Europa League: Man United, Tottenham take commanding leads in semifinal ties

Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes celebrates scoring a purpose in opposition to Athletic Bilbao within the Europa League semifinal on Could 1, 2025
| Picture Credit score: Motion Photographs by way of Reuters

The rescue act is on for Manchester United and Tottenham. Massive wins for each groups within the first legs of the Europa League semifinals on Thursday (Could 1, 2025) stored alive their hopes of lifting a significant trophy and qualifying for the Champions League.

United beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 on the San Mames in Spain and Tottenham received 3-1 at house in opposition to Norwegian membership Bodo/Glimt.

Each United and Spurs have endured depressing home campaigns and are languishing within the backside half of the Premier League. However European membership soccer’s second-tier Europa League might but see considered one of them salvage their season.

Not solely is silverware on the road, however so is an unlikely path to the profitable Champions League because the prize for profitable the competitors.

United in management

United produced probably its most interesting efficiency of the season to take a commanding first-leg lead in opposition to 10-man Bilbao.

Casemiro headed Ruben Amorim’s crew in entrance within the thirtieth minute after a cross from Harry Maguire.

It was 2-0 seven minutes later when Rasmus Hojlund was introduced down within the field by Dani Vivian and a penalty was awarded after a VAR overview. Vivian was proven a purple card for the foul and Bruno Fernandes transformed from the spot.

Fernandes acquired his second and United’s third within the forty fifth when he ran by way of on purpose and curled a shot previous goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala.

The United captain has now scored 19 targets and offered 16 assists in all competitions this season. In accordance the statistician Opta, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah is the one Premier League participant to have made extra purpose contributions this time period with 56.

“I wish to rating targets, I wish to be concerned. I do know considered one of my qualities is getting targets and making assists, so I simply must hold going,” Fernandes stated.

United’s win might have been much more emphatic with Noussair Mazraoui and Casemiro each hitting the woodwork.

The second leg is at Outdated Trafford subsequent Thursday and United is doubtlessly simply 90 minutes away from returning to Bilbao, which is staging the ultimate on Could 21.

The run in Europe is in stark distinction to United’s horrible home kind, which can see it finish the season with a club-record low-points whole and its lowest place within the Premier League period.

Sitting 14th within the standings, United has by no means appeared more likely to problem for Champions League qualification by way of its league inserting. Nevertheless it has saved some spectacular performances for the Europa League — together with the epic comeback in opposition to Lyon within the quarterfinals when it rallied from 4-2 down in further time to win 5-4.

Amorim, nonetheless, warned in opposition to complacency within the second leg.

“They (Bilbao) can do the identical factor in Outdated Trafford as a result of they’re actually sturdy, they’re actually intense,” he stated. “In fact, we’re within the benefit. We’ve our followers, however once more, this might change.”

Tottenham leads

Underneath-pressure Tottenham supervisor Ange Postecoglou might but stay as much as his proclamation that he at all times wins a trophy in his second season.

That report — which was carried by way of with former golf equipment Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F Marinos and Celtic — has appeared in critical jeopardy for a lot of a season that has seen Spurs lose 19 occasions within the league.

However a 3-1 win in opposition to Bodo/Glimt on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will gas perception that Postecoglou might ship the products once more.

Spurs had been forward inside a minute by way of Brennan Johnson, and James Maddison doubled the lead thirty fourth.

Dominic Solanke’s penalty within the 61st made it 3-0, however Ulrik Saltnes gave the Norwegians hope forward of subsequent week’s return leg in Norway by pulling a purpose again within the 83rd.

“I do not assume the scoreline displays our dominance, however on the finish of the primary leg, all you need is to be in place and we have ourselves into place,” Postecoglou stated.

UEFA Convention League

Chelsea accomplished night time for English groups by beating Djurgarden 4-1 in Sweden within the first leg of their UEFA Convention League semifinal. Nicolas Jackson scored twice within the win.

Actual Betis received 2-1 in opposition to Fiorentina with on-loan Manchester United ahead Antony getting a purpose to keep up his spectacular kind since shifting to Spain.