United, City outplayed in Europa League
Source: Agencies |
March 10, 2012, Saturday
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MANCHESTER United and arch-rivals City were outplayed and comprehensively beaten by teams with far more limited resources in the Europa League on Thursday.
United lost 2-3 at home to Athletic Bilbao, its second successive European defeat at Old Trafford, in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie.
Central defender Xandao scored with a cheeky back-heel to give Sporting a 1-0 win over City in Lisbon, ending the Premier League leader's run of six straight wins. Valencia, 4-2 winner over PSV Eindhoven at home, and Atletico Madrid, which beat Besiktas 3-1, completed an excellent night for Spanish clubs.
A Luuk de Jong penalty gave Twente Enschede a 1-0 win at home to Schalke 04 and Olympiakos Piraeus won by the same score away to Ukraine's Metalist Kharkiv. AZ Alkmaar beat Udinese 2-0 and Standard Liege was held 2-2 at home by Hanover 96 in the other ties.
United, beaten 1-2 at home by Ajax Amsterdam in the previous round, has won only once in five European outings at Old Trafford this season. "We were well beaten, they were the better team," manager Alex Ferguson said. "Our defending wasn't very good tonight, our attacking play was very open at times."
Athletic took the game to United, pressuring it in its own half in a style which has become the trademark of its Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Although Wayne Rooney gave United a 21st minute lead, Athletic continued to push forward. The equalizer came in the 41st minute when a well-worked move ended with Fernando Llorente ghosting in to meet Markel Susaeta's chipped cross with a powerful low header.
Athletic's fans were given more to celebrate in the 71st minute with a superbly worked move which ended with Ander Herrera flicking the ball over the United rearguard for Oscar De Marcos to hook the ball in with a first time shot.
De Marcos's freekick was parried by David De Gea. Although there seemed to be no Athletic player in sight, Rafael was caught napping and the always dangerous Iker Muniain stole in to fire the ball into the roof to net.
"I don't know how you describe the third goal," said Ferguson.
United lost 2-3 at home to Athletic Bilbao, its second successive European defeat at Old Trafford, in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie.
Central defender Xandao scored with a cheeky back-heel to give Sporting a 1-0 win over City in Lisbon, ending the Premier League leader's run of six straight wins. Valencia, 4-2 winner over PSV Eindhoven at home, and Atletico Madrid, which beat Besiktas 3-1, completed an excellent night for Spanish clubs.
A Luuk de Jong penalty gave Twente Enschede a 1-0 win at home to Schalke 04 and Olympiakos Piraeus won by the same score away to Ukraine's Metalist Kharkiv. AZ Alkmaar beat Udinese 2-0 and Standard Liege was held 2-2 at home by Hanover 96 in the other ties.
United, beaten 1-2 at home by Ajax Amsterdam in the previous round, has won only once in five European outings at Old Trafford this season. "We were well beaten, they were the better team," manager Alex Ferguson said. "Our defending wasn't very good tonight, our attacking play was very open at times."
Athletic took the game to United, pressuring it in its own half in a style which has become the trademark of its Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Although Wayne Rooney gave United a 21st minute lead, Athletic continued to push forward. The equalizer came in the 41st minute when a well-worked move ended with Fernando Llorente ghosting in to meet Markel Susaeta's chipped cross with a powerful low header.
Athletic's fans were given more to celebrate in the 71st minute with a superbly worked move which ended with Ander Herrera flicking the ball over the United rearguard for Oscar De Marcos to hook the ball in with a first time shot.
De Marcos's freekick was parried by David De Gea. Although there seemed to be no Athletic player in sight, Rafael was caught napping and the always dangerous Iker Muniain stole in to fire the ball into the roof to net.
"I don't know how you describe the third goal," said Ferguson.
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