UEFA Europa League: Manchester United Survive Scare

Metalist Kharkiv must have felt bad about demolishing Salzburg 4-0 in their home stadium, so they gave them a goal this time around. Of course, any sympathy the Ukrainians may have felt for their woeful opposition didn’t stop them from scoring a second sackful of goals. Their 4-1 home win meant an 8-1 aggregate victory that was the standout scoreline of the first knockout round. Meanwhile, Olympiacos made their most of their 1-0 lead against Rubin Kazan from the first leg, striking early in the first half and holding on for a 2-0 aggregate win.

Aras Özbiliz scored on a bit of a scramble, taking advantage of some poor defending by United to score in the 37th minute. Things got dramatic in the 87th minute when Toby Alderweireld headed in a free kick by Özbiliz to make it 3-2 on aggregate, but Ajax would not create another good chance as United held on for the victory.

For more on the Red Devils, head over to Manchester United blog The Busby Babe.

Full Reports

Valencia 1-0 Stoke City

Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Lokomotiv Moscow

Lokomotiv were lively after the goal and looked like they were capable of grabbing a winner, but the Bilbao defense held on to see them through to the Round of 16.

The goal had come shortly after Stoke winger Diego Arismendi went down at the top of the Valencia box - a foul that wasn’t given - and a 2-0 deficit was simply too much for the visitors to recover from. They tested goalkeeper Vicente Guaita a few times, but looked more likely to have a man sent off (Stoke received five booking in the match, four of them in a 13 minute orgy of dissent) than to notch the two goals they needed to advance. Meanwhile, Valencia were buzzing, always looking like a threat to score again. Ultimately, they didn’t need to, and they advance to the next round in some style.

For more on the Citizens, check out Manchester City blog Bitter And Blue.

Wednesday is usually a day reserved for Champions League football, but since there aren’t any English or Portuguese teams in action in the Champions League this Wednesday, Manchester City and FC Porto have decided to get their Europa League tie out of the way. Their tie is the only one that will be played ahead of time, with the other 15 going on this Thursday. City scored twice at the Dragao and appear to be all but through.

Approximately six of the ties remain competitive, though only one (Metalist Kharkiv vs. SV Salsburg) is truly over before the start of the second leg. Any team that put up an away win or multiple goals in an away draw is likely through, leaving six ties that are still very much up for grabs.