Manchester United and Real Sociedad played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie, with Joshua Zirkzee scoring for United. The match, held in Spain, saw United initially take the lead when Zirkzee, assisted by Alejandro Garnacho, made a decisive finish from the edge of the area early in the second half. However, United’s joy was short-lived as Sociedad equalized with a penalty taken by Mikel Oyarzabal following a handball incident involving Bruno Fernandes.
Throughout the match, United had some opportunities to extend their lead, including a blocked shot from Fernandes and a saved follow-up from Zirkzee. As the game progressed, Sociedad gained momentum and troubled United’s defense, culminating in a high-quality save from keeper Andre Onana to deny a potential winning goal.
In other Europa League fixtures, Scottish side Rangers secured a solid 3-1 victory over Fenerbahce, with Vaclav Cerny scoring twice, and Olympique Lyonnais triumphed 3-1 in Romania against Steaua Bucharest, thanks to two late goals from Malick Fofana.
Tottenham Hotspur had a less favorable outing, losing 1-0 to AZ Alkmaar. They struggled to find their rhythm, famously failing to record a shot on target in the first half after conceding an own goal from Lucas Bergvall.
This latest draw keeps Manchester United unbeaten in the competition this season, highlighting their potential to perform effectively as they advance. The return leg against Sociedad will be crucial for United, as they aim to capitalize on their strong start in the tournament.
The resilience shown by both Manchester United and Rangers is heartening. As they navigate the knockout stages, fans can remain optimistic about their teams’ chances of progression in European competitions.
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