulars. We might have been extra intense.”
Robert Lewandowski’s first-half penalty had put the guests in entrance on combination after the thrilling 2-2 draw within the first leg on the Nou Camp final week.
However Fred’s strike within the forty seventh evened the match earlier than Antony’s winner.
In entrance of a raucous crowd of 73,000, this was the kind of encounter United followers hope will turn into an everyday prevalence underneath Ten Hag, whose excellent first season in cost is bettering by the week.
“That is one other step as a result of when you may beat Barcelona — top-of-the-line groups on this second in Europe — your perception could be actually robust as a result of then I feel you’ll be able to beat anybody,” Ten Hag added.
The Dutch supervisor remains to be in rivalry to win 4 trophies, together with his group going through Newcastle within the League Cup closing on Sunday.
United additionally sits third within the Premier League standings and remains to be within the FA Cup.
However Ten Hag’s group appeared in peril of being eradicated from the Europa League as Barcelona seized the benefit at Previous Trafford, with Bruno Fernandes concerned within the two key incidents within the first half.
The Portugal worldwide might have put United in entrance after simply three minutes when he ran by way of on aim, solely to fireplace in opposition to the legs of goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Having didn’t take benefit at one finish, Fernandes was then responsible of dragging again Alejandro Balde within the field and referee Clement Turpin pointed to the spot.
Regardless of getting a hand to Lewandowski’s 18th minute penalty, David de Gea couldn’t preserve the ball out.
United struggled to search out their rhythm earlier than the break, however evened the rating in an explosive begin to the second half when Fred fired previous Ter Stegen after Fernandes’ by way of ball.
Previous Trafford was rocking and it went wild when Antony swept his shot low into the far nook to place United in entrance.
“We’ve had some good wins, Liverpool and Arsenal, however I feel this over two legs — Barcelona are La Liga leaders — to beat them it’s an enormous win,” Ten Hag stated.
Di Maria hattrick
Angel Di Maria scored a hat trick as Juventus superior within the Europa League playoffs by beating Nantes 3-0.
Juventus received 4-1 on combination to make sure one other of Europe’s giants will play within the spherical of 16.World Cup winner Di Maria opened the scoring at Stade de la Beaujoire within the fifth minute and doubled the lead within the twentieth from the penalty spot after Nicolas Pallois was despatched off for a handball within the field.
The Argentine accomplished his hat trick within the 78th.
Sporting Lisbon additionally reached the subsequent spherical after Pedro Goncalves scored twice in a 4-0 win at Midtjylland to safe a 5-1 combination victory.
Midtjylland’s Paulinho was despatched off for receiving two yellow playing cards within the house of two minutes within the first half.
Bayer Leverkusen wanted penalties to win an epic in opposition to Monaco after the rating ended 5-5 on combination.
Monaco had received the primary leg in Germany 3-2, however dropping 3-1 going into the final 10 minutes on the Stade Louis II, it wanted a Breel Embolo aim within the 84th to ship the match into additional time.
However that solely delayed Leverkusen’s celebrations because the German group received the shootout 5-3.
Sevilla keeper attacked
Sevilla goalkeeper Marko Dmitrović was attacked by a fan who ran onto the sector within the Spanish group’s recreation at PSV Eindhoven.
The fan threw a punch at Dmitrović earlier than being wrestled to the bottom by the keeper throughout the incident which occurred late within the match on the PSV Stadium.
Dmitrović seemed to be unharmed and the fan was rapidly surrounded by gamers from each groups earlier than being led off the sector to jeers from the group.
Sevilla progressed regardless of dropping 2-0 at PSV Eindhoven, advancing 3-2 on combination.
Ajax crash out
Whereas Ten Hag is trying ahead to the subsequent spherical, his former membership Ajax is out after a 3-1 loss at Union Berlin.
Roma, in the meantime, recovered from a 1-0 first-leg loss at RB Salzburg to win 2-0 at Stadio Olimpico.
Andrea Belotti fired the house group in entrance within the thirty third and Paulo Dybala sealed a 2-1 combination scoreline 5 minutes earlier than halftime.
Shakhtar Donetsk beat Rennes on penalties after a 2-1 loss by way of additional time left the rating at 3-3 on combination.
Karl Toko Ekambi’s strike within the 52nd for Rennes meant the sport needed to go to additional time. Ibrahim Salah then put the house group up 2-0 earlier than an personal aim from Jeanuël Belocian despatched it to a shootout which Shakhtar received 5-4.