BERLIN, March 14 — Premier League strugglers Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur stayed alive in the Europa League by advancing into the quarter finals.
Captain Bruno Fernandes converted two penalties and completed a hat-trick from open play as United came from behind to beat 10-man Real Sociedad 4-1 on the night and 5-2 on aggregate, reported German news agency dpa.
The Spanish visitors had led early from the first penalty at Old Trafford converted by Mikel Oyarzabal, but their comeback hopes ended in a red card for substitute Jon Aramburu for last man foul on Patrick Dorgu. Diogo Dalot got the final United goal.
Spurs overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit against AZ Alkmaar with a 3-1 home win over their Dutch opponents from Wilson Odobert’s brace and James Maddison.
They next face 2022 champions Eintracht Frankfurt who completed a 6-1 aggregate success over Ajax with a 4-1 home win which included a brace from German 2014 World Cup hero Mario Götze.
United’s quarter-final opponents are Olympique Lyon, whose Georges Mikautadze and Ernest Nuamah also got two goals each in a 4-0 demolition of Romania’s FCSB for a 7-1 aggregate success. — Bernama-dpa