Twin defeats for Manchester teams in Europe

Updated March 09, 2012 09:50:34

Manchester United's miserable European season continued at Old Trafford as they suffered a stunning 3-2 first-leg defeat by Athletic Bilbao in their Europa League last-16 tie on Friday morning (AEDT).

Bilbao appeared to have taken complete control of the game - and the overall tie - when the hugely impressive Iker Muniain shot his side into a 3-1 lead, only for Wayne Rooney to reduce the arrears with an injury-time penalty.

Rooney's 23rd goal of the season had initially handed United an undeserved lead before Fernando Llorente equalised towards the end of the first half.

Oscar de Marcos struck to put the visitors ahead after 71 minutes, appearing on the end of one of the numerous slick Bilbao passing attacks to which United had no answer and making it 2-1.

Muniain started the move before Ander Herrera lobbed through a weighted pass, met by a first-time, left-foot volley from de Marcos, eight yards out, which left the United goalkeeper David de Gea rooted to the spot on its way into the bottom corner.

Then, with one minute of normal time left, Bilbao claimed a third as Muniain pounced ahead of a sluggish Rafael to slam the ball into an open goal after de Gea had palmed away de Marcos' low shot.

The goal was shrouded in controversy as it stemmed from a Bilbao free-kick that had been awarded in a bizarre incident after United defender Patrice Evra lost his boot.

Rooney handed United some glimmer of hope in the 91st minute, convincingly converting from the penalty spot after de Marcos had capped an eventful night by handling a cross from Javier Hernandez.

City downed

Manchester City's quest for Europa League glory also received a setback when the Premier League leaders lost 1-0 at Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

City had crushed Portuguese league leaders Porto 6-1 on aggregate in the previous round, but it found Sporting - 14 points off the pace in the Portuguese Liga - a much more obdurate adversary at Jose Alvalade Stadium.

Brazilian centre-back Xandao claimed the game's only goal with a clever back-heel in the 51st minute to give Ricardo Sa Pinto's side a narrow advantage ahead of the second leg at the City of Manchester Stadium next week.

"This result was not a surprise, anything can happen in football. I don't think we deserved to lose," City coach Roberto Mancini said.

"We did not play well. We had chances to score, but we didn't take them. It will be a different game in Manchester. When we have chances to score, we will score."

Victory extended Sporting's unbeaten European home record to 10 games, while Mancini was left to rue an injury to captain Vincent Kompany that forced the Belgian centre-back to leave the fray early in the game.

"We have to wait one or two days to know the exact extent of his injury, but it is a problem with his calf," Mancini said. "I hope to have Kompany back in 10 days or two weeks, but we have other solutions."

Tags: sport, soccer, england

First posted March 09, 2012 09:12:38

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British trio on Europa life support after defeats

Updated December 01, 2011 09:44:20

Scottish giants Celtic and English sides Spurs and Birmingham City were left needing to win their final Europa League group matches if they are to have a chance of reaching the knockout stages after losing their penultimate group matches on Wednesday.

Spurs were surprisingly beaten 2-1 at home by PAOK Salonika - who qualified for the knock-out rounds thanks to the win - after conceding two early goals and were unable to take advantage of playing all of the second-half against 10 men.

Celtic lost 1-0 at home to Spanish giants Atletico Madrid - who ensured they progressed - while Championship outfit Birmingham City went down by the same margin away at last season's surprise finalists Portuguese side Braga.

Celtic, though, will need to pull off a win away at Italian side Udinese - who are three points ahead of them after drawing 0-0 with bottom side Rennes.

Birmingham must beat already eliminated Maribor and hope there is a winner from the Braga and Club Brugge match as both are three points ahead of the English League Cup holders.

Spurs will feel hard done by as they had what they thought a perfectly good goal from Jermaine Defoe ruled out after initially being given but they were their own worst enemies as they failed to put away any of their chances in the second-half.

Croatian star Luka Modric's first-half penalty had got them back into the match after Kostas Stafylidis was sent off somewhat harshly for handling on the line.

The Greek side had stormed into a 2-0 lead through a Dimitris Salpingidis header and a Stefanos Athanasiadis tap-in after 13 minutes.

For Spurs to qualify, they need to beat pointless Irish side Shamrock Rovers and hope Russian outfit Rubin Kazan drops points against PAOK.

Celtic should have been 1-0 down after six minutes as Argentinian Eduardo Salvio was picked out unmarked in the box but his header lacked the accuracy reflected in his return of just one goal this season.

Celtic had its chances with veteran Greek striker Giorgios Samaras having the best one but his sidefooted volley from close range went straight at the 'keeper.

While Salvio missed another gilt-edged chance Atletico did eventually break the deadlock in the 30th minute through the impressive Turkish international Arda Turan.

The former Galatasaray star rifled home a 25 yard effort after an Atletico corner had been headed clear but Celtic skipper Beram Kayal will take some of the blame as he ill advisedly ducked to let the shot fly over him and see it go in off 'keeper Fraser Forster's hands.

Things got worse for the former European Cup winners as left back Joe Ledley was stretchered off and was replaced by Charlie Mulgrew, who played despite his father dying last week.

Celtic pushed forward in the second-half as it had to do and thought it had grabbed an equaliser in the 66th minute through Gary Hooper but it was ruled out for handball by Anthony Stokes.

Birmingham should have been in front away to Sporting Braga at half-time but Serbian striker Nikola Zigic saw his penalty - awarded for a trip by Ewerton on Wade Elliott - saved by veteran 'keeper Quim.

The English side paid for missing the penalty and wasting several other chances as the hosts took the lead early in the second-half as former Newcastle flop Hugo Viana let fly from 25 yards and his shot gave Birmingham 'keeper Boaz Myhill no chance as it took a huge deflection.

The Portuguese side had the upper hand from that moment on but like its opponents in the first-half could not put its chances away, the best of them coming shortly before the final whistle as Myhill blocked Lima's shot and then Paulo Cesar made a mess of his effort from the rebound.

AFP

Tags: uefa-cup, soccer, sport, england, scotland, united-kingdom, spain, portugal, greece

First posted December 01, 2011 09:41:12

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