Manchester United conceded in stoppage time to draw 2-2 away to Lyon on a bad night for goalkeeper Andre Onana in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday, while Tottenham Hotspur drew 1-1 with Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers held Athletic Bilbao.
The build-up to United’s game in France had been dominated by a pre-match spat between Onana and Lyon’s Nemanja Matic, who formerly played for the Old Trafford club.
Matic described Onana as “one of the worst goalkeepers” in United’s history, and the Cameroon international was at fault for both goals his team conceded on the night.
Thiago Almada’s free-kick delivery evaded everyone and beat Onana to find the net and put Lyon in front on 26 minutes.
The visitors were level in first-half stoppage time when Manuel Ugarte hooked the ball back into the Lyon box after goalkeeper Lucas Perri punched away a Bruno Fernandes free-kick, and French defender Leny Yoro glanced home his first United goal.
It then looked like Ruben Amorim’s side would leave with the victory when a delightful Fernandes assist was headed in by substitute Joshua Zirkzee in the 88th minute, but Lyon struck to make it 2-2 in the fifth minute of injury time.
Onana failed to hold a Georges Mikautadze shot, allowing Rayan Cherki to poke in the rebound and leave the tie firmly in the balance ahead of next week’s second leg.
“We have one more game to change everything and that should be our focus,” said Amorim, as the United coach admitted his players were gutted at the way the match ended.
“I felt the dressing room was really quiet and that is a good thing. We draw away in Europe, that is always hard. The team is suffering and we need to change that.”
In London, Spurs fell behind at home to 2022 Europa League winners Frankfurt as French striker Hugo Ekitike gave the visitors the lead with a precise low strike into the bottom corner of the net just six minutes in.
However, Tottenham were back level before half-time as James Maddison — who gave possession away in the build-up to Frankfurt’s opener — cut the ball back for Pedro Porro to score with a sublime back-heel flick.
Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur both then hit the woodwork for the Premier League side, but the final result will not do much to ease the pressure on under-fire Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou.
“It was disappointing to concede the way we did. The biggest blow we had was conceding so early. That kind of played into their hands,” Postecoglou said.
“But even before that, I thought we were well in control of the game. I thought it would bring fruit in the second half and it did in every aspect but goals. I can’t ask any more of the lads.”
Athletic Bilbao are desperate to go all the way to this season’s Europa League final, which will take place in their own San Mames stadium next month.
They could not take advantage of the fact they played most of Thursday’s quarter-final first leg away to Rangers with an extra man, however, as the match in Glasgow ended 0-0.
Rangers were reduced to 10 men after just 13 minutes when defender Robin Proepper was shown a red card following a VAR review for a last-man foul on Inaki Williams on the edge of the box.
The Scottish side nevertheless held firm and goalkeeper Liam Kelly, selected ahead of Jack Butland, saved a late Alex Berenguer penalty, awarded following another VAR intervention, this time for a Dujon Sterling handball.
The winner of that tie will face either Lyon or Manchester United in the semifinals, while Frankfurt or Tottenham will meet Bodo/Glimt or Lazio in the last four.
Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt are well placed to reach a first European semi-final after beating Lazio 2-0 at home on Thursday.
Snow had to be cleared from the pitch earlier in the day before two goals by Ulrik Saltnes, either side of half-time, gave the hosts the victory.
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