Manchester United went ahead thanks to Joshua Zirkzee but had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 matchup on Thursday, while Tottenham Hotspur experienced a 1-0 loss to AZ Alkmaar.
Rangers triumphed 3-1 against Fenerbahce, with Vaclav Cerny netting a pair of goals. Meanwhile, Olympique Lyonnais achieved a 3-1 win over the Romanian team Steaua Bucharest, courtesy of two late goals by Malick Fofana.
Real Sociedad vs Man Utd: Key Moments & Penalty Drama
Manchester United created the only genuine opportunity in the first half against Sociedad when Bruno Fernandes had a shot on goal blocked, and Zirkzee’s subsequent attempt was denied.
Alejandro Garnacho aimed for the goal, but 12 minutes into the second half, he delivered a pass to the unmarked Zirkzee positioned at the edge of the box, and the Dutch forward struck a first-time shot past goalkeeper Alex Remiro.
Sociedad sought to equalize, with Brais Mendez firing a shot narrowly past the post, and they received a penalty for a handball by Fernandes, which Mikel Oyarzabal successfully converted to level the match with 20 minutes left.
As the hosts gained more confidence, Mendez compelled United goalkeeper Andre Onana to make an excellent save, and substitute Orri Oskarsson missed a close-range shot. Still, United managed to hold on and stay the only unbeaten team in the competition this season.
Tottenham Struggles at AZ Alkmaar: Match Breakdown
Spurs fell behind in the 18th minute when Lucas Bergvall accidentally scored an own goal from a corner, and the away team was unable to record a single shot on target in the first half.
Bergvall attempted to rectify the situation after the break, firing a long-range shot just off target, but that was the nearest Tottenham got to leveling the score.
Rangers vs Fenerbahce: Cerny Shines in 3-1 Victory
Rangers took the lead with Cyriel Dessers scoring in the sixth minute, but substitute Alexander Djiku equalized for Fenerbahce around the half-hour mark. However, the visitors regained the lead just three minutes before halftime with a goal from Cerny.
Dessers had two goals disallowed for offside during the second half, after which Cerny secured the victory nine minutes before the end.
Lyon Late Surge vs Steaua Bucharest: Fofana Heroics
Nicolas Tagliafico opened the scoring for Lyon after 30 minutes in Romania, while Alexandru Baluta equalized for the home team with 22 minutes remaining. However, Fofana scored twice in the last four minutes to secure a two-goal lead for the French team.
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